Sunsho Pharmaceutical seeks top spot in full-line dosage form production

Country Business Reports interviews and articles by Discovery Reports www.discoveryreports.com

Modern lifestyles have placed considerable stresses on people’s bodies, and consumers are increasingly looking for ways to strengthen their resistance against sickness. Consequently, many pharmaceutical, health and nutrition, and food and beverage companies are keen on offering the latest health supplements in various dosage forms.

When it comes to high-quality health and pharmaceutical products, one contract manufacturer in Japan stands out. Known for its unparalleled ability to apply the latest technologies to the finest ingredients, Sunsho Pharmaceutical can make any health and nutrition product possible. The Japanese manufacturer is a scientific expert in the development of health foods, cosmetics, and medicinal and non-medicinal products. Covering 35 per cent of the market for soft gel capsules, and as one of only four producers of seamless capsules in Japan, Sunsho is on track to be the No 1 full-line dosage form contract manufacturer in the country by 2020.

“Product innovation and customer relationships have been the key success factors for us,” says Seiichiro Matsumura, CEO. “We also have good people and an exceptional factory location.”

Situated near the revered Mount Fuji, Sunsho can easily access tons of clean and pure water, an integral ingredient to produce one of its main offerings, vegetable-based capsules or gelatin soft gels. Through research and development (R&D), customer interactions and technical partnerships, the company is growing its list of raw material developments while bolstering its portfolio of patented products. In the soft gel area alone, Sunsho has acquired three patents out of almost 50 patented compounds. It is now working on applying its seamless capsule technology to enhance the probiotics market.

Sunsho uses various organic and natural ingredients sourced from Japan and across Asia. One of its latest offerings is plasmalogen, a phospholipid made from sea squirts. Plasmalogen has been studied as an essential catalyst in maintaining a healthy brain.

“Plasmalogen is a powerful ingredient to counteract ageing or memory loss,” says Yoshiharu Matahira, executive officer of Sunsho’s R&D department.

“The plasmalogen ingredient matches our soft gel form so companies who would like to market it to the ageing population particularly in Japan, which has a big ageing society, can grab this huge opportunity,” Matsumura says. “The health and nutrition market in Japan continues to grow.”

Sunsho’s product applications go beyond nutrition as it also hones its expertise in producing flavoured capsules and other non-medicinal products.

It welcomes sales collaborations within Asia’s polymer and pharmaceutical science industries and research partnerships with leading universities and R&D centres.

www.sunsho.co.jp