Takeda to repackage some OTC drugs for convenience stores:Nikkei

May 29 (Reuters) - Takeda Pharmaceutical Co (4502.T) will package its leading brands of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs specifically for sale at convenience stores following deregulation next month, the Nikkei business daily said without citing sources.

The products will include cold remedies, herbal laxatives and vitamin supplements offered in smaller packages than the versions sold at pharmacies, the paper said.

For example, Benza Block S, a cold medicine, will come in a 12-capsule package with a suggested retail price of 1,180 yen ($12.22), compared with the 30-capsule packs sold at pharmacies for 1,869 yen ($19.35), Nikkei said.

Under current rules, OTC drugs can only be sold by pharmacists. Planned deregulation for over-the-counter drugs has put Japan's drugstore industry in the spotlight, as other retailers look at moving into the market.

($1=96.58 Yen) (Reporting by Anand Basu in Bangalore)