Douglas Pharmaceuticals
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA New Zealand pharmaceutical manufacturer and developer of prescription, specialty generic, dermatology, oncology, central-nervous-system and consumer health products.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Douglas Pharmaceuticals Ltd is a privately owned New Zealand pharmaceutical company founded in 1967 by West Auckland chemist Graeme Douglas. It began with the manufacture and distribution of medicines for the New Zealand market, evolving from a local pharmacy-based operation into a vertically integrated business involved in pharmaceutical manufacturing, product development, export, and contract development and manufacturing. The company's origins lay in Kofsin, a cough syrup created by Graeme Douglas while he was operating a chemist shop in Te Atatū, West Auckland. As demand increased, Douglas arranged outside manufacturing support and began importing niche medicines, repackaging them through his pharmacy business, and distributing them to other pharmacists. He later sold the chemist shop to concentrate on the pharmaceutical company. By the late 1980s, Douglas Pharmaceuticals had a portfolio of more than 40 products and had become a substantial New Zealand medicines business. The company expanded its manufacturing and international capabilities during the 1990s and 2000s. A manufacturing facility opened in Nadi, Fiji, in 2005, producing tablets, capsules and powders for export markets. Douglas also broadened its portfolio beyond conventional prescription medicines. Its activities came to include consumer health and nutraceutical products such as the Clinicians range and the Phloe bowel-health brand, while its pharmaceutical operations developed and supplied specialist products for international markets. Leadership passed to the founder's family during the 2010s. Jeff Douglas assumed day-to-day operational responsibility in 2012 and became managing director in 2014 when Graeme Douglas formally stepped down. Graeme Douglas died in 2016. At that time, the company employed more than 450 people and distributed products to 35 countries. Under Jeff Douglas's leadership, the company increased international sales of its softgel isotretinoin product, including in the United States and Europe. The group also established Tasman Therapeutics as a subsidiary and spin-out focused on novel drug development, including R-107, an investigational ketamine-based treatment for treatment-resistant depression. Douglas Pharmaceuticals has continued to invest in New Zealand-based research, development and manufacturing. In 2022 it opened the Douglas Innovation building at its Henderson headquarters. The facility was designed to support pilot-scale development, commercial manufacturing and specialist containment requirements, including dedicated cytotoxic-waste systems. The same year, the company opened the Sir Graeme Douglas Memorial Garden at the head office in recognition of its founder. By 2024, the business was reported to employ more than 650 people, manufacture approximately 40 products and supply more than 50 countries. Its principal therapeutic areas included oncology, dermatology, central nervous system medicines, immunity and immunosuppression. Douglas CDMO was launched in 2024 to provide development and manufacturing services for specialty generic medicines intended for markets including the United States and European Union. A corporate restructuring reported for late 2025 separated the core pharmaceutical and novel-drug-development activities from the consumer and nutraceutical operations. The latter business was spun off as Healthcare by Douglas. The two entities remained family-owned and co-located in Henderson, while the direct workforce of Douglas Pharmaceuticals fell to slightly under 500 employees. In 2026, Sean Westbrook became chief executive officer and Jeff Douglas moved into an executive director role. The company therefore combines a family-owned heritage with an increasingly international pharmaceutical manufacturing, development and export model.
History
Douglas Pharmaceuticals was founded in 1967 by Graeme Douglas, a chemist working in Te Atatū in West Auckland. The initial business grew from Kofsin, a cough syrup developed by Douglas, and from the distribution of imported niche medicines. As demand increased, the company used external manufacturing chemists to maintain supply, packaged products through Douglas's chemist shop, and supplied other pharmacies. During the early 1970s, Douglas sold the chemist shop, which had grown to more than two million dollars in revenue, and devoted himself to the pharmaceutical business. The company expanded its product range and manufacturing relationships over the following decades. By the late 1980s, it sold more than 40 products and generated approximately 25 million dollars in revenue. That revenue grew to more than 70 million dollars over the next decade, reflecting the company's transition from a small pharmacy-linked operation into a significant New Zealand pharmaceutical enterprise. International manufacturing became more important in the 2000s. In 2005 Douglas Pharmaceuticals opened a facility in Nadi, Fiji, producing tablets, capsules and powders for international export. The business also diversified into consumer health and nutritional products, including the Clinicians nutraceutical line and Phloe products for bowel health. Alongside these activities, Douglas continued developing prescription and specialist medicines for export. The company underwent a family leadership transition in the 2010s. Jeff Douglas, Graeme Douglas's eldest son, took over day-to-day operations in 2012 and became managing director in 2014 when the founder formally stepped down. Graeme Douglas died on 1 September 2016. At that point Douglas Pharmaceuticals employed more than 450 people and distributed products in 35 countries. Under Jeff Douglas, the company expanded exports of its softgel isotretinoin product to the United States and Europe. The group also developed a novel-drug-development capability through Tasman Therapeutics, a subsidiary and spin-out established to investigate R-107, a ketamine-related treatment candidate for treatment-resistant depression. This gave the broader group an interest in drug innovation alongside its established manufacturing and generic-pharmaceutical activities. Douglas Pharmaceuticals continued investing in its Henderson base. In July 2022, the Sir Graeme Douglas Memorial Garden was opened at the head office. In September of the same year, the company opened Douglas Innovation, a 4,500-square-metre research and development and manufacturing facility. The building included pilot-scale product-development suites, commercial manufacturing rooms and dedicated cytotoxic-waste containment infrastructure. By 2024, the company was reported to have more than 650 employees, approximately 40 manufactured products and distribution in over 50 countries. Its therapeutic focus included oncology, dermatology, central nervous system conditions, immunity and immunosuppression. Douglas CDMO was introduced in early 2024 as a contract development and manufacturing organisation serving specialty generic medicines for international registration and supply. In late 2025, the company restructured its operations. The core pharmaceutical and novel-drug-development business was separated from consumer and nutraceutical activities, which were placed in a new entity called Healthcare by Douglas. Both businesses remained family-owned and based in Henderson, although Douglas Pharmaceuticals' direct workforce declined to just under 500 employees. In 2026, Sean Westbrook became chief executive officer and Jeff Douglas became executive director, marking another stage in the company's transition from founder-led management to a broader executive structure.
- 2026
Executive leadership changes
Sean Westbrook becomes chief executive officer and Jeff Douglas becomes executive director.
- 2025
Consumer and nutraceutical division is separated
Consumer and nutraceutical operations are spun off into Healthcare by Douglas.
- 2024
Douglas CDMO launches
The company adds contract development and manufacturing services focused on specialty generic medicines.
- 2022
Douglas Innovation facility opens
[1]The company opens a major Henderson research, development and manufacturing facility.
- 2016
Death of founder Graeme Douglas
[1]Sir Graeme Douglas dies on 1 September, leaving a company with more than 450 employees and distribution in 35 countries.
- 2014
Jeff Douglas becomes managing director
[1]Jeff Douglas is appointed managing director after Graeme Douglas steps down from the role.
- 2012
Jeff Douglas assumes day-to-day leadership
[1]Graeme Douglas's eldest son takes operational responsibility for the company.
- 2005
Fiji manufacturing facility opens
[1]Douglas Pharmaceuticals opens a Nadi facility for tablets, capsules and powders intended for international export.
- 1980
Business reaches a broad product base
[1]By the late 1980s, the company is reported to sell more than 40 products.
- 1970
Founder sells chemist shop to focus on pharmaceuticals
[1]Graeme Douglas sells his pharmacy business and concentrates on expanding Douglas Pharmaceuticals.
Products and positioning
A New Zealand-owned pharmaceutical company positioned around specialist medicine development, high-value local manufacturing, international export, and selected consumer-health and nutraceutical products.
Cough medicine · 1967
Kofsin
A cough syrup created by founder Graeme Douglas while he was working as a chemist in West Auckland. Kofsin helped establish the company's original manufacturing and distribution business and is associated with Douglas Pharmaceuticals' transition from a local chemist shop operation into a dedicated pharmaceutical company.
Dermatology medicine
Softgel isotretinoin
A flagship specialist pharmaceutical product associated with Douglas Pharmaceuticals' international expansion. The company increased exports of its softgel isotretinoin product to markets in the United States and Europe under Jeff Douglas's leadership.
Nutraceuticals and consumer health
Clinicians
A consumer-health and nutraceutical range developed as Douglas Pharmaceuticals broadened beyond prescription medicines. The brand formed part of the company's consumer and nutritional-products activities before those operations were separated into Healthcare by Douglas.
Bowel health
Phloe
A consumer health product range focused on bowel health. Phloe was part of Douglas Pharmaceuticals' expansion into consumer products and nutraceuticals and was subsequently associated with the consumer division separated as Healthcare by Douglas.
Investigational central nervous system medicine
R-107
A ketamine-related investigational drug-development program advanced through Tasman Therapeutics, a Douglas Pharmaceuticals subsidiary and spin-out. The program has been directed toward treatment-resistant depression.
Contract development and manufacturing · 2024
Douglas CDMO
A contract development and manufacturing organisation launched to support the development, registration and manufacture of specialty generic medicines for international markets, including the United States and European Union.
Brand decisions
2025
Separation of consumer and pharmaceutical operationsStrategyBackground
The company restructured its portfolio to distinguish core pharmaceutical and novel-drug-development activities from consumer and nutraceutical products.
Action taken
Consumer and nutraceutical operations were spun off into Healthcare by Douglas.
Aftermath
Douglas Pharmaceuticals retained its core pharmaceutical focus, while both entities remained family-owned and co-located in Henderson.
2024
Launch of Douglas CDMOStrategyBackground
International pharmaceutical companies require development, registration and manufacturing support for specialty generic medicines.
Action taken
Douglas Pharmaceuticals launched Douglas CDMO for international specialty-generic programs.
Aftermath
The business expanded its offering from proprietary and generic products into dedicated contract development and manufacturing services.
2022
Investment in Douglas InnovationStrategyBackground
Douglas Pharmaceuticals needed expanded research, pilot-scale development and commercial manufacturing capabilities.
Action taken
The company opened the Douglas Innovation building at its Henderson headquarters.
Aftermath
The facility increased the company's capacity for product development, manufacturing and specialist containment work.
2005
Establishing manufacturing in FijiStrategyBackground
The company sought additional manufacturing capacity and a platform for international export.
Action taken
Douglas Pharmaceuticals opened a Nadi facility producing tablets, capsules and powders.
Aftermath
The facility became part of the company's international manufacturing and export footprint.
Sources1 sources
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