Topics JPMA holds a press conference Lessons learned from the spread of novel coronavirus infection and preparation for drug resistance (AMR)
The event to establish the "Drug Resistance (AMR) Action Fund," a groundbreaking partnership aimed at providing patients with two to four new antibiotics by 2030, was held on July 10, 2020 at Hotel Metropolitan Edmont (Tokyo, Japan) in the form of a press conference hosted by the JPMA Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) on July 10, 2020, in the form of a press conference hosted by the Pharmaceutical Association of Japan.
The venue
Established by more than 20 global biopharmaceutical companies, the Drug Resistance (AMR) Action Fund has raised nearly US$1 billion to support research and development of innovative new antibiotics to address the most resistant bacteria and life-threatening infections. The fund has been endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Investment Bank (EIB), and the Wellcome Trust Foundation, with five Japanese companies participating: Eisai, Shionogi, Daiichi Sankyo, Takeda, and Chugai.
At this press conference, in addition to the background and purpose of the establishment of the AMR Action Fund, leading figures from industry, academia, and government provided information on the many lessons we are learning from the global spread of COVID-19 and the need to prepare now for new infectious disease outbreaks that may occur in the future. The presentations were made by leading experts from industry, academia, and government.
The event to establish the AMR Action Fund was led by the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) in cooperation with national and regional industry associations and will be held simultaneously in Washington D.C., USA and Berlin, Germany on July 9, 2020. The event was streamed live worldwide via the Internet. The press conference in Japan was also live-streamed to a large audience as well as to the media who attended the press conference. For more information on these events and the Fund, please visit The details of these events and the Fund are reported on the Fund's website The press conference was attended by a large audience as well as members of the media who came to the press conference.
This press conference, moderated by Junichi Shiraishi, Chairman of the JPMA, opened with video messages from Thomas Cueni, Secretary General of the IFPMA, and Ken Kasai, Regional Director for the Western Pacific Region at the WHO. This was followed by a keynote address by Dame Sally Davies, Professor at Trinity College, London (via video),followed by a keynote address by Dr. Takao Omagari, Director of the AMR Clinical Reference Center at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine.In the next session, Mr. Isao Teshirogi, Vice Chairman of IFPMA and President of Shionogi & Co., Ltd., explained the rationale behind the establishment of the “Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Action Fund.” In addition to Shionogi, representatives from Eisai, Daiichi Sankyo,Takeda Pharmaceutical, and Chugai Pharmaceutical—delivered speeches. Next, drawing on the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, Yasuhiro Suzuki, Director-General of Medical Affairs at the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (who retired on August 7), explained the need for infectious disease control measures andmeasures against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) (via video). Finally, Mr. Joji Nakayama, Chairman of the JPMA, explained the initiatives necessary for the discovery of drugs to treat infectious diseases and summarized the press conference.
The Q&A session that followed provided a valuable opportunity for the many people who attended and watched the press conference to deepen their knowledge of drug-resistant infections and their understanding of the newly established "Action Fund for Drug Resistance (AMR). The conference was a valuable opportunity for participants and viewers to learn more about drug-resistant infections and the newly established AMR Action Fund.
1. opening remarks
Thomas Cueni, IFPMA Director General, stated in a video message that AMR is a predictable and preventable crisis compared to novel coronavirus infections. We need to work together to rebuild the antimicrobial pipeline and ensure that the most promising and innovative antimicrobials created in the laboratory reach patients," he said. The AMR Action Fund will be one of the largest and most ambitious efforts to date by the pharmaceutical industry to address a global public health threat.
A video message from Thomas Cueni, Director General of IFPMA
Ken Kasai, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific Region, also said in a video message that AMR is one of the most urgent public health challenges. He added, "We have long been concerned about the lack of investment in research and development of new antibiotics. Today is a turning point. We hope that the AMR Action Fund will help us move toward a better and safer future.
Video message by Dr. Ken Kasai, Director General of WHO Western Pacific Region
Keynote Speech
In his video message, Dame Sally Davies, Professor of Trinity College, UK, stated the need for global action with leadership and governance. She said, "We need a global response with leadership and governance on a global scale. We also need a country-by-country response, and we need to put various plans into action. We also need a response at the local level, where everyone must wash their hands and use antimicrobials appropriately. It also requires all of us to work together to combat AMR. It is an effort at the individual level, it is an effort at the government level, and it is an effort at the industry level. In this context, I am very much looking forward to this initiative by the pharmaceutical industry to establish a new fund and invest in the development of new antimicrobial agents," he said.
Professor Dame Sally Davies, Trinity College, UK
Dame Sally Davies
Takao Omagari, Director of the AMR Clinical Reference Center at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine, noted that more than 8,000 people die each year in Japan from resistant bacterial infections. He added, "Inappropriate use of antimicrobial agents in patients with novel coronavirus infection is also a concern. Infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria are a threat. However, resistant strains have already been identified. Unlike novel coronavirus infections, the mechanism of resistance is clear and can be addressed in advance," he noted. I strongly hope that the AMR Action Fund will break this barrier and lead to new antimicrobial agents.
Director, AMR Clinical Reference Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine
Director, AMR Clinical Reference Center
Mr. Takao Omagari
Comments from pharmaceutical companies
Mr. Isao Teshirogi, Vice Chairman of the FPMA and President of Shionogi & Co., Ltd., spoke about the background behind the establishment of the “Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Action Fund” and provided an overview of the fund.He pointed out that although the problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria not only threatens human lives but also causes immense harm to society, the development of effective new antibiotics to combat it has stalled. He cited the enormous costs of development and the small market size for new antibiotics as reasons for this.He stated, “We have established the ‘Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Action Fund’ as a framework for the pharmaceutical industry to address these issues.By strengthening and accelerating the research and development of new antimicrobial drugs—and by providing not only investment but also the industry’s resources, expertise, and technology—we will be able to bring them to market as quickly as possible. We will also urge the government to formulate incentive programs for the research and development of new antimicrobial drugs and work to build an ecosystem that ensures their sustainable development,” he added.
Representatives from the other four Japanese investors, including Yasushi Okada, COO of Eisai, Sunao Manabe, President and CEO of Daiichi Sankyo, Takako Oyabu, Chief Global Corporate Affairs Officer of Takeda, and Keishi Kono, Senior Vice President of Chugai, also participated in the press conference and discussed their companies' positions on the fund. They discussed the positioning of the Fund within their respective companies.
IFPMA Vice President,
Mr. Isao Teshirogi, President of Shionogi & Co., Ltd.
Representative Executive Officer, COO, Eisai Co.
Mr. Yasushi Okada
President and CEO, Daiichi Sankyo
Mr. Sunao Sunao Manabe
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited
Chief Global Corporate Affairs Officer
Chief Global Corporate Affairs Officer
Takako Oyabu
Senior Vice President, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co.
Mr. Keishi Kono
Consideration of AMR based on the experience of COVID-19 infection spread
Mr. Yasuhiro Suzuki, Medical Superintendent of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, explained the history of the pandemic, the number of COVID-19 patients, and the current status of drugs under development in Japan in a video message, highlighting the numerical targets of the AMR Action Plan set by the government and the progress made, as well as the measures to promote R&D of new antimicrobial agents. He also mentioned the need for push and pull type incentives to promote research and development of new antimicrobial agents.
Director, Medical Service Technical Bureau, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
(at the time of the lecture)
Mr. Yasuhiro Suzuki
Joji Nakayama, Chairman of the JPMA, stated that the industry, government, and academia are pooling their resources and working vigorously on the research and development of treatments and vaccines for COVID-19. He added that collaboration among industry, academia, and government—as well as international cooperation—is also necessary to address antimicrobial resistance, and that cooperation from national governments is essential to continue developing necessary pharmaceuticals.The chairman concluded the press conference by stating, “We will call on the government to establish a system whereby the government or public agencies provide compensation to relevant companies upon approval for manufacturing and marketing, as well as a system whereby the government assumes responsibility for purchasing a certain amount of inventory.”
Joji Nakayama, Chairman of the JPMA
5. questions and answers
Question and answer session
Q1 You mentioned that public understanding is crucial for AMR countermeasures, but I believe prescribing physicians and pharmaceutical companies themselves must also take action regarding appropriate use. As the chairman of the JPMA, what are your thoughts on this?
The issue of AMR is of the utmost importance. This fiscal year, the JPMA has identified AMR as one of the key challenges in promoting the appropriate use of pharmaceuticals and is undertaking various initiatives. We intend to carry out a wide range of outreach activities, such as preparing standardized materials that medical representatives (MRs) can use to provide information on appropriate use, as well as creating posters that pharmacists can utilize.Furthermore, we believe it is important to communicate this message through the media, so we would like to enlist the support of the media. (Joji Nakayama, Chairman, JPMA)
Q2 It seems that the main raw materials for antibacterial drugs come from China.
I fundamentally view this as a separate issue. Regarding the “Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Action Fund,” there is a clear intention for the fund to manage and guarantee access for all, and I understand that efforts will proceed with the utmost care, taking supply chain issues into account. (Chairman Nakayama)
I believe the issue of the raw materials supply chain is separate from the AMR Fund; rather, it is a national challenge—encompassing other antibiotics as well—regarding how to ensure a stable supply. (Mr. Isao Teshirogi, IFPMA Vice Chairman, Shionogi & Co., Ltd.)
Q3 You mentioned that the issue of the new coronavirus and drug-resistant bacteria was discussed with researchers in North America. Please tell us if there have been any cases of drug-resistant infections in the treatment of new coronavirus infections in Japan and overseas. Also, you mentioned that there is a problem of drug-resistant bacteria in catheters and ventilators in long-term treatment.
The issue of novel coronaviruses and AMR is beginning to be discussed in English-language editorials, and interest is growing. I have heard directly from Western doctors that although patients with novel coronavirus infection have been quarantined, measures against resistant bacteria have been omitted, resulting in the phenomenon of resistant bacteria being passed from one patient to another. This is a blind spot that needs to be seriously considered. Regarding drug-resistant bacteria in catheters and ventilators, in some cases, patients with coronas use ventilators, which are tubes that are passed down their throats, making them more prone to pneumonia. This is one of the reasons. There is also an increased risk of bloodstream infections via intravenous drips. Also, in countries with relatively more resources, blood may be removed from the body as extracorporeal circulation to compensate for lack of oxygen due to kidney problems or the use of extracorporeal membrane artificial lungs (ECMO), but the risk of infection is increased or the immune system is compromised by removing blood from the body, and this is I suspect that this may be the cause. (Dr. Takao Omagari, National Center for Global Health and Medicine)
Q4 Please tell us about the management system and schedule of the "Action Fund for Drug Resistant Bacteria (AMR).
This Action Fund will be operational by the first quarter of 2020 and will invest in projects conducting research on critical infectious diseases. (Chairman Nakayama)
Structurally, once the Action Fund is established, a decision-making framework—including a Scientific Advisory Board—will be put in place, and ultimately, investment targets will be determined while taking into account the opinions of the board members. (Mr. Teshirogi)
Q5 You mentioned that five Japanese companies are participating in the AMR Action Fund. Also, you mentioned that two to four drugs will be developed, but what do you think about the fair distribution of new drugs on a global basis?
At present, 23 companies are participating, but this number may increase in the future. Even if a drug is developed as an outcome, it is meaningless if the company does not survive, and the concept of pull-type incentives was mentioned as a mechanism to avoid this. It is important to always consider AMR measures and distribution as a set. (Mr. Teshirogi)
Q6 Will this fund end in 10 years, or what is the time frame?
At this point, 10 years is one scope, but we will think about it on an on-going basis. Since it is a fund, we will repay investors in some form, but the return, if any, will be only a few percent. It is not a donation, but it is a fund that puts an element of social contribution at the forefront. (Mr. Teshirogi)
Q7 Do the companies intend to use this fund to develop antimicrobial agents?
We would like to do our best to create interesting compounds that can be adopted by the AMR Action Fund. (Mr. Teshirogi)
We have been developing quinolone drugs, but our focus has shifted to oncology at this point. We will share our know-how if necessary, but we do not intend to be directly involved in the development of products. (Mr. Sunao Manabe, Daiichi Sankyo)
We are not currently developing or marketing antimicrobial agents, and have no plans to do so in the future. (Keishi Kono, Chugai Pharmaceutical)
There is no plan to directly develop antibacterial agents at this time. (Mr. Yasushi Okada, Eisai)
We are participating in this project as a donation from the standpoint of social responsibility. (Takayabu Takako, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited)
( Yasunori Tawaraki, Director, International Affairs Dept.)