
History of Chugai Pharmaceutical
Alliance with Roche
2000 – 2019
- Turning Points
- Chronology
- Foundation – 1939
- 1940 – 1959
- 1960 – 1979
- 1980 – 1999
- 2000 – 2019
- 2020 –
Chugai merged with Nippon Roche in 2002 based on a strategic alliance agreement with Roche.
History of Chugai Pharmaceutical
History of Nippon Roche
2000
Chugai Pharmaceutical
Opened the Tsukuba Research Laboratory (Ibaraki Prefecture) (Apr.)

Nippon Roche
Wataru Ogawa appointed as Representative Director and President
Chugai Pharmaceutical
Established Chugai Pharma France SAS(France) (Apr.)
Nippon Roche
Launched Kytril®, an anti-emetic agent (Feb.)
Nippon Roche
Launched Tamiflu®, an anti-influenza virus agent (Feb.)
Nippon Roche
Launched Rituxan®, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (Jun.)
Chugai Pharmaceutical
Established Chugai USA, Inc. (United States, now Chugai Pharma USA, Inc.) (Mar.)
2002
Chugai Pharmaceutical
Transferred all the shares of Chugai Diagnostics Science Co., Ltd. to Fujirebio Inc. (May)
Chugai Pharmaceutical
Spun-off Gen-Probe Incorporated (Sep.)
History since the alliance with Roche
2003
Closed the Takada Research Laboratory and the Matsunaga Plant (Dec.)
Launched Xeloda®, an anti-cancer agent (Mar.)
Launched Pegasys®, peginterferon alfa-2a(genetical recombination) (Dec.)
2003
The declaration of Human Genome Project completion
2004
Established Chugai Clinical Research Center Co., Ltd. (Sep.)
Transferred the OTC (over-the-counter medicines) business to Lion Corporation Transferred the insecticide manufacturing business of Eiko Kasei Co., Ltd. to Lion Packaging Co., Ltd. (Dec.)
Closed the Tsukuba Research Laboratory (Mar.)
Established Forerunner Pharma Research Co., Ltd. by Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Mitsui & Co., Ltd., and the Central Institute for Experimental Animals (Apr.)
Transferred the Kagamiishi Plant and all stocks of Tohoku Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. to Nipro Corporation (Jun.)
Assigned specialist MRs in oncology and renal area (Jul.)
2006
Chugai Pharma Manufacturing Co., Ltd. succeeded to the business of manufacturing pharmaceutical products conducted at Chugai's Ukima Plant, Fujieda Plant, Utsunomiya Plant and Kamakura Plant as the result of a company split (May)
2007
Launched Copegus®, an antiviral agent (Mar.)
Launched Avastin®, an anti-cancer agent (Jun.)
Launched Tarceva®, an anti-cancer agent (Dec.)
Approval of Actemra®, a Humanized Anti-Human IL-6 Receptor Monoclonal Antibody, for additional indication in Japan (Apr.)
2009
Approval of Actemra®, a Humanized Anti-Human IL-6 Receptor Monoclonal Antibody, in the EU (Jan.)
Approval of Actemra®, a Humanized Anti-Human IL-6 Receptor Monoclonal Antibody, in the United States (Jan.)
Closed the Kamakura plant of Chugai Pharma Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (Jun.)
2011
Established Clinical Research Center of C&C Research Laboratorie (Feb.)
Launched Edirol®, an active vitamin D3 derivative (Apr.)
Launched Mircera®, a long-acting erythropoiesis stimulating agent (Jul.)
2012
Established Chugai Pharmabody Research Pte. Ltd. in Singapore (Jan.)
Tatsuro Kosaka appointed as Representative Director and President (Mar.)
Launched Pulmozyme®, a Recombinant Human Deoxyribonuclease I (rhDNase) (Jun.)
Succeeded in establishing stable cell lines of cancer stem cell for the First Time (Oct.)
2013
Launched Bonviva®, an ibandronate sodium hydrate, a bisphosphonate antiresorptive agent for Osteoporosis (Aug.)
Launched Perjeta®, an anti-cancer agent (Sep.)
2014
Established Chugai Pharma China Co., Ltd. (Mar.)
Launched Kadcyla®, an anti-cancer agent (Apr.)
Amendment of business arrangements regarding the conditions for out-licensing Chugai products based on the strategic alliance between Chugai and Roche (Aug.)
Launched Alecensa®, an anti-cancer agent (Sep.)
2015
Launched Zelboraf®, an anti-cancer agent(Feb.)
Establishment of Translational Clinical Research Division (Apr.)
Integration and Reorganization of Chugai’s subsidiaries in Europe, China and Taiwan (Jul.)
Approval of Alecensa®, an anti-cancer agent, in the United States (Dec.)
2016
Announcement on the Purchase of Land for Business in Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture (Mar.)
Comprehensive Collaboration Agreement between Osaka University and Chugai (May)
2017
Approval of Alecensa®, an anti-cancer agent, in Europe (Feb.)
Approval of HEMLIBRA®, anti-coagulation factor IXa/X humanized bispecific monoclonal antibody / coagulation factor VIII substitute, in the United States (Nov.)
Launched ALAGLIO®, a photodynamic diagnostic agent (Dec.)
Approval of HEMLIBRA®, anti-coagulation factor IXa/X humanized bispecific monoclonal antibody / coagulation factor VIII substitute, in Europe (Feb.)
Tatsuro Kosaka appointed as CEO (Mar.)
Launched TECENTRIQ®, an anti-cancer agent (Apr.)
Launched HEMLIBRA®, anti-coagulation factor IXa/X humanized bispecific monoclonal antibody / coagulation factor VIII substitute (May)
Launched Gazyva®, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (Aug.)
Execution of Asset Transfer of 13 Long-Term Products to Taiyo Pharma (Jan.)
Launched FoundationOne® CDx Cancer Genomic Profile, a diagnostic program (Jun.)
Launched Rozlytrek®, an anti-cancer agent (Sep.)
Establishment of Division (Oct.)
2019
- Turning Points
- Chronology
- Foundation – 1939
- 1940 – 1959
- 1960 – 1979
- 1980 – 1999
- 2000 – 2019
- 2020 –
Chugai merged with Nippon Roche in 2002 based on a strategic alliance agreement with Roche.