Shionogi history

In 1910, the plant began operating with Chojiro as Director.

Digitalis preparation, which had been introduced by Doctor Kondo and developed into a product, was launched in 1912 as the new cardiac drug Digitamin.

In 1952, Shionogi obtained exclusive manufacturing and marketing right for Ilotycin, a new antibiotic discovered by Eli Lilly and Company.

Shionogi launched Popon-S, a multivitamin supplement in 1953.

Launched in 1958 under the name of Sinomin, Shionogi's first sulfa drug was popular from the start, encouraging the company to increase its focus on development of original products.

Sinomin, the first sulfonamide antibiotic drug discovered and developed by Shionogi, was launched in 1959.

In 1961, a basic research facility, Shionogi Research Laboratories (now integrated into Shionogi Pharmaceutical Research Center) was established to conduct antibiotics research.

In 1982, this research resulted in the successful discovery and launch of an in-house product: Shiomarin, the world's first oxacephem antibiotic.

In 1986, for example, Shionogi became the first of Japan's pharmaceutical companies to place biotechnology-based drugs on the market.

A new facility--the Institute for Medical Science--opened in 1988 and extended Shionogi's thrust into basic research.

Launched in 1989, the internally developed antibiotic Flumarin quickly soared to a top position among the world's antibiotics.

In 1992, it acquired full ownership of Japan Elanco Company, Ltd. from former joint venture partner Eli Lilly and Co., including the latter company's multinational hard-gelatin capsule production.

The company hoped that internal drug development would be productive enough to allow it to phase out its handling of other manufacturers' wares by 1996.

Citing Shionogi's dearth of so-called "blockbuster" new drug developments and its scant penetration of global markets, analysts at Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch forecast that the company's sales would remain flat and its net income would actually decline through 1998.

One especially exciting outcome of this program, guided by Shionogi President Yoshihiko Shiono, was an anti-AIDS drug which was expected to be in clinical trials until 2000.

Established Ohmori Co., Ltd., a drug wholesaler (divested in 2002)

Acquired the capsule business from Eli Lilly (divested in 2005)

At the same time, Isao Teshirogi, President and CEO, who succeeded Motozo Shiono, ex-President in April 2008, acquired US-based Sciele Pharma, Inc. in order to streamline overseas sales foothold for products discovered in-house.

Established Bushu Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (divested in 2010)

In 2011, Shionogi Pharmaceutical Research Center 4 (SPRC4), a new, cutting-edge, research facility, was constructed at a site in Toyonaka, Osaka, which integrated dispersed functions of drug discovery research into SPRC consisted of the existing three research facilities and a newly constructed one.

The 3rd Medium-Term Business Plan was announced as a strategy to overcome the so-called “Crestor Cliff,” an expected drop in royalty revenue after 2016 upon expiration of Crestor patents, and to facilitate further growth.