Shionogi & Company, Limited (塩野義製薬株式会社, Shionogi Seiyaku Kabushiki Kaisha) is a Japanese pharmaceutical company best known for developing Crestor. Medical supply and brand name also uses katakana (シオノギ).
Shionogi has business roots that date back to 1878, and was incorporated in 1919. Among the medicines produced are for hyperlipidaemia, antibiotics, and cancer medicines.
In Japan it is particularly known as a producer of antimicrobial and antibiotics. Because of antibiotic resistance and slow growth of the antibiotic market, it has teamed up with US based Schering-Plough (merged in 2009 with Merck & Co) to become a sole marketing agent for its products in Japan.
Shionogi had supported the initial formation of Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals, a generic manufacturer based in India. In 2012 the company became a partial owner of ViiV Healthcare, a pharmaceutical company specialising in the development of therapies for HIV.[4]
Shionogi has a close relationship with Fuji Television Network, Inc., because Shionogi is the sponsor of "Music Fair" (as of January 2010, aired on 17 TV stations including TV Oita System Co.) started in 1964.[citation needed]
Shionogi was a main sponsor of Team Lotus in the team's final years between 1991 and 1994.[16]
