Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co.

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (大塚製薬株式会社), abbrev. OPC, is a pharmaceutical company headquartered in Tokyo,Osaka and Naruto, Japan. The company was established August 10, 1964, and currently has approximately 27,000 employees worldwide. The company focuses on pharmaceuticals related to nutrition (or "Nutraceuticals"). The company is also known for the popular sports drink Pocari Sweat and the best-selling energy drink Oronamin C. Otsuka Pharmaceutical also discovered Abilify (aripiprazole), an approved drug treatment for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, which has a very safe side-effect profile compared with other antipsychotic drugs. The annual sales of this drug are ~$2 billion/yr, as of 2007.