■Company Overview of KOH Corporation <9273>

1. Company Overview

The company is the holding company of a group company engaged in the sales of pharmaceutical ingredients and the manufacture and sale of pharmaceutical products, with three subsidiaries: Coa Shoji (Kabushiki Kaisha) engaged in the sales of pharmaceutical ingredients (Minatomirai, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, 100% ownership stake), Coa Isei (Kabushiki Kaisha) engaged in the manufacture and sale of pharmaceutical products (Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture, also 100% ownership stake), and Coa Biotech Bay (Kabushiki Kaisha) (Minatomirai, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, 100% ownership stake). The company's name originates from founding the company in a room in the building of Kosaka Seiyaku (Kabushiki Kaisha) (later renamed to "Coa Seiyaku" and absorbed as "Coa Biotech Bay"). At that time, they wanted to use the kanji character "Ko" as it evoked the word "Innovation," but because there was a possibility of being seen as a subsidiary of Kosaka Seiyaku, they founded the company in katakana as "Coa Shoji".

In the company group, their vision is to "remain a pharmaceutical company needed in the accelerating 'ultra-aging society'", their corporate philosophy is to be the "best partner for generics", their corporate slogan is "New Business Model Innovation", and their management policy is to aim to be a pharmaceutical specialist trading company and the top manufacturer of generic injectables, creating a completely new type of pharmaceutical conglomerates. Through these vision, corporate philosophy, and management policy, they aim to contribute to the stable supply of generic pharmaceuticals and the realization of a society where no one in need of pharmaceuticals is left behind.

Since its establishment, Toshiyuki Shuto has served as the representative director and president of the group, and as of the end of June 2024, the total number of consolidated employees is 289, with a high female ratio of 47.1%.

2. History

The company group has innovated to continue being a pharmaceutical company needed in the accelerating 'ultra-aging society'. The current representative director and president, Mr. Shuto, founder of the group, was engaged in the generic pharmaceutical ingredients business at an Italian trading company. He identified a business opportunity in the expansion of the generic pharmaceutical market in Japan and utilized his previous connections and experience to establish Coa Shoji in February 1991. In June 2011, anticipating market growth in generic injectables with high pharmacological activity, they entered into a capital alliance with Isei Co., Ltd. (now Coa Isei), which had 60 years of experience in injectables and 40 years in freeze-drying technology.

* Freezing and drying necessary components to create a powdered form. Scientifically stable allowing long-term storage, but requires dissolution each time of use.

In January 2015, by transferring equity, Koa Shoji, Isei, Biotech Bay Co., Ltd., and Koa Seiyaku established Koa Shoji Holdings as the holding company of Koa Shoji. In July 2015, Isei was renamed to "Koa Isei," Biotech Bay was renamed to "Koa Biotech Bay," and Koa Seiyaku was renamed to "Koa Seiyaku." In addition, in May 2016, Koa Isei established a new Zao Factory specializing in the production of highly pharmacologically active injectable drugs. Furthermore, in July 2022, a merger was implemented with Koa Biotech Bay as the surviving company and Koa Seiyaku as the disappearing company.

The company was newly listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Second Section in June 2018, and designated as the First Section in June 2020. Furthermore, with the revision of the Tokyo Stock Exchange market segments, it transitioned to the Prime Market in April 2022.

(Written by FISCO guest analyst Nozomi Kokushige).