When the company was established in 1944, it sold human pharmaceuticals, laboratory and photographic chemicals and horticultural and veterinary products.

Some of its early products include Quinacrine (Anti-malarial) Gonazole (anti-biotic) Soneryl (sedative) Ephedrine, Sulphonamides; Nivaquine (anti – malarial ) and Rovamycine ( then a veterinary product)

Having climbed to pre-eminence on the back of well-known anti – malarial drugs and Sulphonamides, the company has since taken leadership positions in the biological (vaccines) oncology (cancer drugs) and the anti – infective markets and is achieving a steady growth in her share of the analgesics and anti-hypertensive markets In 1992 the company re-organized its business to concentrate on human pharmaceuticals and human vaccines.

In 2001 it diversified into consumer with the introduction of Lily Table Water and in 2006 joined the foods business with the construction of an ultra-modern pasta food-processing factory in Ota, Ogun State. The factory produces Mimee, Nigeria’s finest brand of noodles