Managing Director Ishida speaks at online event for students
May 14, 2025
Secretariat
On May 14, 2025, Yoshiyuki Ishida, Managing Director of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ), spoke at the online event "Pharma/CRO Internship & Career Discovery Fair" hosted by Mynavi Corporation on the theme "The Future of the Pharmaceutical Industry: How Do Industry Organizations See It? ～", and gave a lecture on the theme "The Future of the Pharmaceutical Industry: How Do Industry Organizations See It? More than 1,200 students from all over Japan attended the live event, demonstrating the high level of interest in the pharmaceutical industry.
In his speech, he discussed the challenges surrounding new drug development and changes in the industry as follows
- Development hurdles: New drugs take many years and cost a fortune
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Diversification of technologies and methods: New approaches to diseases that have been difficult to treat are now possible
- Expansion of research areas: The range of targets and methods is pushing the scope of research
- Wave of technological innovation: Advances in AI and biotechnology are driving change in all areas of the entire industry
Regarding the ever-changing drug discovery environment, he pointed out that as medical sophistication and drug discovery research continue to merge, the importance of the "drug discovery ecosystem," in which diverse players such as pharmaceutical companies, universities, research institutions, start-ups, and IT companies work together to create new treatments, is becoming even more important. In addition, he noted that while the global market is expanding, growth in Japan has been slowing down in recent years, and that structural issues such as drug lag and drug loss must be solved urgently.
During the Q&A session, there was a flurry of practical questions about the progress of AI implementation, international evaluation of Japanese pharmaceutical products, and required skills, with over 70 questions and 300 chat comments received throughout the lecture.
This lecture was part of the efforts based on the " Pharmaceutical Cooperative Industry Vision 2035 " issued by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan. Managing Director Ishida spoke about the appeal of working in the pharmaceutical industry, which he described as being able to directly contribute to lives and livelihoods, and being involved in everything from research to manufacturing and providing products to society. The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ) will continue to promote understanding and interest in the pharmaceutical industry among young people and many others.
(Chie Honda, Public Relations Manager)