BUSINESS
    AstraZeneca Lifts Japan Approval Target to 50-Plus by 2030 as Pipeline Advances
    April 13, 2026
    Quick Look:AstraZeneca has raised its Japan approval target to more than 50 by 2030, up from a previous goal of 40, with seven filings under review and late-stage assets advancing.Japan sales in 2025 remained virtually…

    LATEST

    SSP Looks to Broaden Switch OTC Portfolio under New President
    April 13, 2026
    SSP is looking to expand its portfolio of switch OTC medicines — nonprescription drugs converted from prescription status — in Japan by leveraging the global capabilities of parent Opella, newly appointed president Yoko Motoshima said…
    Otsuka Targets Around 2030 US Launch for Transcend’s PTSD Candidate
    April 13, 2026
    Otsuka Pharmaceutical is aiming to launch its newly acquired post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) drug candidate TSND-201 in the US around 2030, with peak sales expected to exceed 100 billion yen, a senior executive said.Speaking at…
    Middle East War Hitting API Air Freight, Trade Group Warns
    April 13, 2026
    Tensions in the Middle East are impacting air shipments of APIs, with rising freight costs and longer delivery times now emerging, a trade group told a ruling party lawmakers’ league on April 10.The Japan Pharmaceutical…

    Chuikyo Debate on FY2026 Drug Pricing Reform

    Chuikyo OKs New CEA Handling, with Third-Party Verification Ahead

    Japan’s cost-effectiveness assessment (CEA) panel has approved a revised handling policy for the CEA system for FY2026, with the health…

    COLUMN

    The Patient North Star: How Gilead Japan Redefined Innovation
    By Philip Carrigan

    In the complex landscape of the Japanese pharmaceutical market, the “status quo” is often the safest harbor. But for leaders like Kennet Brysting, former president of Gilead Japan, the status quo is the most dangerous place to stay.Innovation in Japan…

    COMMENTARY

    Challenges in a Post-AG Era: Ensuring a Reliable Supply System
    By Tatsuya Otsuka

    Japan’s FY2026 drug pricing reform is set to usher in a new phase for the generics market, effectively bringing an…

    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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