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Abstract

Vol.66 No.3 May 2018

The current status and the future prospects in development of new drugs for antimicrobial resistant infections from the global view point

Hiromichi Shirasawa

Japan Development, MSD K.K., 1-13-12 Kudan-kita, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan

Abstract

Therapeutic products active against infections due to antimicrobial resistant pathogens is an important public property for public health in which we can fulfil our obligation to society only after close collaboration among academia, government, and the pharmaceutical industry. Globally, there has been a long-term conflict with the related stakeholders, resulting in stagnation in new drug development that led most pharmaceutical companies to exit from the field of research and development (R&D) for antimicrobial agents.
However, with an increase in social demand and urgent need for action to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR), government-led stronger measures and policies regarding R&D, review for marketing approval, market exclusivity, and drug price have recently been implemented in the United States and Europe in order to encourage R&D. As a result, new drug development and marketing approvals for antimicrobial agents are gradually emerging again. However, in Japan, although issues on antimicrobial resistant pathogens have been reported sporadically, fortunately the issues have not been recognized as major threats for a long time due to consolidated infection control and being an island country separated geographically from others.
As the flow of people from and to Japan became more active, news reports on pandemic infection became more common, and with immunocompromised hosts at medical institutions are growing in number, Japan has now reached a critical point that it must be sufficiently prepared for fighting AMR. Under such circumstances, Japan that once played a role as the global leader in the development of antibacterial agents, has established the "National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)" in April 2016, as a national strategy. The time is ripe to strongly enhance government-industry-academia cooperation to fight against AMR.
As a member of a Japanese organization involved in global drug development for a research and development oriented pharmaceutical company, I consider the opportunity of this high momentum should not be missed to steadily promote new drug development against AMR. This paper describes the current status and the future prospects in development of new drugs for antimicrobial resistant infections.

Key word

antimicrobial agent, new drug development, drug resistant bacterium

Received

November 29, 2017

Accepted

December 7, 2017

Jpn. J. Chemother. 66 (3): 351-358, 2018