Mikasa Seiyaku

What Mikasa Seiyaku does

Mikasa Seiyaku Co., Ltd. (三笠製薬株式会社) is a privately held Japanese specialty pharmaceutical company founded in 1945 and headquartered in Nerima, Tokyo. The company operates as a dedicated "specialty pharma" (スペシャリティファーマ) focused on the orthopedic field, conducting research, development, manufacturing, and sales of both prescription drugs and over-the-counter healthcare products. Its stated core technology is transdermal absorption (経皮吸収技術), which underpins a diversified external-preparation portfolio including poultice patches (パップ剤), tapes (テープ剤), stick-type formulations (スティック剤), ointments, and creams, alongside oral medications for pain and bone-related conditions.

The company's product portfolio spans Loxoprofen Na Tape/Pap, Zepolas Tape/Pap, Stick Zenol A, Felbinac Stick/Ointment, Lacton Pap, Celecoxib tablets, Duloxetine capsules, Toarasetto combination tablets, Minodronic acid tablets, and Zestac Cream on the prescription side, and the Zenol series (Diclo Direct, Exsam SX, Chik E) on the OTC side. Revenue is generated through two channels: direct sales to medical institutions via the company's medical representative (MR) force targeting orthopedic and pain-management prescribers, and indirect OTC distribution via Taiho Pharmaceutical (大鵬薬品工業株式会社) into Japanese pharmacies. Prescription drug pricing is regulated under Japan's national drug price (薬価) system.

Mikasa Seiyaku manufactures at its Kakegawa Factory (ISO 14001:2015 certified) and historically maintained a Hiroshima sales branch scheduled for closure in March 2025. In January 2026 the company announced a basic agreement to acquire Nipro Pharma Corporation's Saitama No. 2 Factory and Hanyu Factory, materially expanding its manufacturing footprint. The company is privately held as a Kabushiki Kaisha, with no disclosed parent, subsidiaries, or institutional investors, and operates entirely within the Japanese domestic market.

Name

Mikasa Seiyaku

Legal name

MIKASASEIYAKU CO.,LTD.

Website

https://mikasaseiyaku.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Mikasa Seiyaku is a 1945-founded Japanese specialty pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures, and sells orthopedic prescription drugs (transdermal patches, tapes, sticks, oral analgesics) and OTC pain relief products (Zenol series), serving medical professionals via medical representatives and consumers via Taiho Pharmaceutical distribution.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Orthopedic Specialty Pharmaceuticals

NAICS

Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Pain Management & Anesthesiology Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialty Care Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAB)

Keywords

• Orthopedic pharmaceuticals
• Transdermal drug delivery
• Topical pain relief
• Prescription NSAIDs
• OTC healthcare products

Headquarters

HQ city

Nerima

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Prescription pharmaceutical products: Revenue from research, development, manufacturing, and sales of prescription drugs (医療用医薬品) focused on orthopedic and pain management therapeutics, including topical NSAIDs, analgesic tapes/patches, and oral medications
2. OTC healthcare products: Revenue from over-the-counter Zenol (ゼノール) series pain relief products sold through pharmacy channels, distributed via Taiho Pharmaceutical (大鵬薬品工業株式会社)

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Mikasa Seiyaku researches, develops, manufactures, and sells specialty pharmaceutical products focused on the orthopedic field. Its portfolio comprises prescription medical drugs (transdermal NSAIDs in tape, poultice/pap, stick, cream, and oral capsule/tablet forms) sold through medical representatives to healthcare institutions, and OTC topical analgesics (Zenol series) sold through Taiho Pharmaceutical to pharmacies and retail outlets.

Product overview

Mikasa Seiyaku is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on orthopedic medicine, founded in 1945. The company operates in two main segments: OTC healthcare products (ゼノール series including Diclo Direct, Exsam SX, and Chik E) distributed by Taiho Pharmaceutical, and prescription pharmaceuticals for medical professionals including transdermal patches (Loxoprofen Na, Zepolas, Lacton), tapes, stick-type medications (Stick Zenol A, Felbinac products), oral medications (Duloxetine, Toarasetto, Minodronic Acid, Celecoxib), and topical creams. The company specializes in transdermal absorption technology, developing stick-type, pap, and tape formulations to deliver medications through the skin for pain relief and orthopedic conditions. The Kana Factory manufactures transdermal products including patches, sticks, and tapes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ゼノール (Zenol) Series: Healthcare product line for shoulder stiffness, waist pain, muscle and joint pain. Products include Zenol Dicro Direct, Zenol Exsam SX, and Zenol Chik E.

Products and services

• Zenol Diclo Direct (ゼノール ジクロダイレクト) OTC topical analgesic stick containing 1.0% diclofenac sodium for direct application to shoulder pain and lower back pain; thick-application stick type that does not dirty hands.
• Zenol Exsam SX (ゼノール エクサムSX) OTC topical analgesic stick containing 3% felbinac for joint, muscle, and shoulder pain; direct-application stick type with redesigned cylindrical screw-cap container for improved airtightness and usability.
• Zenol Chik E (ゼノール チックE) OTC topical analgesic stick containing methyl salicylate for shoulder stiffness and muscle fatigue; direct-application stick that does not dirty hands and does not leave sticky residue.
• Loxoprofen Na Tape/Pap "Mikasa" (ロキソプロフェンNaテープ/パップ「三笠」) Prescription transdermal NSAIDs in tape and pap/poultice formulations for pain relief, available in multiple strengths (tape 50mg/100mg, pap 100mg/200mg).
• Zepolas Tape/Pap "Mikasa" (ゼポラステープ/パップ「三笠」) Prescription transdermal analgesic patches and tapes for orthopedic conditions, available in various strengths including 20mg, 40mg, and 80mg.
• Stick Zenol A (スティックゼノールA) Prescription stick-type topical analgesic for external use on orthopedic conditions.
• Zestac Cream (ゼスタッククリーム) Prescription topical analgesic cream for external application.
• Felbinac Stick/Ointment "Mikasa" (フェルビナクスティック/軟膏「三笠」) Prescription transdermal product containing 3% felbinac in stick and ointment forms for topical pain relief.
• Duloxetine Capsule "Mikasa" (デュロキセチンカプセル「三笠」) Prescription oral SNRI medication in 20mg and 30mg capsule forms for pain management and mood-related indications.
• Toarasetto Combination Tablet "Mikasa" (トアラセット配合錠「三笠」) Prescription combination analgesic tablet for pain management.
• Minodronic Acid Tablet "Mikasa" (ミノドロン酸錠「三笠」) Prescription tablet in 1mg and 50mg strengths for bone-related conditions such as osteoporosis.
• Lacton Pap 70mg (ラクチオンパップ70mg) Prescription transdermal poultice patch for pain relief, 70mg strength.
• Celecoxib Tablet "Mikasa" (セレコキシブ錠「三笠」) Prescription COX-2 selective NSAID tablet in 100mg and 200mg strengths for pain and inflammation.
• MS Warm/Cold Sheet "Taiho" (MS温シップ/冷シップ「タイホウ」) Prescription topical thermal therapy sheets for pain relief.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Nipro Pharma Corporation (ニプロファーマ株式会社)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 January 2026Mikasa Seiyaku signed a basic agreement to acquire the business of Nipro Pharma Corporation's Saitama No. 2 Factory and Hanyu Factory. This represents a significant business expansion through acquisition of pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Taiho Pharmaceutical: Mikasa's OTC distribution partner for the Zenol series and a major Japanese pharma itself. Relevant as both a channel partner that shapes Mikasa's downstream reach and an adjacent player expanding into consumer healthcare.

Direct peers

• Nichi-Iko Pharmaceutical: Major Japanese generic manufacturer with broad portfolio including topical analgesics and oral pain medications. Directly competes with Mikasa's generic prescriptions in NHI channels and shares similar manufacturing footprint and scale.
• Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical: Japan's dominant transdermal patch manufacturer (Salonpas, Mohrus, Feitas) and the most direct analogue to Mikasa's Loxoprofen/Zepolas tape/patch franchise. Both firms compete head-to-head in prescription topical NSAIDs and OTC stick/patch analgesics through similar MR-led and pharmacy channels.
• Mochida Pharmaceutical: Mid-cap Japanese specialty pharma with strong positions in transdermal patches (e.g., Rewap Tagut-S), dermatology and orthopedic external preparations. Closely comparable in scale, product format (patches/tapes for analgesia) and go-to-market (MR-driven) to Mikasa.
• Kissei Pharmaceutical: Mid-size Japanese specialty pharma focused on niche therapeutic areas including orthopedics (bone metabolism) and pain. Comparable scale, listing on TSE, and product mix overlap with Mikasa's Minodronic acid and orthopedic pain portfolio.
• Sawai Group Holdings: Japan's largest generic drug manufacturer, competing with Mikasa's "Mikasa"-branded generics (Loxoprofen Na, Duloxetine, Celecoxib) in price-sensitive tender and NHI channels. Closely comparable on molecule set and Japanese market dynamics.

Broad incumbents

• Ono Pharmaceutical: Mid-large Japanese specialty pharma with a focus on pain and inflammation (e.g., COX-2 franchise) and broader Rx portfolio. Comparable in MR-led sales model and therapeutic categories adjacent to Mikasa's pain management scope.
• Daiichi Sankyo: One of Japan's largest pharmaceutical companies with a broad pain/inflammation portfolio and established MR infrastructure. Relevant as an incumbent competitor in prescription pain management and as a benchmark for the scale ceiling in domestic pharma.
• Taisho Pharmaceutical: Major Japanese OTC and consumer healthcare company (Lipovon, Vicks) with established pharmacy distribution comparable to Mikasa's Zenol go-to-market. Overlaps with Mikasa's OTC stick/patch pain-relief positioning at the retail shelf.
• Rohto Pharmaceutical: Major Japanese OTC consumer healthcare company with strong pharmacy presence (Mentholatum, etc.) and growing prescription generics. Overlaps with Mikasa's Zenol channel via pharmacy retail and competes for shelf space in topical pain relief.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mikasa Seiyaku