What should I know about Takeda?
Takeda is a Japanese pharmaceutical company with its global headquarters in Tokyo. It was founded in 1781 by Chobei Takeda I. It focuses on gastroenterology, rare diseases, plasma-derived therapies, oncology, vaccines and neuroscience. It became one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies by buying Shire for more than $50 billion in 2019. In the first quarter of its 2026 financial year (April to June 2026), Takeda reported revenue of ¥1,219.9 billion, up 10.2% at actual exchange rates but down 0.5% at constant rates.
What are Takeda's main drugs?
Takeda's results release names Entyvio, a treatment for bowel diseases, and Qdenga, a dengue vaccine, among its core brands, but it does not give sales for individual products. The company said resilient demand across its core in-line brands offset the loss of exclusivity on Vyvanse, a medicine for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Takeda expects core revenue of ¥4,640 billion in its 2026 financial year, a low single-digit decline, and core operating profit of ¥1,160 billion, down 5% to 8%.
What is Takeda currently developing?
Takeda is preparing three late-stage launches. Oveporexton, branded Orzeyful, a treatment for narcolepsy, has been approved in China, is under review in the US and Japan, and is expected to launch in the second half of 2026. Rusfertide has FDA priority review, with a US launch expected in the second half of 2026. Zasocitinib, an oral psoriasis treatment, is due for regulatory submissions in 2026, with a launch expected in the first half of 2027.
Have there been any controversies involving Takeda?
Takeda's main legal controversy involved Actos, its diabetes drug. In April 2014 a Louisiana federal jury awarded $9 billion in punitive damages against Takeda and Eli Lilly in a bladder cancer case, which was later reduced to $36.8 million. In April 2015 Takeda agreed to pay about $2.4 billion to settle more than 8,000 US lawsuits alleging the company concealed bladder cancer risks. A 2011 FDA study had found that taking Actos for more than 12 months raised the risk of bladder cancer by 40%.
Is Takeda publicly traded, and how big is it?
Yes. Takeda is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (4502) and, as American depositary shares, on the New York Stock Exchange (TAK). It is part of Japan's Nikkei 225 index. MarketScreener put its market value at about ¥9 trillion in 2026, with the shares up about 17% for the year. In the first quarter of its 2026 financial year it reported revenue of ¥1,219.9 billion, and it forecasts a low single-digit decline in core revenue for the full year.