The story of UPSA is first and foremost a family saga, born with Doctor Camille Bru and now carried forward by the Taisho Group. It is also an industrial adventure, driven by innovation, a commitment to fighting pain, and a sustainable vision. Finally, it is a French odyssey, rooted in Agen, a region of excellence that showcases French pharmaceutical expertise on the international stage.
Our history
Innovation, the origin of UPSA
It all began in the early 1920s in Agen, located in the Lot-et-Garonne region at the heart of France. Camille Bru, a medical radiology doctor, developed an innovative system that allowed X-rays to be taken at the bedside of isolated patients in rural areas.
A few years later, this relentless researcher discovered through X-ray imaging that carbonated drinks accelerate the movements of the digestive tract. He then devised an effervescent solution to aid digestion, called Normogastryl®. This was the first time effervescence was applied to medication! Shortly thereafter, the Union of Applied Scientific Pharmacology (UPSA) was founded in 1935 to ensure its production and distribution. Doctor Camille Bru held a strong belief: the traditional pharmacy, as a place for bespoke preparation, was becoming obsolete. A new era was dawning, marked by the mass production of pharmaceutical batches to make medication accessible to a wider population.
From product innovation to industrial development
Upon the death of Camille Bru in 1958, his son, Doctor Jean Bru, succeeded him. At that time, UPSA employed around sixty people. His mission was to transform his father’s inventive genius into a lasting industrial success through research. The first challenge was to develop effervescent aspirin, achieved in 1960. This was followed by the development of effervescent paracetamol in 1972, which established UPSA as a pioneering laboratory in effervescent pharmaceuticals. The following three decades were marked by the launch of UPSA’s flagship products: Nifluril, the first anti-inflammatory drug in France (1967); UPSA Betaine Citrate (1977); UPSA Vitamin C (1981); Fervex (1984); and Dafalgan 500 mg (1985).
To support this growth, UPSA expanded its industrial capacity starting in 1971 with the enlargement of the “Guyenne” factory and the inauguration of a second site in Agen, known as “Gascogne,” dedicated to the production of effervescent tablets. In 1985, UPSA once again innovated by developing an exclusive vertical manufacturing process for its effervescent tablets. This unique European technology, which uses gravity to transfer the product, guarantees an exceptionally high-quality effervescence. The first production tower was commissioned in 1985, followed by a second tower three years later. At the same time, the “La Plaine” logistics platform was also inaugurated.
UPSA, an international benchmark in pain management
In 1989, the untimely death of Doctor Jean Bru led to his wife, Doctor Nicole Bru, then Director General of Scientific Affairs and Strategy at UPSA, taking the helm of the company. She continued to drive its momentum: UPSA doubled its turnover within five years and became the leading European pharmaceutical company in pain management as well as the global leader in effervescent technology.
Under her leadership, the UPSA Pain Institute was established in 1993. Its objectives were to improve pain management by raising awareness among medical professionals and fostering research. Hundreds of pain evaluation and treatment centers opened across France and internationally, in countries such as Poland, Czechoslovakia, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, China, Myanmar, and Vietnam, positioning UPSA as the international reference in this field. By 1994, the UPSA Group employed 2,000 people.
The years of industrial excellence
In 1994, Bristol-Myers Squibb acquired UPSA. Over the following 25 years, the American pharmaceutical group made significant investments in the production facilities in Agen: the construction of Gascogne 2 (1997), the erection of four additional vertical manufacturing towers (between 1998 and 2007), the installation of 14 new packaging lines, and the creation of a raw materials storage warehouse. This was complemented by the commissioning of a quality control laboratory and a pharmaceutical development laboratory. The Agen site thus became a major industrial hub of excellence in Europe.
UPSA continued to innovate in family medicine by offering pharmaceutical forms adapted to all stages of life: the launch of the world’s first injectable paracetamol (2001), Dafalgan 1g—the first coated 1-gram paracetamol tablet (2004), and Efferalgan granules in sachets (2015).
Towards sustainable growth with Conquest 2027!
2019 marked a new milestone: UPSA became a subsidiary of Taisho Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (Taisho), the largest pharmaceutical company specializing in self-medication in Japan and the eighth largest worldwide. The Japanese family-owned group embraces a long-term culture, continuing to invest heavily in modernizing, expanding, and greening the industrial facilities in Agen.
Under the leadership of the new management team, employees have committed to a sustainable growth plan, “Conquest UPSA 2027.” This strategy is based on strengthening UPSA’s flagship brands, expanding into new markets such as China, and innovating in the wellness sector: the launch of UPSA’s first range of dietary supplements in 2022, the introduction of the first UPSA x Nourished gummy range in 2023, the acquisition of Sérélys Pharma in 2024, and the launch of Hydrafizz in 2025, an effervescent tablet range designed to optimize hydration and well-being.
Today, UPSA is certified as a B Corp. We are the leading paracetamol production site in France. Over the past three years, we have recorded growth exceeding 30% and recruited more than 400 employees. UPSA is a major player in health sovereignty. We export to over 60 countries, a dynamic that fully validates our commitment to “Made in France”!
