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, *Rescula® 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 AMITIZA® (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 three 2006 Finalist for 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, Dr. Ueno and Kuno received the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the Greater Washington Area in the Life Sciences Category.
• In 2008, Dr. Ueno was named an honorary member of the American Gastroenterological Association.
• In 2008, AMITIZA® was recognized as a finalist for the Prix Galien USA 2008 award. Nominees for this award are chosen because of the amount of research and level of effort used to develop the medicines that helps to improve lives.
• In 2008, Sucampo was ranked #4 by the Deloitte’s Maryland Technology Fast 50 Awards, which ranks technology companies located in the state of Maryland by revenue growth.
• In 2008, Sucampo was ranked #25 by Washington Business Journal’s 2008 Fastest Growing Companies.
• In 2008, Sucampo was named one of the five finalists for Pharma Company of the Year – SME for the Scrip Awards.
• In 2009, Sucampo was selected as the Biotechnology Firm of the Year by the Tech Council of Maryland.