COMMENTARY
    Fair or Unfair? PMP Return Applied for First Time in Off-Year Revision
    By Ken Yoshino March 24, 2025
    The Japanese government on March 7 announced new NHI prices for the FY2025 drug price revision, effective April 1. With a new category-based approach taken this time, the impact of the revision is expected to…

    LATEST

    Pfizer Rolls Out Hemophilia Therapy Hympavzi in Japan
    March 25, 2025
    Pfizer said on March 24 that its once-weekly hemophilia treatment Hympavzi (marstacimab) is now available in Japan following its reimbursement price listing.An anti-TFPI antibody, Hympavzi is a subcutaneous prophylactic treatment targeting both hemophilia A (factor…
    MHLW Panel Discusses Ways to Promote Clinical Trials
    March 24, 2025
    A panel of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) on March 19 discussed Japan’s future directions for propelling clinical trials, looking at building an internationally competitive structure to implement studies and streamlining related…
    PMDA Issues Guidance for Pediatric Drug Development
    March 24, 2025
    The Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) on March 21 issued a notification on its basic position around its initiatives to drive the development of pediatric drugs in Japan.In the notice, the PMDA stated that…

    COLUMN

    Build a Strong Employer Brand - What Can You Do If Your Company Stinks?
    By Philip Carrigan

    Your company’s employer brand is your reputation as an employer and is crucial in attracting top talent. Some reputations are just not good; they may or not be deserved. That is just the perception in the market. Years ago there…

    COMMENTARY

    Evolving GLP-1 Drugs: Could Double and Triple Agonists Achieve Blockbuster Status?
    By Shinya Sato

    The global race to develop so-called “double G” and “triple G” agonists is heating up to boost the efficacy of…

    Discussions on Next PMD Act Amendment

    Quality Assurance and Lag/Loss Fight to Form Pillars of PMD Act Amendment
    By Takashi Ebisawa

    A Japanese health ministry panel on December 26 wrapped up its discussions on the next amendment of the Pharmaceuticals and…

    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 Debate on Off-Year Drug Price Revisions

    Chuikyo OKs Outline of FY2025 Off-Year Drug Price Revision
    By Ken Yoshino

    Japan’s key reimbursement policy panel on December 25 approved an outline of the FY2025 drug price revision, finalizing plans to…

    TRENDS

    Top 10 PHARMA JAPAN Articles of 2024

    For the first time in many years, Japan appeared to have pivoted to a pro-innovation path with the FY2024 drug pricing reform. All eyes were apparently on this course change as seen in this year’s most-read story list, though the…

    MHLW Panel on Generic Industry Structure

    MHLW Panel Draws Up Plans for Generic Industry Shakeup in Final Report

    A Japanese health ministry panel discussing the generic industry structure on May 22 put together a report in which it…

    MHLW Panel on Pharmaceutical Regulations

    Japan Set to Push Central IRBs for Clinical Trials, Avoid Customary All-Case PMS

    A Japanese health ministry study group focused on pharmaceutical regulations on March 21 agreed on a policy to encourage the…

    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…

    MHLW Expert Panel on Comprehensive Policies

    Expert Panel Broadly OKs Draft Report on Pharma Policies, Further Deliberations by Other Forums
    By Yoshinori Sagehashi

    The Japanese health ministry’s expert panel tasked to discuss comprehensive policies for the rapid and stable supply of pharmaceuticals generally…

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