Reese Pharmaceuticals celebrates century of OTC sales

Drug Store News,  Jan 15, 2007  by Jim Frederick

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CLEVELAND -- This month marks the 100th anniversary of Reese Pharmaceutical Co., one of the country's oldest OTC pharmaceutical manufacturers/repackers.

This family-run business was founded in January 1907 and has been operated by three generations of the Reese family ever since. The company is particularly recognized for its OTC products, particularly Reese's Pinworm Treatment, which is available across the country as both an oral suspension and a solid dose caplet.

Other products include the Dough-Boy Prophylactic Kits, which were carried by soldiers during both world wars; Reese's Blu-Tabs, a cold and hay fever medication; and Red Roosters (also known as Red Hearts), a heart-shaped iron and zinc pill.

Another big success was launched when George Reese Jr. took over the company from his father, George Reese, Sr. He directed the introduction of Just-One-Per-Day, the first extended-release weight control product that contained PPA and caffeine. Other popular products include Re-Azo, a urinary tract analgesic and Licide, a lice control product.

Reese has seen sales growth of 300 percent since 2002. This is largely due to the successful launch of several new immediate release proprietary Guaifenesin-based products that have been a hit in independent pharmacies, drug chains and grocery stores.

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