Mitsui & Co., Ltd. ("Mitsui", Head Office: Tokyo, Japan. President and CEO: Tatsuo Yasunaga) and SMS Co., Ltd. ("SMS", Head Office: Tokyo, Japan. CEO: Natsuki Goto) have entered into an agreement with AXIO Data Hedgeco Limited (Head Office: London, U.K.) and its six individual shareholders to jointly acquire all shares of Medica Asia (Holdco) Limited (Head Office: London, U.K.), the holding company of the MIMS Group. MIMS Group provides drug information to healthcare professionals in the Asia-Oceania region. The total investment will be approximately US$250 million (approximately ¥30 billion), with Mitsui holding 40% and SMS holding 60% of the shares respectively.
MIMS Group, established in 1963, has presence in 12 different countries in Asia-Oceania providing drug information through printed publications, websites, and mobile applications. With more than 50 years of history, MIMS brand has tremendous name recognition in the region, with approximately 1.7 million memberships of healthcare professionals. Especially doctors have high registration rate in many of the countries. By leveraging this strong membership base, MIMS Group has built broad business relationships with pharmaceutical companies in the area.
Due to the increasing population and economic development in the Asia-Oceania region, healthcare spending is growing rapidly from US$480 billion (approximately ¥58 trillion) in 2008 to US$935 billion (approximately ¥112 trillion) in 2013(※), and this increase is expected to continue going forward. In this promising market, both, SMS's know-how to develop and operate information services and Mitsui's global network, will serve to strengthen MIMS Group's brand value, membership base of healthcare professionals, and business relationship with pharmaceutical companies, that will lead to expanding its existing businesses and developing new businesses in various fields. Some of Mitsui and SMS's business plans include: marketing support to pharmaceutical companies, management support to clinics and doctors, and career-related services, etc. Through these businesses, Mitsui and SMS will increase the quality and efficiency of healthcare services, and contribute to enhancing healthcare industry in Asia-Oceania.
Mitsui has been strategically focusing on medical and healthcare business and since its investment in 2011 into IHH Healthcare Berhad, the largest private healthcare group in Asia, Mitsui has expanded its network with various healthcare-related businesses. With the acquisition of MIMS Group, Mitsui will have access to approximately 1.7 million healthcare professionals, who stand in the frontline in Asia-Oceania healthcare market. By adding this membership base of healthcare professionals to Mitsui's existing network, it plans to further expand its business field.
SMS's corporate mission is: "We create values and contribute to society by providing an information infrastructure for an aging society". In each business segment of nursing care, medical care, healthcare, and senior life, SMS offers various information services including career-related services, management support services, and online communities. Given the increasing need in Asian medical and healthcare market, SMS is putting its top priority in the region, and operates its businesses in 12 countries. By acquiring MIMS Group which has strong brand and a robust business platform, SMS intends to rapidly expand its overseas businesses.
(※) Sourced by WHO, total healthcare spending of countries where MIMS is present in the market
Medica Asia (Holdco) Limited company profile (before the acquisition)
Company Name |
Medica Asia (Holdco) Limited |
Head Office |
London, U.K. |
Establishment |
February 18, 2013 |
Representative |
Henry Elkington |
Shareholders |
AXIO Data Hedgeco Limited : 91.0%, Others : 9.0% |
Business Activities |
Holding company of MIMS Group |
MIMS Group profile
Establishment |
1963 |
Employees |
468 (as of December 2014) - consolidated |
Business Activities |
Drug information service |
Business Territories |
Singapore, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand |
Website |
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SMS Co., Ltd. company profile
Company Name |
SMS Co., Ltd. |
Head Office |
Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan |
Establishment |
April 4, 2003 (Listed in the 1st section of Tokyo Stock Exchange on December 9, 2011) |
Representative |
Natsuki Goto |
Employees |
1,100 (as of June 30, 2015) - consolidated |
Revenue |
¥15.1billion - March 2015 (FY2015) |
Ordinary Income |
¥2.7 billion - March 2015 (FY2015) |
Net Income |
¥1.8 billion - March 2015 (FY2015) |
Business Activities |
In each business segment of nursing care, medical care, healthcare, and senior life, SMS offers various information services for an aging society including career-related services, management support services, and online communities. |
Business Territories |
Japan, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Australia |
Website |
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