The 146th Annual Meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan (Osaka)

Organizer: Ryo Okuyama (JAIST)

Since 2020, about 70% of new drugs approved by the U.S. FDA have been developed by small and mid-sized companies outside the global top 50 in pharmaceutical sales—many of them university-based startups. Japan, by contrast, has been slow in fostering drug discovery startups, leading to decline of international competitiveness, as seen in the biopharmaceutical sector and Japan's large-scale importation of COVID-19 vaccines. To establish and grow drug discovery startups, it is essential to build a robust "drug discovery ecosystem" through the organic collaboration of diverse stakeholders, including university researchers and institutions, entrepreneurs, investors, government agencies, and existing pharmaceutical companies. In recent years, the Japanese government has also recognized the importance of such an ecosystem and has begun implementing measures to revitalize it.
Against this backdrop, this symposium has been organized to explore the following two key questions:
1. How can Japan strengthen its drug discovery ecosystem?
2. What should an ecosystem tailored to Japan's unique needs and context look like?
Experts from academia, industry, government, and investors will share innovative initiatives and successful cases that contribute to enhancing Japan's drug discovery capabilities. Through a panel discussion, we aim to engage in a multifaceted and practical discussion to envision the future of Japan's drug discovery ecosystem together.