Takeda Pharmaceutical Company
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (武田薬品工業株式会社 Takeda Yakuhin Kōgyō Kabushiki-gaisha?) (TYO: 4502) is the largest pharmaceutical company in Japan and Asia and a top 15 pharmaceutical company. The company has over 19,000 employees worldwide and achieved $15.7 billion USD in revenue during the 2008 fiscal year.[1] The company is focused onmetabolic disorders, gastroenterology, neurology, inflammation, as well as oncology through its independent subsidiary, Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company.[2]
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History
Takeda Pharmaceuticals was first founded on June 12, 1781 and was incorporated on January 29, 1925.
Takeda’s Japanese logo
In 1977, Takeda first entered the U.S. pharmaceutical market by developing a joint venture withAbbott Laboratories called TAP Pharmaceuticals.[3] Through TAP Pharmaceuticals, Takeda and Abbott launched the blockbusters Lupron (leuprolide) in 1985 and Prevacid (lansoprazole) in 1995.[4]
One of the firm’s mainstay drugs is Actos, a compound in the thiazolidinedione class of drugs used in the treatment oftype 2 diabetes. Launched in 1999, Actos has become the best-selling diabetes drug in the world with $4 billion USD in sales during the 2008 fiscal year.[5]
In February 2005, Takeda announced its acquisition of San Diego, California-based Syrrx, a company specializing in high-throughput X-ray crystallography, for $270 million.[6]
In February 2008, Takeda acquired the Japanese operations of Amgen and rights to a dozen of the California biotechnology company’s pipeline candidates for the Japanese market.[7]
In March 2008, Takeda and Abbott Laboratories announced plans to conclude their 30-year old joint venture, TAP Pharmaceuticals, that had over $3 billion in sales in its final year. The split resulted in Abbott acquiring U.S. rights to Lupron and the drug’s support staff. On the other hand, Takeda received rights to Prevacid and TAP’s pipeline candidates. The move also increased Takeda’s headcount by 3,000 employees.[8]
In April 2008, Takeda announced that it was acquiring Millennium Pharmaceuticals of Cambridge, Massachusetts, a company specializing incancer drug research, for $8.8 billion. The acquisition brought in Velcade, a drug indicated for hematological malignancies, as well as a portfolio of pipeline candidates in the oncology, inflammation, and cardiovascular therapeutic areas.[9]
In May 2008, the company licensed non-exclusively the RNAi technology platform developed by Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, creating a potentially long-term partnership between the companies.[10]
Locations
Takeda Midosuji Building, headquarters of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, in Chuo-ku, Osaka, Japan
Takeda operates two primary bases in Japan in Osaka and Tokyo. Its American subsidiary is based in Deerfield, Illinois, and European operations are based out of London, United Kingdom.[11]
The company maintains research & development sites in Osaka and Tsukuba, Japan; San Diego, California; San Francisco, California; Cambridge, United Kingdom; and Singapore.[12]
The company operates manufacturing facilities in Japan, China, Indonesia, Italy, and Ireland.[13]
Takeda has overseas marketing presences in the U.S., U.K., France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, China, Taiwan, Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore. It has recently announced its first foray into Canada, Portugal, Spain, and Ireland.[14]
Products
Some of the key products that Takeda produces or markets on behalf of partners include:[15]
- Actos (pioglitazone) – Type 2 Diabetes
- Amitiza (lubiprostone) – Chronic idiopathic constipation
- Basen (voglibose) – Type 2 Diabetes
- Benet (risedronic acid) – Osteoporosis (Japan)
- Blopress (candesartan) – Hypertension
- Enbrel (etanercept) – Inflammatory diseases (Japan)
- Kapidex (dexlansoprazole) – Gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Lupron/Leuplin (leuprorelin) – GnRH agonist for prostate cancer and endometriosis
- Prevacid/Takepron (lansoprazole) – Gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Rozerem (ramelteon) – Insomnia
- Uloric (febuxostat) – Gout
- Velcade (bortezomib) – Multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma (Millennium Pharmaceuticals)