Fujisawa Pharmaceutical

Fujisawa Pharmaceutical was a prominent Japanese pharmaceutical company founded in 1894 and headquartered in Osaka. The company gained international recognition for its expertise in immunology and infectious diseases, most notably for the discovery and development of the blockbuster immunosuppressant tacrolimus (Prograf). In April 2005, Fujisawa merged with Yamanouchi Pharmaceutical to form Astellas Pharma, which became one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. Prior to the merger, Fujisawa maintained a significant global footprint with major subsidiaries in North America and Europe. Its legacy remains central to the current transplantation and infectious disease portfolios of Astellas.