ORGANIZATION
    JPMA Chief Seeks Concrete Reforms to Reward Innovation after Honebuto
    By Ken Yoshino July 31, 2026
    Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA) President Asuka Miyabashira on July 30 welcomed the government’s new honebuto policy as an important step toward strengthening incentives for pharmaceutical innovation but stressed that the next challenge will be…

    LATEST

    Takeda CEO Says Orzeyful Could Redefine NT1 Standard of Care
    July 31, 2026
    Takeda Pharmaceutical’s first-in-class orexin agonist Orzeyful (oveporexton) will “redefine the standard of care” in narcolepsy type 1 (NT1), CEO Julie Kim said on July 30, a week after the company announced the drug’s world-first approval…
    Pfizer Seeks Pediatric Expansion for Hympavzi in Japan
    July 31, 2026
    Pfizer said on July 30 that it has filed for a label expansion for its congenital hemophilia therapy Hympavzi (marstacimab) to include children aged six to under 12 years. The company also filed for the…
    Nippon Shinyaku Exercises Option for AB2 Bio’s Tadekinig Alfa in US
    July 31, 2026
    Nippon Shinyaku said on July 30 that it has exercised its option to acquire the exclusive US commercialization rights to tadekinig alfa, a recombinant human IL-18 binding protein being developed by Switzerland’s AB2 Bio for…

    Chuikyo Debate on FY2026 Drug Pricing Reform

    Romiplate to See Steepest Cut in April Market Expansion Re-Pricing

    Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) on March 5 unveiled the revised NHI prices for drugs subject to…

    COLUMN

    Why Your Brain Wants You to Stay (Even When You Want to Go)
    By Philip Carrigan

    A few weeks ago, I had coffee with a very talented executive. Let’s call him Kenji. He has a great job, a big salary, and a solid team. But he was unhappy. He felt bored and wanted a new challenge.…

    COMMENTARY

    Rare Cancer Case Raises New Questions about AAV Gene Therapy Safety
    By Shinya Sato

    Adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapies have long been viewed as carrying only a minimal risk of insertional mutagenesis — a…

    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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