- Business
- Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. engages in the research, development, manufacture, and sale of pharmaceutical products and therapeutic and care foods. The company’s core product portfolio includes treatments for allergic diseases, diabetes, urology, and rare diseases such as microscopic polyangiitis and granulomatosis with polyangiitis. Key pharmaceutical products include Rizaben® (an oral anti-allergic drug for bronchial asthma), Glufast® (a diabetes treatment), Urief® (for dysuria), Tavneos® (for vasculitis conditions), Carogra® and Rectabul® (for ulcerative colitis), Tavalisse® (for chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura), and Korsuva® (for uremic pruritis in dialysis patients). The company also develops and sells therapeutic and care foods. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Kissei was established in 1946 and operates primarily in the Japanese market but extends licensing and commercialization partnerships across Asia.
In the last two years, Kissei has undergone significant strategic developments including an expanded collaboration with U.S.-based Rigel Pharmaceuticals to exclusively develop and commercialize olutasidenib (REZLIDHIA) for hematologic cancers in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. Additionally, Kissei entered a licensing and development agreement with Viridian Therapeutics to commercialize thyroid eye disease therapies in Japan, with potential milestone payments and royalties involved. The company also formed a drug discovery collaboration agreement with Reborna Biosciences Inc. Furthermore, Kissei has launched multiple new products in recent years, such as Tavalisse®, Korsuva®, and Carogra®, reflecting an ongoing emphasis on specialty pharmaceuticals for autoimmune, urology, and rare disease markets. Kissei continues to implement a mid-term growth management plan focusing on re-growth post-patent expiration challenges by leveraging new product launches and strategic partnerships.
Kissei Pharmaceutical operates in the healthcare industry, primarily within pharmaceuticals and specialty advanced pharmaceuticals. It targets patients requiring treatments for chronic, autoimmune, and rare diseases, with operations heavily centered in Japan but expanding through licensing alliances in broader Asia. The company employs over 1,300 people and maintains R&D as a critical pillar of its business strategy to develop novel therapeutic options.
This comprehensive approach combining core pharmaceutical product manufacturing, specialty drug development, and strategic international partnerships defines Kissei Pharmaceutical’s current business model and recent evolution.