Hiroaki Ueno: Leading Japan’s Pharma Revolution with Innovation and Global Strategy

As the global pharmaceutical industry undergoes rapid changes, Hiroaki Ueno, President of the Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA), recently shared insights in an exclusive interview with GeneOnline. He discussed the current landscape, challenges, and future directions for Japan’s drug development industry. Ueno outlined the shifts in Japan’s pharmaceutical environment, the application of new technologies, and how Japan is strengthening its drug research and development capabilities in the face of global competition.

The Evolving Drug Development Landscape and Challenges

According to Ueno, Japan’s pharmaceutical industry has faced significant challenges due to rapidly changing conditions over the past few decades. Initially focused on small molecule drugs for the domestic market, Japan’s drug development has gradually shifted toward a more diversified approach. This shift is driven by the need to meet global unmet medical needs. Ueno highlighted the rise of genomics, proteomics, and other innovative technologies in drug development. These changes are pushing Japan’s pharmaceutical companies to embrace transformation and adapt to globalization. Moreover, Japan’s industry is now undergoing a digital transformation, incorporating remote clinical trials and real-world data applications to optimize drug development processes. 

However, Ueno acknowledged that Japan’s pharmaceutical market has grown at a slower pace compared to the global average. Data shows that from 2000 to 2022, Japan’s drug market grew from $58 billion to $75 billion. While this indicates some growth, Japan’s market still lags behind global markets. This trend presents challenges for domestic pharmaceutical companies, prompting the industry to adjust strategies to solidify its position in the global market. 

The Rise of Multimodal Therapies and the Focus on Precision Medicine

Ueno emphasized that modern medical needs are becoming increasingly complex. Medical attention is shifting from lifestyle diseases and infections to refractory cancers, rare diseases, and genetic conditions. To address these challenges, Japan’s drug development model is also evolving. In addition to traditional small molecule drugs, modern medicine now emphasizes functionalized small molecules, targeted drug delivery systems (TPD-DDS), antibody-drug conjugates (ADC-multispecific), and nucleic acid-based therapies like DNA/RNA drugs. These technological advances make personalized and precision medicine more feasible, allowing the healthcare system to provide tailored treatments for individual patients.

In the realm of technological development, Ueno pointed to the success of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines as a prime example of collaborative innovation. The breakthrough in mRNA technology can be traced back to 1990 when naked mRNA was first injected into mice. Over the years, lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) were developed, with the foundational model being established in 2010. By 2020, this technology began making significant contributions to the global healthcare landscape. This development underscores the value of long-term investment and technological integration, laying a crucial foundation for future drug development. 

Showcasing a strength in Japan’s biotechnology industry, regenerative medicine has emerged as another crucial breakthrough. Not only does it hold significant potential for medical applications, but it also addresses global medical challenges. “The future direction of regenerative medicine will extend beyond Japan’s domestic market, forging stronger connections with the global biotechnology industry and fostering broader opportunities for international collaboration,” Ueno emphasized. This vision signals Japan’s commitment to expanding its role in global health innovation, supporting efforts to meet complex medical needs worldwide.

Strategies and Vision to Strengthen Japan’s Drug Development Ecosystem

To remain competitive in the global market, Japan’s pharmaceutical industry is implementing various strategies to invigorate its drug development ecosystem. Ueno stressed three key factors for success, saying, “We need to focus on human resources, technology seeds, and capital to drive our industry forward.” In this regard, Japan is currently facing challenges such as limited workforce mobility, constrained educational development, fragmented capital, and a lack of venture investment. He emphasized the need to strengthen the educational system and improve talent mobility to meet industry demands. Additionally, increasing government subsidies and public research funding will further enhance the competitiveness of Japan’s pharmaceutical sector.

Ueno also highlighted Japan’s efforts to promote inter-industry collaboration, particularly between academia and pharmaceutical companies. The Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) funds multiple initiatives to share drug trial data and compound information. AMED has also established incubation facilities to support innovation. These measures are helping Japan extend its focus beyond the domestic market and look toward international collaboration. Gradually, Japan is moving closer to achieving its goal of global outreach.

On the policy front, the new cabinet is focused on promoting alignment and connectivity within the pharmaceutical industry, particularly in drug pricing mechanisms. Ueno emphasized that Japan’s drug discovery ecosystem needs a virtual ecosystem that aggregates resources across the country. By sharing information, this ecosystem will connect bio-clusters nationwide and actively engage in the global market. Ueno highlighted the importance of collaboration, stating, “Biopharmaceutical technology, especially in terms of production technology, is already quite advanced, thus laying a good foundation for cooperation.”

“Innovation First”: A Gradual Transformation with Global Ambitions

Facing a rapidly changing global pharmaceutical market, Japan’s pharmaceutical industry is gradually transforming, proactively addressing new challenges. With support from technological innovation, resource integration, and international collaboration, Ueno is optimistic that Japan will remain a leader in global drug development. Through the “Innovation First” approach, Japan’s drug development ecosystem not only addresses domestic needs but also aims to provide safer and more effective innovative therapies for patients worldwide.
Ueno Hiroaki expressed a strong interest in expanding collaboration globally, especially across diverse fields within the pharmaceutical industry. “We are very much looking forward to increased cooperation in the future,” he emphasized, “particularly with partners from various countries, to achieve a win-win situation through technology sharing and resource integration.” His vision reflects a commitment to building partnerships that drive innovation and strengthen the global healthcare landscape.

Author

Bernice Lottering