is a drug manufacturer operating in Japan. It is a subsidiary controlled by

Hoffmann-La Roche F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, commonly known as Roche, is a Swiss multinational healthcare company that operates worldwide under two divisions: Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics. Its holding company, Roche Holding AG, has shares listed on the SIX ...

, which owns 62% of the company as of 30 June 2014. The company is headquartered in Tokyo.

Osamu Nagayama Osamu Nagayama (born April 21, 1947) was the chairman and chief executive officer of Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., one of Japan's largest drug companies. He served as chairman of the board of directors of Sony Corporation from 2013 to 2019. In Jul ...

is the current representative director and chairman. Tatsuro Kosaka is the current representative director, president and

CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...

History

Timeline

This is a timeline of important events of Chugai Pharmaceutical. * 1925: Juzo Ueno founded Chugai Shinyaku Co. Ltd. and started importing and selling medicines * 1927: Start of the first own production * 1930: Salobrocanon, an analgesic (pain reliever) and antipyretic is launched * 1937: Calcium bromide production begins * 1943: Name changed to Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. based in Tokyo * 1944: Acquisition of Matsunaga Pharmaceutical Ltd. and construction of a plant in Matsunaga * 1945: The headquarters, the factories in Ikebukuro, Sakai and Takada were destroyed in World War II, the headquarters were relocated to Takada, the factory in Takada was rebuilt * 1946: Construction of the plant in Kamagiishi * 1951: Guronsan®, a drug to detoxify and restore liver function is launched * 1952: Varsan®, a perspiration insecticide is launched * 1955: Chugai became a public company * 1956: The stock is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange * 1957: Construction of the Ukima plant * 1960: Establishment of a research center (Takada Research Laboratory, Tokyo) * 1967: Foundation of Fukushima Kasai Co Ltd. * 1961 – Developed patents for synthesis of

vitamin A Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin and an essential nutrient for humans. It is a group of organic compounds that includes retinol, retinal (also known as retinaldehyde), retinoic acid, and several provitamin A carotenoids (most notably bet ...

* 1969: The name of Fukushima Kasai Co Ltd. is changed to Eiko Kasei Co Ltd., after the merger of Fukushima Kasai Co Ltd. and Fukuma Kasau Co. Ltd. * 1971: Construction of the factory in Fujieda * 1975: Picibanil®, a cancer drug is launched * 1982: Opening of a branch in New York * 1986: Opening of a branch in London * 1989: Acquisition of Gen-Probe Incorporated (USA) * 1990: Epogin® launched * 1995 – Released acute promyelocytic sphere of

leukemia Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia and pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or ' ...

drug treatment Vesanoid® * 1996 – Released anti-viral chemotherapeutic agent Hivid® (

HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of ''Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the immune ...

reverse transcriptase inhibitor) * 1997 – Released HIV protease inhibitor Invirase® * 1999 – Released

immunosuppressive Immunosuppression is a reduction of the activation or efficacy of the immune system. Some portions of the immune system itself have immunosuppressive effects on other parts of the immune system, and immunosuppression may occur as an adverse reacti ...

agent Cellcept® * 2000 – Released

antiemetic An antiemetic is a drug that is effective against vomiting and nausea. Antiemetics are typically used to treat motion sickness and the side effects of opioid analgesics, general anaesthetics, and chemotherapy directed against cancer. They may ...

drug Kytril®, developed to combating the side effects of

chemotherapy Chemotherapy (often abbreviated to chemo and sometimes CTX or CTx) is a type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs (chemotherapeutic agents or alkylating agents) as part of a standardized chemotherapy regimen. Chemotherap ...

* 2001 – Produced anti-

influenza virus ''Orthomyxoviridae'' (from Greek ὀρθός, ''orthós'' 'straight' + μύξα, ''mýxa'' 'mucus') is a family of negative-sense RNA viruses. It includes seven genera: ''Alphainfluenzavirus'', ''Betainfluenzavirus'', '' Gammainfluenzavirus'', ...

Tamiflu Oseltamivir, sold under the brand name Tamiflu, is an antiviral medication used to treat and prevent influenza A and influenza B, viruses that cause the flu. Many medical organizations recommend it in people who have complications or are at hig ...

(Roche) * 2002: Start of the alliance with Roche * 2003: Xeloda®, a cancer drug is launched * 2005: Actemra® launched * 2007: Copegus®, an antiviral, Avastin®, a cancer drug, and Tarceva®, a cancer drug launched * 2011 – Produced Actemra®, a human IL-6 receptor monoclonal antibody for rheumatoid arthritis * 2014: Launch of Kadcyla®, a cancer drug, Chugai Pharma China Co Ltd. founded * 2015 – In March the company announced it would co-commercialise Athersys's

stem cell therapy Stem-cell therapy is the use of stem cells to treat or prevent a disease or condition. , the only established therapy using stem cells is hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. This usually takes the form of a bone-marrow transplantation, but ...

for

ischemic stroke A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...

s in Japan. The deal could yield upwards of US$205 million. * 2016: Cooperation between Osaka University and Chugai * 2018: Tecentriq®, a cancer drug is launched * 2020 – FDA approved

satralizumab Satralizumab, sold under the brand name Enspryng, is a humanized monoclonal antibody medication that is used for the treatment of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), a rare autoimmune disease. The drug is being developed by Chugai Pha ...

(Enspryng) for treatment of the

orphan disease A rare disease is any disease that affects a small percentage of the population. In some parts of the world, an orphan disease is a rare disease whose rarity means there is a lack of a market large enough to gain support and resources for discove ...

neuromyelitis optica Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD), including neuromyelitis optica (NMO), are autoimmune diseases characterized by acute inflammation of the optic nerve (optic neuritis, ON) and the spinal cord (myelitis). Episodes of ON and myelitis ...

References

External links

Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. English version of company homepage

The transfer of operations of the Company
Roche Pharmaceutical companies of Japan Manufacturing companies based in Tokyo Companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Orphan drug companies Japanese companies established in 1943 1943 establishments in Japan {{japan-company-stub

History

Timeline

See also

References

External links