The history of KAKETSUKEN vaccine production began with the smallpox vaccine over half a century ago. We have produced vaccines against typhus, polio, and other diseases, contributing to the eradication of infectious diseases in Japan. Making full use of such traditional technology platforms, as well as new scientific technologies has allowed us to develop a number of vaccines such as diphtheria pertussis tetanus (DPT), influenza, Japanese encephalitis, rubella, and mumps vaccines. In particular, the DPT vaccine has enjoyed a high reputation as a component vaccine to which large-scale culturing and high-level refining/purification technologies jointly developed with Teijin Limited have been applied. Both the influenza and Japanese encephalitis vaccines are now shifting towards the use of non-animal materials. This is a novel attempt taking into account not only the ethos of protecting animals, but also the stable supply of raw materials and smooth quality control/production control. We have also worked toward the supply of more convenient vaccines by changing the vaccine container from a vial to a syringe.

Ahead of all others, KAKETSUKEN has tackled research on viral hepatitis, called "the people’s disease of the 20th century”. As a result, we succeeded in developing Japan's first hepatitis B vaccine from genetic recombination technology. In addition, regarding the hepatitis A vaccine long awaited by travelers, large-scale culture technology of viral antigens (which had been regarded as difficult), was established in a joint effort with the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), resulting in the realization of such hepatitis A vaccine. In addition to the above, KAKETSUKEN is the only domestic supplier of the rabies vaccine for travelers and antitoxin drugs for pit vipers including the Habu snake (Ryukyu pit viper).

Technological exchanges with overseas companies have been very active such as the joint development of a pandemic influenza vaccine with GlaxoSmithKline and through such exchanges, KAKETSUKEN hopes to play a part in the national strategies against infectious diseases. KAKETSUKEN will continue to leverage the results of new knowledge and scientific discoveries including the field of molecular biology for the prevention of existing infectious diseases.