Japanese drugmaker Nissan Chemical (TYO: 40121) entered into the pharmaceutical business in 1982, and launched an external preparation, ketoprofen (Epatec) in 1985. In 1994, efonidipine hydrochloride (Landel), a Ca antagonist was launched as the company's first new pharmaceutical for the indication of hypertension. Renoparenchymal hypertension and angina pectoris were added as its additional indications in 1998. In South Korea, efonidipine hydrochloride (Finte) was also launched in 2003.

Pitavastatin calcium (Livalo), a statin agent with a strong LDL cholesterol reduction, for the indication of hyperlipidemia was marketed in Japan in 2003. In the company’s new drug development pipelines, a therapeutic agent for asthma and peripheral arterial disease (NT-702) is in the process of clinical development in Japan.

The clinical development with a therapeutic and preventive drug for atrial fibrillation and flutter (NTC-801) was started in 2007. In addition the clinical development with a new therapeutic agent for thrombocytopenia (NIP-022) was started in the USA in 2009. In December 2013 generic copies of the Livalo (pitavastatin), manufactured and sold by privately-held Japanese drugmaker Kowa, was the subject of legal action by Nissan.