Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical
Encyclopedia
headquartered in Saga
and Tokyo
, Japan
is a pharmaceutical company
that develops and markets prescription and over-the-counter drug
(OTC) products, especially external pain relieving products such as the transdermal patch
. Hisamitsu has specialized in transdermal drug delivery system technology (TDDS) since the introduction of its original line of patches in 1903. Its Salonpas
brand of products are exported to over fifty countries. Hisamitsu also manufactures the Mohrus and Mohrus-Tape line of external pain relief prescription products for the Japanese drug market. The company also manufactures internal medicines, eye drops for general application and the Lifecella Face Mask, a skin-care product. Hisamitsu has developed the only over-the-counter transdermal patches approved by the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
and Fukuoka
on the island of Kyushu
. This region is well known in Japan for a tradition of herbal medicines. The prototype of its Salonpas patch line was created through the application of asahi mankinko, a poultice consisting of rubbing ointment pasted on Japanese paper, in 1903. The Salonpas product line, which was developed from this more traditional remedy, was introduced in 1934 and first exported to overseas markets in 1937.
A subsidiary branch was opened in Taiwan in 1960. In 1975 a joint company was established in Indonesia. More subsidiaries followed in Brazil (Hisamitsu Farmaceutica do Brasil Ltda.) in 1986 and in the US (Hisamitsu America, Inc.) in 1987. Hisamitsu Vietnam Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. was established in Vietnam in 1994. In 1998 Hisamitsu U.K. opened in London and research laboratory was established in California.
In 1965 the company changed its name to Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical Co., Inc., and in 1972 was listed on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The company began manufacturing and marketing prescription drugs during the 1970s. In 1988, it launched Mohrus, and in 1995, Mohrus-Tape, both prescription external anti-inflammatory drugs. Salonpas Pain Relief Patch and Salonpas Arthritus Pain were approved for over the counter sales in the US in 2008. In 2009, Hisamitsu acquired Noven Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a specialty prescription drug transdermal pharmaceutical company based in Florida. According to a Fortune magazine article, Hisamitsu intends to continue expanding sales outside of Japan, with the U.S. as a primary target.
Hisamitsu America is the sole importer and distributor of Salonpas products in the U.S. and Canada
. It was founded in 1987 for the purpose of sales and distribution of Salonpas
products in the U.S.
for the treatment of back pain; Vesicum, a formulation containing ibuprofen
piconol; and Estrana, a transdermal therapeutic estradiol
drug. According to the company, Mohrus and Mohrus-Tape have the largest market share in prescription external anti-inflammatory drugs in Japan with 54% in 2nd generation NSAID patches. The firm’s over-the-counter Salonpas products include a range of external pain relieving patches and aerosols for pains such as arthritis, backache, muscle strains, sprains and bruises.
Saga Prefecture
is located in the northwest part of the island of Kyūshū, Japan. It touches both the Sea of Japan and the Ariake Sea. The western part of the prefecture is a region famous for producing ceramics and porcelain, particularly the towns of Karatsu, Imari, and Arita...
and Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
is a pharmaceutical company
Pharmaceutical company
The pharmaceutical industry develops, produces, and markets drugs licensed for use as medications. Pharmaceutical companies are allowed to deal in generic and/or brand medications and medical devices...
that develops and markets prescription and over-the-counter drug
Over-the-counter drug
Over-the-counter drugs are medicines that may be sold directly to a consumer without a prescription from a healthcare professional, as compared to prescription drugs, which may be sold only to consumers possessing a valid prescription...
(OTC) products, especially external pain relieving products such as the transdermal patch
Transdermal patch
A transdermal patch is a medicated adhesive patch that is placed on the skin to deliver a specific dose of medication through the skin and into the bloodstream. Often, this promotes healing to an injured area of the body. An advantage of a transdermal drug delivery route over other types of...
. Hisamitsu has specialized in transdermal drug delivery system technology (TDDS) since the introduction of its original line of patches in 1903. Its Salonpas
Salonpas
Salonpas is a brand name of a line of over-the-counter pain relieving products manufactured by Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical Co., Inc. of Tosu City, Japan. Introduced to the Japanese market in 1934, Salonpas is now sold in approximately fifty countries. The largest markets for the products are Japan...
brand of products are exported to over fifty countries. Hisamitsu also manufactures the Mohrus and Mohrus-Tape line of external pain relief prescription products for the Japanese drug market. The company also manufactures internal medicines, eye drops for general application and the Lifecella Face Mask, a skin-care product. Hisamitsu has developed the only over-the-counter transdermal patches approved by the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
History
Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical was founded in 1847 under the name of Komatsuya. It was established in present day Tosu, Saga , which borders the prefectures of SagaSaga
Sagas, are stories in Old Norse about ancient Scandinavian and Germanic history, etc.Saga may also refer to:Business*Saga DAB radio, a British radio station*Saga Airlines, a Turkish airline*Saga Falabella, a department store chain in Peru...
and Fukuoka
Fukuoka
Fukuoka most often refers to the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture.It can also refer to:-Locations:* Fukuoka, Gifu, a town in Gifu Prefecture, Japan* Fukuoka, Toyama, a town in Toyama Prefecture, Japan...
on the island of Kyushu
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
. This region is well known in Japan for a tradition of herbal medicines. The prototype of its Salonpas patch line was created through the application of asahi mankinko, a poultice consisting of rubbing ointment pasted on Japanese paper, in 1903. The Salonpas product line, which was developed from this more traditional remedy, was introduced in 1934 and first exported to overseas markets in 1937.
A subsidiary branch was opened in Taiwan in 1960. In 1975 a joint company was established in Indonesia. More subsidiaries followed in Brazil (Hisamitsu Farmaceutica do Brasil Ltda.) in 1986 and in the US (Hisamitsu America, Inc.) in 1987. Hisamitsu Vietnam Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. was established in Vietnam in 1994. In 1998 Hisamitsu U.K. opened in London and research laboratory was established in California.
In 1965 the company changed its name to Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical Co., Inc., and in 1972 was listed on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The company began manufacturing and marketing prescription drugs during the 1970s. In 1988, it launched Mohrus, and in 1995, Mohrus-Tape, both prescription external anti-inflammatory drugs. Salonpas Pain Relief Patch and Salonpas Arthritus Pain were approved for over the counter sales in the US in 2008. In 2009, Hisamitsu acquired Noven Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a specialty prescription drug transdermal pharmaceutical company based in Florida. According to a Fortune magazine article, Hisamitsu intends to continue expanding sales outside of Japan, with the U.S. as a primary target.
Locations
Hisamitsu operates two primary bases in Japan, Saga and Tokyo. It has two subsidiaries in the U.S., Hisamitsu America, Inc. in Torrance, CA and Noven Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in Miami, FL. It has a clinical research department in New Jersey and research laboratory in Carlsbad, CA. Hisamitsu has overseas facilities in the U.S, the U.K, Brazil, Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Taiwan, and Malaysia.Hisamitsu America is the sole importer and distributor of Salonpas products in the U.S. and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It was founded in 1987 for the purpose of sales and distribution of Salonpas
Salonpas
Salonpas is a brand name of a line of over-the-counter pain relieving products manufactured by Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical Co., Inc. of Tosu City, Japan. Introduced to the Japanese market in 1934, Salonpas is now sold in approximately fifty countries. The largest markets for the products are Japan...
products in the U.S.
Products
Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical offers a variety of prescription and over-the-counter products including transdermal patches and skin care products. Its product lines include the Salonpas pain relief patches; Mohrus Tape, a transdermal patch containing ketoprofenKetoprofen
Ketoprofen, 2--propionic acid is one of the propionic acid class of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug with analgesic and antipyretic effects...
for the treatment of back pain; Vesicum, a formulation containing ibuprofen
Ibuprofen
Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used for relief of symptoms of arthritis, fever, as an analgesic , especially where there is an inflammatory component, and dysmenorrhea....
piconol; and Estrana, a transdermal therapeutic estradiol
Estradiol
Estradiol is a sex hormone. Estradiol is abbreviated E2 as it has 2 hydroxyl groups in its molecular structure. Estrone has 1 and estriol has 3 . Estradiol is about 10 times as potent as estrone and about 80 times as potent as estriol in its estrogenic effect...
drug. According to the company, Mohrus and Mohrus-Tape have the largest market share in prescription external anti-inflammatory drugs in Japan with 54% in 2nd generation NSAID patches. The firm’s over-the-counter Salonpas products include a range of external pain relieving patches and aerosols for pains such as arthritis, backache, muscle strains, sprains and bruises.