WADA signs agreement with Japanese drug maker to help fight doping

The World Anti-Doping Agency has signed an agreement with Japanese drug maker Astellas Pharma Inc. to help fight doping in sports.

Astellas will identify compounds it produces, including those in development, that could be abused by athletes and share the information with the agency to help find methods of detecting the substances.

The company also will cooperate with WADA to minimize risks of such substances being misused while they're still in clinical trials.

The deal is WADA's latest collaboration with pharmaceutical companies to help catch drug cheats, following an agreement with British company GlaxoSmithKline ahead of the London Olympics in 2012.

Astellas is the first Japan-based company to partner with WADA in its efforts to prevent the inappropriate use of medical products through doping.