Company InformationHistory

1929

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Hanpei Sawai and Noyo Sawai (a pharmacist) established Sawai Pharmacy, Sawai Pharmaceutical’s predecessor, in Asahi-ku, Osaka.

1942

  • Kaken Shoyaku
    Kaken Shoyaku Co., Ltd. was established in Kudan, Tokyo (capitalization: 190,000 yen).

1948

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Sawai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. was incorporated in Asahi-ku, Osaka to manufacture and market pharmaceuticals (capitalization: 195,000 yen).

1955

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Opened Tokyo Office (now Tokyo Daiichi Branch).

1961

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Automated production line at Head Office Factory (at that time).

1962

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Opened Sapporo Sales Office (now Sapporo Branch), Tohoku Sales Office (now Sendai Branch), Nagoya Sales Office (now Nagoya Branch), and Fukuoka Sales Office (now Fukuoka Branch).
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Obtained manufacturing patent on garlic extracts, launched vitamin B1 preparation.

1965

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Shifted from making OTC drugs to ethical pharmaceuticals.

1968

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Completed second Osaka Factory (at the time) in Asahi-ku, Osaka.

1972

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Built shipment center in Miyakojima-ku, Osaka to complete an integrated distribution system from manufacture to sales.

1974

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Relocated Head Office to new head office building (at that time) in Asahi-ku, Osaka.

1978

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Jiro Sawai appointed President and Hiroyuki Sawai appointed Senior Managing Director.

1979

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Changed the Japanese ideograph for the company name to one more suited to signage and other publicity.
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Opened Hiroshima Sales Office (now Hiroshima Branch).

1981

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Completed Kyushu Factory in Iizuka, Fukuoka.
  • Kaken Shoyaku
    Established Yasato Factory in Ishioka, Ibaraki.

1983

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Completed second stage of Kyushu Factory; built production equipment for general preparations and syrups.

1984

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Opened Osaka Laboratory (at that time) in Asahi-ku, Osaka to increase and expand scope of research facilities.

1985

  • Medisa Shinyaku
    Medisa Shinyaku Inc. (now a consolidated subsidiary) was established in Chuo-ku, Tokyo.
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Completed third stage of Kyushu Factory; built production equipment for injectables.

1987

  • Medisa Shinyaku
    Completed Kyushu Factory (now Daini Kyushu Factory of Sawai Pharmaceutical) in Kaho, Fukuoka (now Iizuka).

1988

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Jiro Sawai appointed Chairman and Hiroyuki Sawai appointed President.

1989

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Completed fourth stage of Kyushu Factory; expanded production equipment for injectables, other.

1990

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Built Research & Development Center (at that time) in Asahi-ku, Osaka to expand R&D division.
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Opened Osaka Branch.

1991

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Spun off shipment center as wholly owned subsidiary, Active Work.
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical Medisa Shinyaku
    Purchased shares of Medisa Shinyaku and made it a consolidated subsidiary.

1992

  • Medisa Shinyaku
    Completed second stage of Kyushu Factory (now Daini Kyushu Factory of Sawai Pharmaceutical); built production equipment for packaging.
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Completed Sanda Factory in Sanda, Hyogo.

1994

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Opened Pharmaceutical Research Center (at the time) in Asahi-ku, Osaka to expand scope of pharmaceutical research.

1995

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Shares listed on OTC stock market.

1996

  • Medisa Shinyaku
    Completed third stage of Kyushu Factory (now Daini Kyushu Factory of Sawai Pharmaceutical); built warehouse, quality control/analysis lab, employee cafeteria, other.

1997

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Began advertising in newspapers to raise awareness of generic drugs.
  • Medisa Shinyaku
    Completed fourth and fifth stages of Kyushu Factory (now Daini Kyushu Factory of Sawai Pharmaceutical); expanded production equipment for general preparations and automated warehouse.

2000

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Expanded production equipment for injectables at Kyushu Factory.
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Listed on second section of Tokyo Stock Exchange.

2002

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Completed fifth stage of Kyushu Factory; built production equipment for oral extended-release preparations and other drugs, and packaging equipment.

2003

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Listed on first section of Tokyo Stock Exchange.

2004

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Established a new visual identity.
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Started nationwide TV advertising in Japan.
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Took over and merged with consolidated subsidiary Active Work.

2005

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Completed second stage of Sanda Factory; expanded production equipment for general preparations, and built production facilities for specialized preparations.
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Acquired Mobara Factory of Nihon Schering K.K. (now Bayer Yakuhin, Ltd.) in Mobara, Chiba and launched operations as Sawai Pharmaceutical’s Kanto Factory.

2006

  • Medisa Shinyaku
    Sumitomo Corporation purchased shares in Medisa Shinyaku.
  • Medisa Shinyaku
    Relocated head office to Asahi-ku, Osaka.
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Completed new premises combining Head Office and research laboratories in Yodogawa-ku, Osaka.
  • Sawai PharmaceuticalKaken Shoyaku
    Purchased shares in Kaken Shoyaku and made it a subsidiary.

2007

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Built syringe facility in Kanto Factory.
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Formulated Corporate Philosophy and Code of Conduct.

2008

  • Medisa Shinyaku
    Completed sixth stage of Kyushu Factory (now Daini Kyushu Factory of Sawai Pharmaceutical); expanded production equipment for oral solid preparations.
  • Medisa Shinyaku
    Relocated head office to Yodogawa-ku, Osaka.
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Hiroyuki Sawai appointed Chairman and Mitsuo Sawai appointed President.

2009

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Completed third stage of Sanda Factory; expanded production equipment for general preparations.
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Opened Saitama Branch (now Tokyo Daini Branch).
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Opened Pharmaceutical Research Center (later changed name to Pharmaceutical Technology Center).

2010

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical Medisa Shinyaku
    Purchased shares in Medisa Shinyaku and made it a wholly owned subsidiary.

2011

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Sawai Cetirizine HCL OD Tablets [SAWAI] received Generic Drug of the Year award for 2011 from Generic Drug Association, Japan (GEDA).

2012

  • Sawai PharmaceuticalMedisa Shinyaku
    Through a spin off, Sawai absorbed the production business of Medisa Shinyaku and made that company’s Kyushu Factory the Daini Kyushu Factory of Sawai Pharmaceutical.

2013

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Built preparations plant at Kanto Factory.
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Sleeping medicine, Zolpidem Tartrate OD Tablets [SAWAI] received Encouragement Prize in 2013 Generic Drug of the Year Awards from Generic Drug Association, Japan (GEDA).
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Introduced corporate officer system.

2014

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Antiplatelet drug, Cilostazol OD Tablets [SAWAI] received Asahi Kasei Development Award from Academy of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Japan.

2015

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Through a spin off, Sawai absorbed the Kashima Factory (in Kamisu, Ibaraki) of Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Factory Ltd. and launched operations as Sawai Pharmaceutical’s Kashima Factory.
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Built Development Center in Suita, Osaka, to which was transferred Sawai’s former Pharmaceutical Technology Center.

2016

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Completed Sanda Nishi Factory in Sanda, Hyogo.

2017

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Sawai’s Pitavastatin tablets approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This made Sawai the first Japanese generic drug maker whose Paragraph IV Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) was approved by the FDA.
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Through Sawai America Inc. (now Sawai America, LLC), Sawai acquired Upsher-Smith Laboratories, LLC.

2019

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Celebrated 90th year in business.
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Packaging for Osteoporosis drug, Minodronic Acid Tablets 50 mg [SAWAI] won an award in the 2019 WorldStar Packaging Awards.

2020

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Entered into co-development and exclusive license agreement with Neugen Pharma, Inc. for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) drug.
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Mitsuo Sawai appointed Chairman and Kenzo Sawai appointed President.
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Entered into capital and business partnership agreement with Susmed, Inc.

2021

  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Entered into an exclusive development and marketing agreement with Neurolief Ltd. for a non-invasive digital medical device for migraine and depression.
  • Sawai Group Holdings
    Sawai Group Holdings Co., Ltd. established.
    Mitsuo Sawai appointed Chairman, Kenzo Sawai appointed Deputy Chairman and Kazuhiko Sueyoshi appointed President.
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Launched personal health record management app, “SaluDi”.
  • Trust Pharmatech
    Trust Pharmatech Co., Ltd. established.

2022

  • Sawai Group Holdings
    Signed a development and sales licensing agreement for Digital Therapeutics in Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis with CureApp, Inc.
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Built Injectable production facility in Kyushu Factory.

2023

  • Sawai Group Holdings
    Mitsuo Sawai appointed Chairman and President.
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Motohiko Kimura appointed President.
  • Sawai Pharmaceutical
    Receives Approvals for Non-Invasive Neuromodulation Device.

2024

  • Sawai Group Holdings
    Divested Upsher-Smith Laboratories, LLC.

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