faST TraCk NEw-STaNdard TraCk Ex. TraCk New Framework for Accelerating R&D Prioritized projects are designated on the Fast Track. We  concentrate resources on them from an early stage in drug  development in an attempt to reduce the total time spent  in R&D and achieve market launch as early as possible. Most projects are located on this new-standard track,  where the aim is to minimize the time and costs involved  from the identification of the drug candidate to the POC.  In this way, we increase the number of candidate projects  at the early R&D stages without changing the total  amount of management resources invested. This track is used to accommodate particularly unique or  challenging projects. The aim is to demonstrate POC  efficiently, making flexible use of external resources. Controlling uncertainties while making efficient and early  decisions is critical to assessing new R&D challenges.  We have introduced a multi-track process called FASTEN,  under which R&D projects are managed along one of  three different tracks: New-standard Track, Fast Track or  Ex. Track. The aim of this process is to accelerate achiev- ing the Proof of Concept (POC) for R&D projects from the  preclinical late stage of research to the early stage of  clinical development so that a greater number of promis- ing drug candidates end up entering late-stage clinical  development. The process also aims to reduce the overall  time from R&D inception to marketing launch. Astellas Pharma Inc.  _ Annual Report 2014 28 promotion of “Multi-Track” R&D process (FASTEn project) Fastest POC faST TraCk P  O C Concentrate  management resources Ex. TraCk Utilize external  resources NEw-STaNdard TraCk POC: Proof of Concept Approval  and launch