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We want to bring smiles to the world with new drugs. Recommendation, New Drugs Campaign We want to bring smiles to the world with new drugs. Recommendation, New Drugs Campaign

  • Links to information on pharmaceuticals
  • Past Campaign Pages
  • Contribution of New Drugs Contribution of New Drugs
  • Initiatives for Unmet Medical Needs Initiatives for Unmet Medical Needs
  • Together with Patients (Clinical Trials) Together with Patients (Clinical Trials)
  • Three Major Infectious Diseases and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Three Major Infectious Diseases and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)
  • Challenges in Advanced Fields Challenges in Advanced Fields
  • Role in the Creation of New Drugs at Home and Abroad Role in the Creation of New Drugs at Home and Abroad
  • Cooperation among industry, academia, and government Cooperation among industry, academia, and government
  • Investment in R&D Investment in R&D
  • JPMA Supporting Ambassadors! Introduction of
    Links to information on pharmaceuticals Past Campaign Pages
We want to bring smiles to the world with new drugs. Recommendation, New Drugs Campaign We want to bring smiles to the world with new drugs. Recommendation, New Drugs Campaign

Investment in R&D Investment in R&D

Everything we do is for the health of patients. Everything we do is for the health of patients.

It is said that it takes an average of 9 to 17 years for a new drug to reach patients through numerous stages, including the discovery of a new substance that will serve as the basis for the drug, basic research, non-clinical testing, clinical testing, and review. And to support such long years of research and development, large amounts of R&D funds are required.
Japan's commitment to the creation of new drugs is also reflected in its R&D ratio. While the ratio of R&D to sales in the Japanese manufacturing industry is 4.15%, the ratio in the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry is 11.70%, and the average for the 10 largest pharmaceutical companies is 18.40%.

Why invest such large amounts of money in R&D? It is because they believe that a single new drug can bring smiles to the faces of countless patients.

Pharmaceutical R&D Expenditures as a Percentage of Net Sales / 2013
Pharmaceutical R&D Expenditures as a Percentage of Net Sales / 2013 Pharmaceutical R&D Expenditures as a Percentage of Net Sales / 2013
Source: Compiled from "DATA BOOK 2015" by Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association
In 2013, we need to spend about 140 billion yen on R&D In 2013, we need to spend about 140 billion yen on R&D
Source: Compiled from "DATA BOOK 2015" by Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association

It takes many years to complete drug discovery. It takes many years to complete drug discovery.

Drug Discovery To create a drug, a variety of tests are conducted to evaluate its efficacy and safety. Drug Discovery To create a drug, a variety of tests are conducted to evaluate its efficacy and safety.
1 Basic research 2-3 years Discovery and creation of new substances that will serve as motifs for drugs Development of drugs begins with research to discover or chemically create new substances (ingredients) that have the potential to become drugs in the future.
Research on the efficacy and safety of new substances.
3 Clinical trials (clinical trials) 3-7 years Efficacy and safety testing in humans Clinical trials (clinical trials) are the final confirmation that a drug candidate that has passed non-clinical trials is safe and actually useful for humans.
Phase 1 Phase 1: Safety, including side effects, is tested in a relatively small number of healthy individuals.
Phase 2 Phase 2: To confirm effective and safe dosage and administration methods in a small number of patients.
Phase 3 Phase 3: A large number of patients will be enrolled in the study to compare the efficacy and safety of the drug with existing drugs.
Clinical trials are divided into three phases and are conducted at hospitals and other medical institutions with the consent of healthy people and patients.
4 Application for approval and review 1 to 2 years Application for approval to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and review by experts After efficacy and safety are confirmed in clinical trials, an application for approval is submitted to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for review, and if the application is approved, the drug can be manufactured as
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  • Contribution of New Drugs
  • Initiatives for Unmet Medical Needs
  • Together with Patients (Clinical Trials)
  • Three Major Infectious Diseases and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)
  • Challenges in Advanced Fields
  • Role in the Creation of New Drugs at Home and Abroad
  • Cooperation among industry, academia, and government
  • Investment in R&D
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