Sept. 28 (Bloomberg) -- Astellas Pharma Inc. will discontinue global development of darexaban maleate, a drug for preventing strokes and blood clots, because competition has increased in the sector and it can’t find a partner to develop and commercialize the drug.

The discontinuation won’t affect the Japanese drugmaker’s earnings forecast for this fiscal year, according to a statement on Astellas’ website today.

To contact the reporter on this story: Go Onomitsu in Tokyo at gonomitsu@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Gearoid Reidy at greidy1@bloomberg.net