Taisho Pharmaceutical

Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (大正製薬株式会社) (tyo: 4535) is a Japanese pharmaceutical company based in Tokyo.

History
Taisho was established in 1912 to produce over-the-counter drugs. The company moved into prescription drug R&D in 1955.

Products
The company's principal line of business is over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, where it markets the brands Lipovitan-D, Pabron, Colac, and others. In prescription pharmaceuticals, the company's most successful product to date has been the macrolide antibiotic clarithromycin. The company's branded version of the drug, Clarith, was launched in Japan in 1991. For clarithromycin distribution outside Japan Taisho licensed Abbott Laboratories.

Ownership
Taisho Pharmaceutical's stock is traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange where its security code is 4535. Principal owners of the firm are the Uehara family.