Taiho Pharmaceutical


Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. is a Japanese pharmaceutical company, subsidiary of Otsuka Holdings. The company focuses on developing cancer treatments. Taiho is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Taiho is an R&D-driven specialty pharma focusing on the three fields of oncology, allergies and immunology, and urology. Taiho is Japan's second-largest pharmaceutical company by prescription oral oncology sales. The company mainly covers the oncology related therapeutic area: stomach cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer and more. Taiho engages in research and development, manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceutical products for sale principally in the prescription market, but the firm also develops over-the-counter medication. Taiho is a full member of the Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association.
In March 2013, Taiho has over 2,500 employees worldwide and achieved US$1.3 billion in revenue during the 2012 fiscal year.
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 Tokyo, as sales bases
1965 —
Capital increased from ¥100 to ¥200 million
1969 —
License with the Soviet Union to introduce Futraful in Japan
1971 —
Lyophilized formulation plant completed in the Imagire Industrial Park in Tokushima
1974 —
Proprietary Medicine Division established
1975 —
Advertising strategy 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 Tokushima Plant; full plant integration also completed
1979 —
Advertising strategy 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
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 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
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.
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 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
Research results on UFT adjuvant therapy for lung cancer published in The New England Journal of Medicine
Collaboration agreement in oncology signed with the University of Tokushima
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 published in UK medical journal The Lancet Oncology
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 published in the US's Journal of Clinical Oncology
Taiho Pharmaceutical and PharmaMar 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
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
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
Kitajima Plant completed in Tokushima Prefecture

Parent company

Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd.
The Otsuka Group is a global organization of 156 healthcare companies with nearly 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. The Group operates in 25 countries and regions, conducting diversified businesses in four segments all connected by a focus on health: pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, consumer products, and other product areas. The Group's corporate philosophy of "Otsuka-people creating new products for better health worldwide" is supported by the corporate ethic of "JISSHO and SOZOSEI." The Otsuka Group thus seeks to foster a culture and vitality appropriate to an enterprise involved with human health and to create innovative products that contribute to the health and wellness of people worldwide.

Affiliated Company

One drug sponsored by Taiho has been TAS-108, which is under development by SRI International.