TOKYO, July 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GNI Group Ltd. (TSE: 2160, “GNI Group” or the “Company”) today announced that it has completed the acquisition of all shares of Ayumi Pharmaceutical Holdings Co., Ltd. from shareholders led by Blackstone. As a result, Ayumi Pharmaceutical Holdings Co., Ltd. and its subsidiary, Ayumi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (“Ayumi Pharmaceutical”), have become wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company.
Since its founding in 2001 and listing in 2007, GNI Group has pursued global growth as a Japan-originated company, while expanding its business operations in China, the United States and Australia. At the same time, the Company has long regarded a pharmaceutical business platform in Japan as the “missing piece” in its global strategy and has continued to explore a wide range of opportunities, including partnerships and M&A. Through this acquisition, GNI Group has secured this final piece in an optimal form. The Company positions this milestone as the beginning of its “Second Founding Phase” — a true global founding phase — and will advance to its next stage of sustainable growth as a global biopharma company capable of generating strong synergies across four key regions: Japan, the United States, China and Australia.
Ayumi Pharmaceutical is a pharmaceutical company with a stable earnings base and strong capabilities in the pain management field. Its product portfolio includes Calonal®, an antipyretic and analgesic that has been widely used in medical practice in Japan for more than 40 years. Ayumi Pharmaceutical holds a domestic market share of more than 80% — approximately 83% — for acetaminophen products, and recorded revenue of approximately JPY 38.5 billion for the fiscal year ending March 2026.
GNI Group has completed settlement of the acquisition consideration, with an enterprise value of approximately JPY 44.8 billion, through a combination of cash and the issuance of new shares of the Company. In connection with the transaction, GNI Group will welcome Blackstone, Toho Holdings Co., Ltd. and Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical Co., Inc. as new shareholders.
Following completion of the acquisition, the Ayumi Pharmaceutical company name and all existing product brand names, including its flagship product Calonal® (acetaminophen), will be maintained. GNI Group will fully respect the strong presence Ayumi Pharmaceutical has built as a specialty pharmaceutical company in the orthopedic and rheumatology fields, and will continue to work to ensure the stable supply of safe and reliable medicines.
Dr. Ying Luo, Representative Executive Officer, President and CEO of GNI Group, commented on the Group’s future outlook and expressed his appreciation to stakeholders as follows:
“The acquisition of Ayumi Pharmaceutical marks an extremely important milestone in further strengthening our global business foundation across Japan, the United States, China and Australia. By integrating Ayumi Pharmaceutical’s robust domestic sales infrastructure and pain management product portfolio into our Group, we will be able to deliver more products directly to patients with unmet medical needs. We are honored to welcome Blackstone, Toho Holdings and Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical as new shareholders. Going forward, we will work closely with all stakeholders to advance the next stage of growth for our Group.”
Through this acquisition, GNI Group will significantly expand its sales platform in Japan and build a pharmaceutical platform expected to accelerate the introduction of innovative medicines, biosimilars and internally developed products into the Japanese market. This platform is expected to secure a continuous earnings base in Japan, further diversify the Group’s regional revenue base across Japan, the United States, China and Australia, and support long-term sustainable growth.
Strategic Significance of the Acquisition
GNI Group positions this acquisition as the beginning of its “Second Founding Phase” — a true global founding phase — and will significantly expand its business platform in Japan. The strategic significance of the acquisition is as follows:
- Establishing a Strong Business Platform in Japan and Transforming the Earnings Structure
GNI Group has driven its growth primarily through its businesses in the United States and China. Through this acquisition, the Group will obtain a platform in Japan that generates continuous revenue and cash flow. GNI Group aims to achieve structural profitability in Japan and transform the Japanese business into a growth business that contributes to the Group as a whole. - Accelerating the Introduction of In-House and Overseas Pharmaceutical Products into Japan
GNI Group will obtain Ayumi Pharmaceutical’s strong sales network, which covers medical institutions across Japan in the orthopedic and rheumatology fields. By leveraging this infrastructure, the Group will promote the rapid rollout of its innovative development products and fast-growing overseas products in the Japanese market. - Strengthening the Global Management Base and Diversifying Risk
By adding a solid business platform in Japan, GNI Group will establish a stronger management base with a more balanced revenue structure across its four key regions: Japan, the United States, China and Australia. By building a portfolio that is not dependent on any single region, the Group will effectively reduce geopolitical risk and work to enhance corporate value over the medium to long term.
About GNI Group
www.gnipharma.com
GNI Group is a global biopharma company headquartered in Japan, with business operations in Japan, China, the United States and Australia. The Group operates an integrated business model spanning research and development, manufacturing and sales. GNI Group conducts drug discovery, pharmaceutical development and commercialization, as well as medtech operations, as integrated businesses across the Group.
The Group has established a structure that enables it to conduct activities within the Group from innovative drug discovery and basic research using its proprietary Targeted Protein Degradation (TPD) drug discovery platform technology through to global clinical development. Its pipeline covers a broad range of therapeutic areas, including fibrosis, oncology, inflammatory diseases and acute pain, led by its key development candidate F351, a potential treatment for liver fibrosis caused by hepatitis B, for which no effective treatment currently exists. In addition, the Group has built a robust next-generation business foundation, including a stable production system supported by its own manufacturing facilities, a strong sales network of in-house medical representatives covering medical institutions, and contract manufacturing services.
Contact:
Mr. Ping Zhang - Director, Executive Officer
ping-zhang@gnipharma.com
Phone number: +81 70 1003 2444
