BUSINESS
    Sanofi Bets on Immunotherapy to Delay Onset of Type 1 Diabetes
    By Hayate Horiguchi December 19, 2025
    Sanofi is reshaping its diabetes strategy in Japan, shifting from its traditional focus on insulin for type 2 diabetes toward immunotherapy aimed at delaying the onset of type 1 disease, according to Keiko Tone, local…

    LATEST

    Japan’s 1st Eylea Biosimilar to Reach Market on January 7
    December 19, 2025
    Japan’s first biosimilar version of Bayer Yakuhin’s Eylea (aflibercept) will hit the market in early 2026, setting the stage for a direct showdown with Bayer’s biologic authorized generic (bio-AG), which recently joined the NHI price…
    OTC-Like Drugs Left in Limbo as Panel Debates Cost-Sharing without Clear Policy Signal
    December 19, 2025
    Japan’s health ministry stopped short of presenting a clear policy direction on “OTC-like” prescription drugs at a Social Security Council meeting on December 18, instead flagging the issue as “pending” in a discussion summary, with…
    Padcev-Keytruda Pair Makes Mark in Cisplatin-Eligible MIBC: Astellas
    December 19, 2025
    Astellas Pharma said on December 17 that Padcev (enfortumab vedotin) plus Keytruda (pembrolizumab) has now delivered a survival win in cisplatin-eligible muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), after a PIII perioperative trial showed the regimen significantly improved…

    Chuikyo Debate on FY2026 Drug Pricing Reform

    Chuikyo Backs Draft FY2026 Pricing Reform Outline, Rejects Key Industry Requests
    By Takashi Ebisawa

    The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) on December 12 presented a draft outline of the FY2026 drug pricing…

    COMMENTARY

    FY2026 Reform Debate for Drug Pricing Nears the Finish Line, Balance Needed
    By Takashi Ebisawa

    Japan has presented its latest draft policy direction for its FY2026 drug pricing reform. While the package includes a string…

    COLUMN

    AI in HR: Navigating the Ethical Minefield
    By Philip Carrigan

    Let’s be real: even with the best intentions, AI systems can reflect our own unconscious biases. As Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky famously demonstrated in their groundbreaking work on Prospect Theory, humans are prone to cognitive biases that influence our…

    Drug Approval & Reimbursement in 2025

    Chuikyo OKs Listing of Novartis’ Pluvicto, Peak Sales Outlook at 42.1 Billion Yen

    Japan’s Central Social Insurance Medical Council (Chuikyo) on November 5 approved the reimbursement listing for a slate of new medicines,…

    Chuikyo Debate on Off-Year Drug Price Revisions

    MHLW Unveils New List Prices for FY2025 Revision; Stelara, Januvia Hit by PMP Return
    By Ken Yoshino

    The Japanese government on March 7 announced new NHI prices to be applied in the FY2025 drug price revision, revealing…

    Discussions on Next PMD Act Amendment

    Japan Cabinet Approves Bill to Amend PMD Act

    The Japanese government approved a bill to amend the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices (PMD) Act at its Cabinet meeting on…

    Drug Approval & Reimbursement in 2024

    Japan Approves Zepbound, Qalsody, and Lots More Drugs

    Japan’s health ministry doled out regulatory approvals for a throng of new medicines on December 27 including Eli Lilly’s obesity…

    Chuikyo on FY2024 Reimbursement Reform

    Chuikyo OKs Outline of FY2024 Drug Pricing Reform; No Unprofitability Re-Pricing for 7%-Plus Price Gap

    Japan’s all-important reimbursement policy panel on December 20 approved an outline of drug pricing reforms for FY2024, which enshrines a…

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