Family Tree of Mergers at Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma

Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma is created from a merger in October 2007 between Tanabe Seiyaku and Mitsubishi Pharma Corporation. Varied characters, experiences and technologies are unified to start pioneering a new future together. Visitors can see our predecessor companies, including their characteristics and history of mergers.

The manufacturing and marketing business of "Tanabeya Gusuri （Tanabeya Infusing Medicine）" began in Tosabori, Osaka, in the period of the 4th Shogun, Tokugawa Ietsuna. With the development and sales of "Herbesser," the first calcium antagonist, the company was one of the first pharmaceutical companies in Japan to expand overseas.

Just before the Second World War, Yoshitomi Pharmaceutical Industries was established as a joint venture between Takeda Chobei Shoten and Nippon Kasei Kogyo (present-day Mitsubishi Chemical). Immediately after the war, the company launched "Protomin," an anti-leprosy drug. This was followed by "Contomin," "Defekton," and other successful psychotropic drugs.

Born as the first blood bank in Japan, the company grew through exports of frozen plasma to the U.S.A. and sales of preserved blood in the establishment period. In subsequent years, the business expanded to a wide range of pharmaceuticals included plasma fractionation products centered on human immune serum globulin and infusion fluids.

Descended from Tanabe Motosaburo Shoten, established by Tanabe Gohei the XII in Nihonbashi-Honcho, Tokyo, the company expanded its business through such products as "Urso," ursodeoxycholic acid, and "Salomethyl," topical analgesic/anti- inflammatory promoted with novel advertising techniques.

Mitsubishi Kasei Corporation, one of the predecessors, was established as Nippon Tar Industries Corporation, a joint venture between Mitsubishi Mining and Asahi Glass. The other predecessor, Mitsubishi Petrochemical, was jointly established by Mitsubishi group and Shell Group.