Rokshaw
Rokshaw Laboratories manufactures bespoke unlicensed medicines (Specials) from its MHRA Approved, NHS Accredited facility in Sunderland, UK. It supplies over 10,000 formulations to 3,000+ NHS pharmacies, hospitals, private clinics, and wholesalers across the United Kingdom.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersSunderland, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Rokshaw does
Rokshaw Laboratories is a UK-based manufacturer of bespoke unlicensed medicines, known in the industry as "Specials," operating from an MHRA Approved and NHS Accredited facility in Sunderland (Unit 5, Rivergreen Industrial Estate, Pallion, SR4 6AD) under the legal entity Thistle Pharma Ltd (Company Number SC481884, registered in Scotland). Founded in 2012 by brothers Jonathan and Richard Hodgson as a wholesaler before expanding into manufacturing, Rokshaw now produces over 10,000 product formulations spanning solutions, suspensions, ointments, gels, creams, capsules, suppositories, implants, sachets, enemas, ear and nasal drops, mouthwashes, lollipops, and topical preparations, and serves more than 3,000 NHS and private healthcare providers across the United Kingdom including community pharmacies, hospitals, private clinics, and wholesalers. Its technology stack centers on the Rokshaw Quality Management System operating under cGMP and the Orange Guide, validated temperature-controlled packaging that maintains cold chain integrity for up to 72 hours outside refrigeration, and a proprietary digital ordering platform accessible via web (rokshaw-systems.co.uk) and a 2017-launched mobile app on iOS and Android with two-click reordering, custom product builder, full account history, repeat order notifications, and instant drug tariff reimbursement calculations. The business model is primarily transactional, comprising Drug Tariff Specials (listed on Part VIIIB of the English Drug Tariff and Part 7S/7U of the Scottish Drug Tariff), Non-Tariff Specials at ethical pricing under published NHS averages, Special Obtains with competitive handling fees, and Imports with over-labelling to address UK supply shortages, all delivered next-day as standard. In 2024, Rokshaw was acquired by Thistle Pharma Limited, a pharmacist-founded group established in 2014, and now operates under the leadership of Director and Pharmacist John Bardsley while retaining its "by pharmacists, for pharmacists" brand positioning and family-founded ethos.
Rokshaw firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rokshaw
- Legal name
- Thistle Pharma Ltd
- Website
- https://rokshaw.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Rokshaw Laboratories manufactures bespoke unlicensed medicines (Specials) from its MHRA Approved, NHS Accredited facility in Sunderland, UK. It supplies over 10,000 formulations to 3,000+ NHS pharmacies, hospitals, private clinics, and wholesalers across the United Kingdom.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rokshaw industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specials Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers (424210), Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers (4242), Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (32541)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Drugs, Proprietaries & Druggists' Sundries (5122), Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Specialty Pharmaceutical Distributors (HLAIAJAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Controlled Substances & Compliance-Focused Pharmaceutical Distributors (HLAIAJAN), Compounding Ingredient & API Distributors (Pharma Supply) (HLAIAJAO)
Keywords
Where Rokshaw is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sunderland
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Rokshaw business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Unlicensed Medicines (Specials) Sales: Rokshaw manufactures and supplies bespoke unlicensed medicines (Specials) to healthcare providers including Drug Tariff Specials (Part VIIIB of English Drug Tariff, Part 7S and 7U of Scottish Drug Tariff), Non-Tariff Specials, Special Obtains, and Imports. Products are priced to deliver value to the NHS with ethical earning opportunities for pharmacies.
- Special Obtains Service: Sourcing service for unusual lines not readily available at main-line wholesalers including supplements, continence appliances, colostomy products, tracheostomy items, wound healing, scarring, and vitamins. Competitive handling fee charged for sourcing services.
- Medicine Imports: Importing licensed and unlicensed medicines direct from country of origin to supply in the UK as unlicensed medicines. Helps with UK licensed supply shortages. Next day delivery once products are in stock.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Drug Tariff Specials pricing for pharmacies |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Non-Tariff Specials - ethical pricing under NHS average |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Special Obtains - competitive handling fee |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Rokshaw product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rokshaw Laboratories manufactures and supplies bespoke unlicensed medicines (Specials) to UK healthcare providers including NHS pharmacies, hospitals, private clinics and wholesalers. Its product range spans Drug Tariff Specials, Non-Tariff Specials, Special Obtains, Imports, Hormones, Hair Restoration and batch-manufactured formulations, all produced at its MHRA Approved and NHS Accredited cGMP facility in Sunderland with next-day UK delivery.
Product overview
Rokshaw Laboratories is a manufacturer of bespoke unlicensed medicines (Specials) operating as a single integrated platform with multiple product lines. The core offering comprises Drug Tariff Specials (listed on English and Scottish Drug Tariffs), Non-Tariff Specials (custom formulations), Special Obtains (sourcing hard-to-find lines), and Imports (international medicines with over-labelling), supported by batch manufacturing capabilities producing over 10,000 formulations. Specialty products include Hormones and Hair Restoration treatments for private clinics. The product portfolio is accessed via the Online Ordering System and Mobile App (launched 2017), with supporting services including endorsing support, Drug Tariff Calculators, and a Pack Down Service for precise dosing.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Drug Tariff Specials Manufacture and supply of Specials listed on Part VIIIB of the English Drug Tariff and Part 7S and 7U of the Scottish Drug Tariff, with ethical pricing for pharmacies and next-morning delivery.
- Non-Tariff Specials Bespoke unlicensed medicines manufactured to patient-specific requirements including formulation, strength, quantity, presentation, flavours and excipients, priced under published NHS average figures to allow customers to make significant savings.
- Special Obtains Sourcing service for lines not readily available at main-line wholesalers, including supplements, continence appliances, colostomy products, tracheostomy supplies, wound healing and vitamins, with a competitive handling fee.
- Imports (Licensed and Unlicensed Medicine Imports with Over-Labelling) Importation of licensed and unlicensed medicines from validated international suppliers with over-labelling, addressing UK licensed supply shortages with next-day delivery once products are in stock.
- Hormones (Bespoke Hormone Specials) Hormone-based unlicensed medicines manufactured bespoke to individual patient requirements as a subset of Rokshaw's Specials range.
- Hair Restoration Specials Specials manufactured for private clinic applications in hair restoration treatments, including topical solutions and other dosage forms.
- Batch Manufacturing of Specials Batch manufacture of Specials across a wide range of dosage forms, with over 10,000 product formulations already manufactured at the MHRA Approved facility.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 10,000 product formulations manufactured
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Rokshaw
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Rokshaw technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Rokshaw partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Thistle Pharma LimitedcoreIn 2024, Thistle Pharma Limited acquired Rokshaw Laboratories. Thistle Pharma was established in 2014 and is renowned for pharmacist-founded healthcare solutions. Under the leadership of Director and Pharmacist John Bardsley, this acquisition enhances Rokshaw's mission of being 'by pharmacists, for pharmacists'. Thistle Pharma operates under Company Number SC481884 and Registered Address at 10 Ardross Street, Inverness, IV3 5NS.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Rokshaw competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Strengths4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Rokshaw social profiles
Digital presenceRokshaw compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Rokshaw financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rokshaw leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Rokshaw funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rokshaw M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rokshaw
What does Rokshaw do?
Rokshaw Laboratories manufactures and supplies bespoke unlicensed medicines (Specials) to UK healthcare providers including NHS pharmacies, hospitals, private clinics and wholesalers. Its product range spans Drug Tariff Specials, Non-Tariff Specials, Special Obtains, Imports, Hormones, Hair Restoration and batch-manufactured formulations, all produced at its MHRA Approved and NHS Accredited cGMP facility in Sunderland with next-day UK delivery.
Is Rokshaw a public or private company?
Rokshaw is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Rokshaw founded?
Rokshaw was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Rokshaw based?
Rokshaw is headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Rokshaw make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Unlicensed Medicines (Specials) Sales are the primary driver. The others are special Obtains Service and medicine Imports.
Does Rokshaw have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rokshaw.
What industry is Rokshaw in?
Rokshaw's product category is Specials Pharmaceutical Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAIAJAB, Specialty Pharmaceutical Distributors, with a secondary code of HLAIAJAN, Controlled Substances & Compliance-Focused Pharmaceutical Distributors. Its NAICS code is 325412 and its SIC code is 5122.