Hisamitsu America Marks 90 Years of Pioneering Pain Relief with Salonpas(R) with Record Sales

FLORHAM PARK, NJ / ACCESSWIRE / March 1, 2024 / Hisamitsu America, today, celebrates the 90^th anniversary of the Salonpas^® patch, the world’s No. 1 brand of Over-the-Counter (OTC) topical analgesics in the patch category,¹ which was introduced in Japan in 1934.

Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical Co. Inc., with dual headquarters in Kyushu and Tokyo is the parent company of Hisamitsu America, manufacturer of Salonpas^® and global pioneer and innovator of transdermal and topical patch technology operating around the world.

“Since its inception, the Salonpas brand has evolved into a legacy of trusted and effective OTC pain relief solutions including patches, creams, gels, sprays and liquids,” says John Incledon, President & CEO, Hisamitsu America, the marketers of Salonpas, the #1 Doctor and Pharmacist recommended OTC Topical Pain Patch² and the first FDA-approved OTC topical pain reliever in 2008 with the Salonpas® Pain Relief Patch.

Time-Tested, Research-Driven, Cross-Generational Efficacy

“Salonpas is more than a pain relief patch; it’s a symbol of time-tested, trusted medicine that transcends generations,” said Bob Arnot, M.D., internal medicine who is a journalist, author and served as a medical and foreign correspondent for NBC and CBS. “Crafted with care and precision, Salonpas has become synonymous with effective and innovative OTC topical pain relief solutions.”

Remarkable Growth in the U.S. Market

Since 2010, Salonpas® has witnessed extraordinary growth in the U.S. market. Retail sales have surged over tenfold, reaching over $200 million³ in 2023. “This achievement underscores the brand’s ongoing commitment in bringing innovation to the topical pain relief category to satisfy a growing number of customers,” says Incledon.

Despite Salonpas achieving record revenues in the U.S., less than 1 in 3 U.S. households are buying products in the External Analgesics category, with the Salonpas OTC brand facing even lower consumer adoption.⁴

“I see Hisamitsu America as the ‘little engine that could,’ continually striving to win the hearts and minds of every pharmacist, doctor, and consumer,” says Incledon. “People who have discovered Salonpas are satisfied and brand loyal, but our goal is to bring many more people under the ‘topicals tent’ like other parts of the world, especially Japan. People have many effective options for pain relief that do not involve taking a pill.”

‘Salonpas’ is cited as the fastest growing search term – up 98.8% in 2023⁵ with more Facebook fans and followers than any other systemic or topical OTC analgesic brand⁶. The brand continues to innovate and educate with the extraordinary growth of the Salonpas brand in the United States reinforced by the success of the Salonpas Lidocaine 4% Pain Relieving FLEX Patch distinguished as the #1 new item in the External Analgesics OTC category⁷.

“As we mark this significant milestone, we extend our gratitude to our loyal customers, partners, and dedicated teams worldwide. The 90th Anniversary of Salonpas is not just a celebration of the past but a reaffirmation of our commitment to advancing pain relief solutions for the future,” says Incledon.

Since its formation, the company mission of Hisamitsu is to improve the quality of life for people around the world through R&D, manufacturing, and the sale of topical analgesic products. Hisamitsu’s culture focuses on spreading compassionate consideration to others.

About Hisamitsu America:

Hisamitsu America is the North American subsidiary of Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical Co., Inc., founded in 1847, a global pioneer and innovator of transdermal and topical patch technology with a focus on pain relief. The Salonpas^® product line, which gained early acceptance in Asia and is now registered in over 100 countries, has pioneered the development of topical patches to relieve pain. Since 2010, Salonpas has become one of the fastest growing OTC brands in the USA. Salonpas became the most popular pain relief brand on Facebook in 2020. For more information, visit: https://us.hisamitsu/.

Sources:

1. Salonpas® Named the World’s No. 1 OTC Topical Analgesic Patch Brand – Euromonitor International Limited (global topical analgesics/anaesthetic market, 2022 data.)
2. Salonpas is the #1 Doctor and Pharmacist recommended OTC Topical Pain Patch Brand (IQVIA: ProVoice Survey 2023)
3. Salonpas retail sales exceeded $200 mm with record sales across Food, Drug, Mass, Club, and ecommerce channels (Circana: MULO/Club & Ecommerce data ending 12/31/23).
4. Less than 1 in 3 households buy products in the general category of External Analgesics in U.S. households, with the Salonpas OTC brand attracting 1 in 20 households. (Circana HH Panel, Rolling 52 weeks data ending 12/31/23)
5. ‘Salonpas’ has been cited as the fastest growing search term – up 98.8% in 2023 (CommerceIQ, 2023)
6. More Facebook fans and followers than any other systemic or topical OTC analgesic brand. (Meta: March 2024)
7. Salonpas Lidocaine 4% Pain Relieving FLEX Patch is distinguished as the #1 new item in the External Analgesics OTC category (Circana MULO, 52 wks. ending 12/31/23)

Media Contact: Nancy Thompson, Vorticom, Inc. 212.532.2208 (o), 917.371.4053 (m); nancyt@vorticom.com

SOURCE: Hisamitsu America

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