September 4, 2017
Press Release
The Research Foundation for Microbial Diseases of Osaka University
Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation

Start of Operations of Vaccine Manufacturing Joint Venture: BIKEN Co., Ltd.
With funding from Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation (hereinafter, “Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma”), BIKEN
Co., Ltd., a new company based on the vaccine manufacturing business of the Research Foundation for Microbial
Diseases of Osaka University (hereinafter, “BIKEN Foundation”), began operations on September 1 as a joint
venture of the BIKEN Foundation and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma.
On November 7, 2016, the BIKEN Foundation and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma announced that they had concluded
a basic agreement on establishment of a joint venture in order to further increase their vaccine supply capacity.
Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma has cooperated with the BIKEN Foundation, which is currently the largest supplier ofvaccines to the Japanese market, for over 50 years as a distributor of BIKEN Foundation-manufactured vaccines.
BIKEN Co., Ltd., was incorporated on May 9 this year as a company fully owned by the BIKEN Foundation. TheBIKEN Foundation sold 33.4% of the company’s stock to Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma on September 1, at whichtime BIKEN Co., Ltd. began operating as a joint venture enterprise.
BIKEN Co., Ltd. will integrate Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharmaʼs pharmaceutical production systems, management
methods, and other strengths with the BIKEN Foundationʼs vaccine manufacturing technologies in order toaccelerate enhancement of production foundations with a view to contributing to even more steady supply ofvaccines.
1. About BIKEN Co., Ltd.
(1) Name:
BIKEN Co., Ltd.
(2) Location:
4-1-70, Seto-cho, Kanonji City, Kagawa Prefecture, 768-0065, Japan(3) Business
Manufacture and supply of vaccines and other biological products
activities:(4) Start ofSeptember 1, 2017
operations:(5) Ownership:
BIKEN Foundation 66.6%, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma 33.4%(6) Representative:
Koji Taku, President(7) Executive
Hiroshige Matsuhisa, Director
officers:
Yoshihiro Ueda, Director
Sadao Manabe, Director
Akira Suzuki, Director
Toshifumi Moriguchi, Director
Hidechika Isono, Auditor
Toshihide Doi, Auditor(8) Number of553
employees:

2.

BIKEN Co., Ltd. Owners(1) The Research Foundation for Microbial Diseases of Osaka University
NameThe Research Foundation for Microbial Diseases of Osaka University
Head officeOsaka University, 3-1, Yamadaoka, Suita City, Osaka Prefecture, 5650871, Japan
Representative
Koichi Yamanishi, Director General
Business activities
Research on microbial diseases, manufacture and sale of vaccines andother biological products, aid to academic research, and clinical test
services
Basic Fund
JPY500.05 million
Date of establishment
June 6, 1934
Number of employees
Net sales

866 (as of September 1, 2017; including employees seconded to
BIKEN Co., Ltd.)JPY41.2 billion (FY2016)(2) Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation
Company name
Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation
Headquarters
3-2-10, Dosho-machi, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, 5418505, Japan
Representative
Masayuki Mitsuka, President & Representative Director
Business activities
Manufacture and sale of pharmaceuticals, centered on ethical drugs
Capital
JPY50.0 billion
Date of incorporation
December 13, 1933
Number of employees
Net sales

7,280 (as of March 31, 2017)
JPY423.9 billion (FY2016)

For further details, contact:
Public Relations Section, The Research Foundation for Microbial
Diseases of Osaka University
Corporate Communications Department, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma
Corporation

Tel: +81-6-6877-4802
Tel: +81-6-6205-5211