Perspective on the drug discovery and market landscape in Japan: can it compete in the worldwide arena?

Abstract

The global pharmaceutical industry is described as facing an ‘innovation crisis’ following the ‘go-go-pharma’ era; in other words, the problem is one of ‘more money and fewer products’. Nevertheless, patients worldwide are awaiting innovative drugs. Therefore, the pharmaceutical industry has a duty to discover and develop novel drugs and medical technologies. Through universal coverage and reform of the patent system, the Japanese pharmaceutical industry has expanded greatly in line with the Japanese economy. However, in terms of scale and R&D investment, the Japanese pharmaceutical firms have lagged behind the foreign multinationals, which have undergone successive mergers and acquisitions. Meanwhile, it is true that several Japanese firms are playing an active role in overseas markets with their own blockbusters. This paper analyses and gives an overview of new trends in Japan’s pharmaceutical industry within the global context.