1899

Founded as Sankyo Shoten through a joint investment by businessmen Matasaku Shiobara, Shotaro Nishimura and Genjiro Fukui

Launched digestive enzyme Taka-Diastase® (in 1894, Dr. Jokichi Takamine discovered the enzyme from a fungus)

1902

Launched Adrenalin®, an adrenal cortex hormone agent

1908

Established plant in Shinagawa, Japan

1910

Dr. Umetaro Suzuki, a future Sankyo scientific adviser, made the world's first discovery of vitamin B1 (Orizanin®) in rice bran and established a foundation for the theory of vitamins

1913

Changed company name from Sankyo Shoten to Sankyo Co., Ltd.

Appointed Dr. Jokichi Takamine as first president

1921

Began manufacturing Japan's first synthetic agricultural chemical, the fumigant insecticide KOKUZOL®

1949

Listed on Tokyo Stock Exchange

1951

Launched LULU® cold medicine

Manufactured Chloromycetin®, the first antibiotic produced in Japan

1957

Launched Sankyo Ichoyaku (now Daiichi Sankyo Ichoyaku)

1965

Launched Vitamedin®, a vitamin B1, B6 and B12 compound

1966

Established plant in Hiratsuka, Japan

1977

Launched Krestin®, an anticancer drug

1980

Launched Cefmetazon®, a cephamycin-type antibiotic

1983

Launched Captoril®, the world's first renin-angiotensin-type hypertensive drug

1984

Launched Zantac®, a therapeutic agent for peptic ulcers

1985

Established Sankyo USA Corporation in New York City

Established Sankyo Europe GmbH in Dusseldorf, Germany

1986

Launched Loxonin®, an analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent

1987

Established plant in Onahama, Japan

1988

Launched Regain®, a mini-bottled vitamin tonic

1989

Globally launched Mevalotin®, a groundbreaking HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (hyperlipidemic drug)

Launched antibiotic agent Banan®

1990

Invested in Luitpold-Werk GmbH Group

1992

Awarded the Ohkochi Memorial Grand Production Prize for Mevalotin®

1994

Completed construction of head office building in Nihonbashi, Japan

1994

Launched Acecol®, an antihypertensive agent

1996

Established Sankyo Pharma Inc. in New Jersey, United States

1998

Became the first pharmaceutical company in Japan to receive ISO 14001 environmental certification for its Onahama and Odawara plants

Established Sankyo Pharma Research Institute in California, United States for the development of new medicines

2002

Launched Fastic®, a drug for lowering blood sugar

2002

Launched Olmesartan (Benicar® in the United States and Olmetec® in Germany), an antihypertensive agent

2003

Launched Calblock®, a long-acting calcium channel blocker

2004

Launched Olmesartan in Japan