 In 1987 a European patent for prulifloxacin was issued to the Japanese-based pharmaceutical company, Nippon Shinyaku Co., Ltd (Nippon).Ten years after the issuance of the European patent, marketing approval was applied for and granted in Japan (March 1997).Subsequent to being approved by the Japanese authorities in 1997 prulifloxacin was co-marketed and jointly developed in Japan with Meiji Seika as licensee (Sword).