is a Japanese

pharmaceutical company The pharmaceutical industry is a Medicine, medical industry that discovers, develops, produces, and markets pharmaceutical goods such as medications and medical devices. Medications are then administered to (or Self-medicate, self-administered b ...

, and a subsidiary of

Otsuka Holdings (), abbreviated OPC, is a pharmaceutical company headquartered in Tokyo, Osaka and Naruto, Japan. The company was established August 10, 1964. History OPC's parent company Otsuka Holdings Co. Ltd. joined the Tokyo Stock Exchange through an init ...

, which focuses on developing

cancer treatments Cancer treatments are a wide range of treatments available for the many different types of cancer, with each cancer type needing its own specific treatment. Treatments can include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, targe ...

. Taiho, headquartered in

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

, is an R&D-driven specialty pharma focusing on the three fields of

oncology Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the study, treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of cancer. A medical professional who practices oncology is an ''oncologist''. The name's Etymology, etymological origin is the Greek word ὄγ ...

allergies Allergies, also known as allergic diseases, are various conditions caused by hypersensitivity of the immune system to typically harmless substances in the environment. These diseases include Allergic rhinitis, hay fever, Food allergy, food al ...

and

immunology Immunology is a branch of biology and medicine that covers the study of Immune system, immune systems in all Organism, organisms. Immunology charts, measures, and contextualizes the Physiology, physiological functioning of the immune system in ...

, and

urology Urology (from Ancient Greek, Greek wikt:οὖρον, οὖρον ''ouron'' "urine" and ''wiktionary:-logia, -logia'' "study of"), also known as genitourinary surgery, is the branch of medicine that focuses on surgical and medical diseases of t ...

. Being Japan's second-largest

by prescription oral oncology sales, Taiho covers oncology related therapeutic areas including

stomach cancer Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, is a malignant tumor of the stomach. It is a cancer that develops in the Gastric mucosa, lining of the stomach. Most cases of stomach cancers are gastric carcinomas, which can be divided into a numb ...

colorectal cancer Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the Colon (anatomy), colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). Signs and symptoms may include Lower gastrointestinal ...

pancreatic cancer Pancreatic cancer arises when cell (biology), cells in the pancreas, a glandular organ behind the stomach, begin to multiply out of control and form a Neoplasm, mass. These cancerous cells have the malignant, ability to invade other parts of ...

, and

breast cancer Breast cancer is a cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a Breast lump, lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, Milk-rejection sign, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipp ...

. Taiho also engages in research and development, manufacturing, and the marketing of pharmaceutical products. The company is principally active in the prescription market, but also develops over-the-counter medication, and is a full member of the

Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association The Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA) is the organization representing the research-based pharmaceutical industry operating in Japan. It is an extension of the international AMR Industry Alliance formed in 2016 by the United N ...

(JPMA). As of March 2013, Taiho had over 2,500 employees worldwide. The company achieved approximately

US$ The United States dollar (Currency symbol, symbol: Dollar sign, $; ISO 4217, currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and International use of the U.S. dollar, several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introdu ...

1.3 billion in revenue during the 2012

fiscal year A fiscal year (also known as a financial year, or sometimes budget year) is used in government accounting, which varies between countries, and for budget purposes. It is also used for financial reporting by businesses and other organizations. La ...

History

1963 — Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. established; Yukio Kobayashi appointed as president and representative director. Capital increased to ¥100 million A representative from each of the 49 distributors nationwide assumes the position of Board Member 1964 — In-house production plant established in Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture Nine new offices established throughout Japan, centered around the head office in

, as sales bases 1965 — Capital increased from ¥100 to ¥200 million 1969 — License with the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

to introduce Futraful in Japan 1971 — Lyophilized formulation plant (seventh plant) completed in the Imagire Industrial Park in

Tokushima is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Tokushima Prefecture has a population of 682,439 (1 February 2025) and has a geographic area of 4,146 Square kilometre, km2 (1,601 sq mi). Tokushima Prefecture b ...

1974 — Proprietary Medicine Division established 1975 — Advertising strategy (TV ads) started for Tiovita Drink 1976 — Business alliance formed with Nichiban Co., Ltd., with equity participation by Taiho Pharmaceutical 1977 — Employee welfare facility Otsuka Amagi Mountain Villa completed 1978 — Business alliance formed with Kotai Kasei Co., Ltd., with equity participation by Taiho Pharmaceutical GMP-compliant injection drug plant completed within the

Plant; full plant integration also completed 1979 — Advertising strategy (TV ads) started for Solmack 1980 — GLP-compliant Tokushima Research and Development Laboratory and Safety Laboratory completed in Tokushima 1985 — 100% Taiho-financed Kotai Kasei head office plant completed; Kodama Laboratory set up on the plant premises 1986 — Head office moved to new building in Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo State-of-the-art factory automation plant completed at Tokushima Plant 1987 — Synphar Laboratory established in

Alberta, Canada Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...

25th Anniversary Ceremony held in Tokyo and Tokushima Akihiko Otsuka becomes chairman and representative director 1989 — Formulation Research Laboratory completed 1990 — Drug Discovery Center, Seminar and Training Center, and Computer Center completed in Saitama Taiho Pharmaceutical purchases equity and participates in management of Shinsen Iyaku Co., Ltd. 1991 —

Okayama is the prefectural capital, capital Cities of Japan, city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan. The Okayama metropolitan area, centered around the city, has the largest urban employment zone in the Chugoku region of western J ...

Plant completed 1992 — 30th Anniversary Ceremony held in Tokyo Name of Shinsen Iyaku Co., Ltd. changed to Okayama Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. President Yukio Kobayashi awarded honorary doctorate by the University of Alberta in Canada Kotai Kasei changed name to Taiho Fine Chemical 1994 — President Yukio Kobayashi awarded Japan's prestigious Medal with Yellow Ribbon 1995 — Taiho Fine Chemical merges with Taiho Pharmaceutical and starts operating as Saitama Plant President Yukio Kobayashi awarded the GreenDex Award by the Republic of Latvia 1996 — Collaborative research agreement signed for breast cancer therapeutics with SRI International (US) 1997 — Japanese and international GMP-compliant plant for new investigational drugs opens Clinical Research USA Office established in New York 1998 — Collaborative research and development agreement for angiogenesis inhibitor signed with Sugen, Inc. (U.S.A.) 1999 — Yukio Kobayashi, president and representative director of Taiho Pharmaceutical, becomes president and representative director of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. 2000 — President Yukio Kobayashi becomes advisor to Otsuka Pharmaceutical 2001 — Yukio Kobayashi becomes chairman and representative director of Taiho Pharmaceutical Toru Usami becomes president and representative director of Taiho Pharmaceutical 2002 — Company History published in commemoration of the 40th Anniversary Taiho Pharma U.S.A., Inc. established in

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

in the U.S. 2003 — Marketing approval for TS-1 obtained in South Korea Inuyama Plant in Aichi Prefecture starts operations 2004 — Taiho Pharmaceutical signs a licensing agreement for new antiemetic palonosetron with Helsinn Healthcare SA (Switzerland) Research results on UFT adjuvant therapy for lung cancer published in

The New England Journal of Medicine ''The New England Journal of Medicine'' (''NEJM'') is a weekly medical journal published by the Massachusetts Medical Society. Founded in 1812, the journal is among the most prestigious peer-reviewed medical journals. Its 2023 impact factor w ...

(NEJM) Collaboration agreement in oncology signed with the

University of Tokushima is a national university in the city of Tokushima, Japan, with seven graduate schools and five undergraduate faculties. The university was founded in 1949 by merging six national education facilities into one. The 2014 Nobel Prize Laureate in Ph ...

2005 — Taiho Pharmaceutical signs a licensing agreement for anticancer agent Abraxane with American BioSciences Inc. 2007 — Annex to the head office completed Taiho Pharmaceutical holds a ceremony for the 45th anniversary of its founding in Tokyo Tenth plant newly established to manufacture anticancer granules and investigational drugs Data on TS-1 adjuvant therapy for gastric cancer published in NEJM 2008 — Otsuka Holdings established Results of a phase III trial on combination chemotherapy of TS-1 and cisplatin for advanced gastric cancer (SPIRITS) published in UK medical journal

The Lancet Oncology ''The Lancet'' is a weekly peer-reviewed general medical journal, founded in England in 1823. It is one of the world's highest-impact academic journals and also one of the oldest medical journals still in publication. The journal publishes o ...

Taiho Pharmaceutical of Beijing Co., Ltd., established 2009 — Marketing approval for TS-1 obtained in China Results of adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer treatment with UFT (N-SAS-BC01) published in the US's

Journal of Clinical Oncology The ''Journal of Clinical Oncology'' is a peer-reviewed medical journal published 3 times a month by ASCO Publications. It covers research on all aspects of clinical oncology. The journal was established in 1983 and the editor-in-chief is Jonat ...

(JCO) Taiho Pharmaceutical and PharmaMar (Spain) enter into a license agreement on anticancer agent, Yondelis Taiho History Museum completed at the Tokushima Plant Marketing approval obtained in Singapore for TS-ONE (TS-1) Taho Pharmaceutical acquires Tsukuba Research Institute from Banyu Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd 2010 — Research results from the FIRIS Study published in the electronic version of The Lancet Oncology Marketing approval for TS-1 obtained in Taiwan Research results for TS-1 on non-small cell lung cancer published in the digital version of the US's Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO) 2011 — TS-1 approved in the EU as a treatment for advanced gastric cancer Taiho Pharmaceutical signs a licensing agreement on a new antiemetic combination agent with Helsinn Healthcare S.A. Taiho Pharmaceutical signs a distribution agreement with MSD K.K. for the anticancer compound vorinostat in Japan Taiho Pharmaceutical signs a co-development and commercialization agreement with Nordic Group BV for Teysuno in Europe Arrangements committee of European representative office established 2012 — Marketing approval for TS-ONE obtained in Thailand Marketing of Teysuno begins in Europe Masayuki Kobayashi becomes president and representative director Marketing approval for TS-ONE obtained in Hong Kong Marketing approval for TS-ONE obtained in Malaysia License agreement for anti-allergy drug bilastine signed with Spain-based Faes Farma S.A. 2013 — Research results on TS-1 against advanced cancer published in the digital edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO) Kitajima Plant completed in Tokushima Prefecture

Parent Company

Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd. The Otsuka Group is a global organization of 156

healthcare Health care, or healthcare, is the improvement or maintenance of health via the preventive healthcare, prevention, diagnosis, therapy, treatment, wikt:amelioration, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other disability, physic ...

companies with approximately 40,000 employees. Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd., is the Group's holding company. The main operating companies are Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory, Inc.; Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; Otsuka Warehouse Co., Ltd.; and Otsuka Chemical Co., Ltd.

Affiliated Companies

* Nichiban * OKAYAMA TAIHO Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

References

External links

Nichiban

OKAYAMA TAIHO Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
{{Authority control Pharmaceutical companies established in 1963 Otsuka Pharmaceutical

History

Parent Company

Affiliated Companies

Sponsored Drugs of Note

See also

References

External links