Japan Writing in the September 2025 edition of DIA’s Global Forum magazine, Seiko Usami, Shinichi Noda, Daisuke Koga, and Naoyuki Yasuda of the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA), Japan’s regulatory body, outline the benefits for global pharma of including Japan in their drug development activities.   Japan is one of…

Japan Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) concluded FY 2024‑25 (April 2024–March 2025) with a total of 148 approval decisions, including no less than 66 new active ingredients and 82 lifecycle updates, including new indications, pediatric expansions, and formulation changes. Innovation Snapshot A steady stream of orphan and rare‑disease designations—including sparsentan for primary…

Japan Japan was once a global leader in life sciences innovation, introducing about a third of the world’s new drugs in the 1980s, but this positioning slipped following decades of economic stagnation compounded by a conservative regulatory regime. However recent regulatory reforms have brought a more positive outlook and sparked a…

Japan Santen is on a mission to reshape the future of eye health. With three major product launches ahead, bold biotech deals, and a revamped global strategy, the Japanese pharma is doubling down on its ophthalmology dominance. Fresh off a transformational reorganization and a landmark myopia approval, Santen is proving that…

Japan Japan’s amended Cannabis Control Law now permits the development and medical use of cannabis-derived drugs, particularly CBD-based treatments, while simultaneously criminalizing self-use of smokable cannabis products. Writing in the February 2024 edition of DIA’s Global Forum magazine, Toshi Tominaga of Keio University explains why, despite aligning with evolving international regulations,…

Japan After 12 years at the helm, Takeda CEO Christophe Weber is stepping down, leaving behind a transformed company. Under his leadership, Japan’s biggest drugmaker expanded globally with the $62 billion acquisition of Shire, made waves with its dengue vaccine QDENGA, navigated the loss of exclusivity on its ADHD blockbuster, and…

Global In an era of rapid scientific breakthroughs, global regulators are navigating new challenges—accelerating approvals, harmonising standards, and integrating digital tools—while balancing safety, efficacy, and access. Throughout 2024, PharmaBoardroom spoke with regulators worldwide to uncover the key regulatory trends shaping the future of healthcare in 2025 and beyond.   The Road…

Japan A summary of some of the biggest stories coming out of Japan’s pharma industry, including Teva’s divestment of joint venture Teva-Takeda; GE HealthCare’s takeover of Nihon Medi-Physics; Takeda’s blood cancer anemia drug licensing deal with Keros, and Astellas’ new cell therapy research site in Japan.   Pharma firm Teva to…

Japan At this year’s FT Live Global Pharma and Biotech Summit, Takeda’s President and CEO Christophe Weber spoke about the increased challenges for healthcare systems. Weber acknowledged that as cost pressures increase, innovators like Takeda will need to make difficult choices to optimize their investments. He also identified the Japanese pharma’s…

Japan A roundup of the most important stories coming out of Japan’s pharma industry, including the sharp increase in deaths linked to Kobayashi supplements; the partnership between Moderna and Mitsubishi Tanabe to jointly promote Moderna’s mRNA respiratory vaccine portfolio; the country’s move to to support domestic antibiotics production; Takeda’s licenscing agreement…

Japan Writing in DIA’s Global Forum magazine for June 2024, Mamoru Narukawa of Kitasato University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences takes a look at some of the positive trends impacting Japan’s drug pricing system.   Drug expenditure as a percentage of healthcare costs in Japan has been stable at approximately 22% in…

Japan Some of the biggest stories coming out of Japanese pharma, including Takeda’s USD 2.2 billion Alzheimer’s deal with AC Immune and its plans to restructure; the continuing probe into deaths linked to a Kobayashi Pharmaceutical supplement; Kyowa Kirin’s acquisition of Orchard Therapeutics, and Shionogi’s buy up of Maze Therapeutics’ Pompe…