Takeda Pharmaceutical Company

What does Takeda make?
Takeda makes prescription pharmaceuticals across four therapeutic areas: gastroenterology (Entyvio, Dexilant), oncology (Ninlaro, Adcetris), neuroscience (Vyvanse, Trintellix, Rozerem), and rare diseases. The company also produces plasma-derived therapies including immunoglobulins and albumin.

Is Takeda publicly traded?
Yes, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange under ticker 4502 and on the NYSE as an ADR under ticker TAK. The company has a broad institutional and retail shareholder base with no single controlling shareholder.

Who founded Takeda?
Takeda was founded in 1781 in Osaka, Japan by Chobei Takeda, who established a business selling traditional Japanese and Chinese medicines. The company has been in continuous operation for more than 240 years, making it one of the world's oldest pharmaceutical companies.

Where is Takeda headquartered?
Takeda is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The company's global operations span more than 80 countries, with its largest market being the United States. Takeda also has major operations in Europe, Japan, and emerging markets.

How many employees does Takeda have?
Takeda employs approximately 50,000 people worldwide. The company's workforce is distributed across research and development, manufacturing, and commercial operations in more than 80 countries.

Who owns Takeda?
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited is publicly traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and NYSE with a broad institutional and retail shareholder base. No single shareholder holds a controlling stake. Christophe Weber serves as President and CEO.

Takeda was founded in 1781 in Osaka, Japan by Chobei Takeda, who established a business selling traditional Japanese and Chinese medicines. The company grew through the 19th century as Japan modernized its pharmaceutical industry, transitioning from traditional medicines to modern pharmaceuticals.

Takeda listed on the Osaka Stock Exchange in 1949 and began its international expansion in the 1970s, establishing operations in Europe and the United States. The company developed several important pharmaceutical products through the late 20th century, including Prevacid (lansoprazole, a proton pump inhibitor for acid reflux) and Actos (pioglitazone, for type 2 diabetes).

Takeda made several significant acquisitions in the 2000s and 2010s to build its global presence and pipeline. Key acquisitions included Millennium Pharmaceuticals (2008, for approximately $8.8 billion), which added the oncology drug Velcade (bortezomib), and Nycomed (2011, for approximately $13.7 billion), which expanded Takeda's European operations.

Takeda's most transformative acquisition was Shire plc, a Dublin-based rare disease and neuroscience pharmaceutical company, which Takeda acquired in January 2019 for approximately $62 billion. The Shire acquisition was the largest acquisition in Japanese corporate history and transformed Takeda into a global top-10 pharmaceutical company. The acquisition added Vyvanse (ADHD), Trintellix (depression), and a portfolio of rare disease and plasma-derived therapy products to Takeda's portfolio.

Following the Shire acquisition, Takeda undertook a significant portfolio rationalization program, divesting non-core assets to reduce debt. The company sold its consumer healthcare business, several over-the-counter brands, and other non-core assets, raising billions of dollars to pay down the debt incurred in the Shire acquisition.

For fiscal year 2025 (ended March 31, 2025), Takeda reported revenue of approximately JPY 4.4 trillion. The company has been navigating the impact of generic competition for Vyvanse (which lost US patent exclusivity in 2023) while growing its pipeline of next-generation therapies.

Takeda has faced several significant legal and regulatory challenges. The company paid approximately $2.37 billion in 2015 to settle US federal and state lawsuits alleging that it had concealed the cancer risk of its diabetes drug Actos (pioglitazone). The settlement was one of the largest pharmaceutical settlements in US history.

The Shire acquisition generated controversy regarding the size of the debt load taken on by Takeda, with some shareholders and analysts questioning whether the acquisition price was justified. Takeda's share price declined significantly following the acquisition announcement.

Takeda has also faced scrutiny regarding its pricing practices for specialty pharmaceuticals, particularly in the United States.