Astellas' franchise areas are urology, immunology (transplantation), dermatology, cardiology, and infectious disease. Priority areas for R&D are infectious diseases, diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases, oncology, and diseases of the central nervous system.

The company's headquarters are in Tokyo, with research centers in Tsukuba and Osaka. Clinical development is centred in Northbrook, Illinois and Leiderdorp, Netherlands.