Chugai to triple supplies of Tamiflu for Japan

TOKYO, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Japan's Chugai Pharmaceutical Co Ltd (4519.T), a subsidiary of Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AG (ROG.VX), said on Monday that in addition to current stocks of the influenza drug Tamiflu, it would obtain supplies for 12 million people in Japan until March 2010.

This would be equivalent to three times the amount supplied to medical institutions as the last flu season, it said in a statement.

It will also consider obtaining more supplies if needed, it said. (Reporting by Nobuhiro Kubo)