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Our Company

Our History

The 1980s marked an intense period of research and discovery for Sucampo founders Ryuji Ueno and Sachiko Kuno. Leading teams of talented scientists, Drs. Ueno and Kuno unlocked the therapeutic potential of prostones, leading to more than 900 international patents and the Japanese launch of their first product, *ResculaŽ Eye Drops, an anti-glaucoma drug, which has been sold in more than 45 countries and have treated more than 500,000 patients over the last 8 years..

Rescula's success led Dr. Ueno and Dr. Kuno to found the Sucampo Group, an affiliation of companies in the Americas, Asia and Europe. Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., founded in 1996 as R-Tech Ueno (USA), Inc., is the US operating company of this group. Our principal offices are located in Bethesda, Maryland, strategically close to the offices of the United States Food & Drug Administration.

In January 2006, Sucampo received marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, for its first product AMITIZAŽ (lubiprostone) for the treatment of chronic idiopathic constipation in adults. AMITIZA is the only prescription product for the treatment of chronic idiopathic constipation that has been approved by the FDA for use by adults of all ages, including those over 65 years of age, and that has demonstrated effectiveness for use beyond 12 weeks.

In addition to approval of AMITIZA, in 2006, the company took major strides in becoming a global, emerging pharmaceutical company. These include establishing its own commercial sales and marketing capacity, filing an S1 registration statement, and acquiring the overseas affiliates in the U.K. and Japan with an aim to expand our operations and address commercial opportunities of AMITIZA and other products worldwide.

Awards & Recognition

  • In 2006, AMITIZA was selected as one of the finalists for 2006 FINALIST Best New Small Molecule Drug for the Scrip Awards
  • Dr. Ueno was awarded Nikkei BP Publications’ 2006 Japan Innovator of the Year Award.
  • In 2007, Drs. Ueno and Kuno received the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the Greater Washington Area in the Life Sciences Category.

*RESCULA is not a Sucampo product.