Marubeni Corporation has expanded its pharmaceutical business in Africa by completing an investment in Phillips Healthcare Corporation (Phillips Pharma) on August 4, 2025, making it a Marubeni equity-method affiliate. This investment builds on Marubeni’s prior healthcare initiatives, such as its contribution to a new antimalarial drug development program in Africa and participation in the AAIC Fund, which supports healthcare sector growth. With Phillips Pharma, Marubeni has extended its pharmaceutical strategic platform to cover Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
The African pharmaceutical market poses significant challenges due to diverse regulations, pricing systems, and processes such as regulatory affairs, importation, promotion, distribution, and pharmacovigilance. These complexities have limited the availability of pharmaceuticals from countries like Japan. Through its partnership with Phillips Pharma, Marubeni has started facilitating imports and expanding product availability in Africa by connecting Japanese pharmaceutical companies with local markets. By combining its global expertise with Phillips Pharma’s experience, Marubeni seeks to deliver high-demand medicines to African countries that previously faced limited access.
This expansion aligns with Marubeni’s Mid-Term Management Strategy (GC2027), which emphasizes “Strategic Platform Businesses” combining growth potential, scalability, and added value. Marubeni first entered the pharmaceutical sector in 2018 by establishing Fobeni Healthcom Pharmaceutical Jiangsu Co., Ltd. in China, followed by a 2022 investment in Lunatus Marketing & Consulting FZCO in the Middle East. In 2025, the company also established Marubeni Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. after taking over Sumitomo Pharma’s pharmaceutical sales business in Asia. With Phillips Pharma and Marubeni Pharmaceuticals, the company’s platform now spans 26 countries and regions across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
Through this growing platform, Marubeni plans to strengthen cross-regional collaboration, deliver medicines tailored to local needs, and help bridge healthcare gaps by improving access to essential pharmaceuticals worldwide, particularly in Africa.
