Sucampo Pharmaceuticals
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Biopharmaceuticals |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Founder | Ryuji Ueno, Sachiko Kuno |
| Defunct | 2018 |
| Fate | Acquired by Mallinckrodt |
| Headquarters | Rockville, Maryland , United States |
| Products | Amitiza, Rescula |
| Parent | Mallinckrodt (from 2018) |
Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was a biopharmaceutical firm headquartered in Rockville, Maryland that focused on treatments related to gastroenterology, ophthalmology, and oncology. The company was acquired by Mallinckrodt in 2018.
The company’s primary products included Amitiza, which addressed constipation issues, and Rescula, used for managing ocular hypertension and open-angle glaucoma. Global distribution rights for Rescula, except in Japan and China, were held by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company. Additionally, Sucampo progressed two drugs into Phase III targeting rare conditions—namely Niemann-Pick Type C and familial adenomatous polyposis, a condition linked to the development of colon cancer.
History
Established in 1996 by Ryuji Ueno and Sachiko Kuno, Sucampo received FDA approval for Amitiza in January 2006.
In 2010, the company engaged in arbitration with Takeda concerning Amitiza sales, claiming inadequate marketing efforts; however, Sucampo did not prevail in the dispute.
The corporate headquarters transitioned from Bethesda, Maryland to Rockville toward the end of 2015.
In January 2016, Sucampo obtained an exclusive licensing option for a therapeutic agent aimed at familial adenomatous polyposis.
The company expanded its portfolio by acquiring Vtesse in April 2017.
By February 2018, Mallinckrodt completed the purchase of Sucampo for $1.2 billion. At that point, the original founders maintained a combined ownership stake of 30%.