Examples of efforts by member companies

Drug-resistant bacteria are increasing worldwide in the context of inappropriate use of antimicrobial drugs, while the development of new antimicrobial drugs is on a downward trend, which is a major issue for the international community. On this page, we introduce the "promotion of antimicrobial stewardship program" and "development of antimicrobial drugs" that member companies are working on.

Efforts to promote proper use of antibacterial agents

Shionogi

Shionogi established the Office for Proper Use of Infectious Disease Medicine in Japan in 2010, and subsequently established the Promotion Office in its subsidiaries in Taiwan, China, and Singapore. In 2018, the Office for Stewardship to Proper Use of Medicine of the CSR Department took over the role and is engaged in various enlightenment activities.
It is indispensable to disseminate and educate correct knowledge about infectious diseases including AMR and infection prevention/control. In 2019, in order to protect children from the threat of infectious diseases, we worked with NGOs to teach how to wash hands and the importance of prevention to elementary school children. We are also expanding awareness to the general public through the "Children's Infectious Diseases Navigation (Web)".
We work on measures against infectious diseases at situations where people gather (mass gathering) such as big international events that are attracting attention these days. We also hold public awareness seminars in industry-government-academia collaboration, and widely enlighten people through "Mass Gathering Infectious Disease Navigation (Web)".
In addition, we co-sponsor the radio NIKKEI "Infectious Diseases TODAY", in which we bring a program that provides easy-to-understand explanations of the latest infectious disease topics and educational contents for healthcare professionals every week. You can also browse and listen to the past programs on the Web.

KYORIN Pharmaceutical

The Kyorin Group aim to construct an infection-related business model across the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infectious diseases. We will establish a marketing structure crosscutting the Group and contribute to medical workers by promotion of the appropriate use of antimicrobial agents corresponding to international AMR issues.

Efforts to develop antimicrobial agents

FUJIFILM Toyama Chemical

With the threat of antimicrobial resistance growing as a global health concern, it is an important to develop new antibiotics capable of combating drug resistance. FUJIFILM Toyama Chemical has engaged in the development of "T-4288"(solithromycin).The drug is a new fluoro-ketolide antibacterial agent shows powerful antimicrobial activity against streptococcus pneumoniae and mycoplasma pneumoniae resistant to macrolide agents. In 2013, FUJIFILM Toyama Chemical obtained, from Cempra, Inc. (Tetard, Inc.), the exclusive right to develop, manufacture and market T-4288 in Japan, and has since been conducting clinical studies domestically. FUJIFILM Toyama Chemical has applied for its manufacturing and marketing approval as a treatment drug for otorhinolaryngological infections in April 2019. Development activities targeting patients with respiratory infectious diseases are ongoing.

Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma

Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma started a joint drug discovery research for infections caused by bacteria with antimicrobial resistance (AMR) with a drug discovery group led by Dr. Satoshi Omura, Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Kitasato University with a duration of 10 years from October 2017. This joint R&D initiative has been selected by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) for its Cyclic Innovation for Clinical Empowerment (CiCLE) grant program.
Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma aims to contribute to global health by accelerating drug discovery research in the field of infectious diseases through joint discovery research with academia and others.

Shionogi

We address "Save the world from the threat of infectious diseases" as one of the important issues to be tackled to create new value for customers and society. We are working to create new drugs against infectious diseases for which no cure has yet been established. Many of the bacterial species that should be dealt with the highest priority are those who are resistant to carbapenem antimicrobial agents. The world is seeking drugs that can treat them. Cefiderocol is a candidate developed by Shionogi for the treatment of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections. It is expected to be a valuable drug that can overcome the three types of carbapenem-resistant bacteria that WHO identifies as urgent and important. It was approved in the United States in November 2019 and was approved in Europe in April 2020. Shionogi will continue to do its utmost to address AMR issues around the world.

KYORIN Pharmaceutical

KYORIN Pharmaceutical is currently carrying out collaborative research with the Microbial Chemistry Research Foundation’s Institute of Microbial Chemistry (IMC) to discover antimicrobial agents against multidrug-resistant bacteria and will continue discovery research with IMC in the future.

Meiji Seika Pharma

Due to a recent rise in microbes resistant to conventional antibiotics, the international community has been confronted with a major concern on how to counteract antimicrobial resistance (AMR). We have been researching and developing antibiotics for many years, and we are committed to finding a solution to counteract AMR.
We dedicate more resources to R&D on β-lactamase (bacterial enzyme that breaks down antibiotics such as penicillin and induces drug resistance) in response to the growing needs of medical institutions for drugs counteracting resistant bacteria. We have successfully discovered ‘nacubactam’ (development code : OP0595), which, in combination with β-lactam antibiotics, restores or extends their ability to treat bacterial infections caused by beta-lactamase producing antibiotic-resistant strains.
The Phase I clinical trials have been completed in the United States. the same time, Meiji's β-lactamase inhibitor OP0595 project, entitled "Development of a novel β-lactamase inhibitor, OP0595, as a single drug utilizing a new rapid genetic diagnosis and non-clinical PK/PD theory" has been adopted by Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) grant for ´Cyclic Innovation for Clinical Empowerment (CiCLE)´. The Phase I clinical trials are conducted in Japan.
We expect that this new candidate will combat AMR, and we shall continue to carry out our social responsibilities through revolutionary drug discovery.

Meiji Holdings Co., Ltd. website as of October 2020

Daiichi Sankyo

In 2019, Daiichi Sankyo signed an agreement to participate in the AMR Screening Consortium led by the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP). Daiichi Sankyo is the third Japanese company to participate in the Consortium, which aims to acquire novel compounds with antibacterial activity by using the chemical libraries of the respective companies.
In 2019, we transferred 110,000 strains of clinical isolates in Japan to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, free of charge. The isolates were pooled in a drug-susceptibility study of levofloxacin, a synthetic antibiotic created by Daiichi Sankyo. These isolates are expected to be used widely for research at the Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center of National Institute of Infectious Diseases.

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