Comparative Analysis Between the Top-Selling Drugs in the Japanese Pharmaceutical Market and Those in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany

Background: Japan is currently the second largest pharmaceutical market in the world, and Japanese pharmaceutical companies are actively seeking to identify assets in other countries. An affluent population provides ample opportunity for pharmaceutical companies to develop within Japan; however, given its weak macroeconomic foundation, Japan is currently seeking to cut costs through the use of more generic drugs and lower prices. Nevertheless, no detailed empirical analyses regarding how Japanese companies can expand their global presence while ensuring domestic sales, or what opportunities lie ahead for global companies planning to enter the Japanese market, have been conducted. To our knowledge, this is the first study to provide statistical evidence regarding characteristics of the Japanese market. Methods: The data set for this study was the most recent list of the 100 top-selling drugs globally and in Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. The data were obtained from the IMS Japan Pharmaceutical Market database. Results: More cardiovascular and less central nervous system (CNS) and oncology drugs were ranked among the top 100 best-selling drugs in the Japanese market; however, the promotion of CNS and oncology drug development was evident, and competition from generic drugs was shown to have eroded, especially in therapeutic areas with no assured benefits in the global market, such as with cardiovascular drugs. Conclusions: These results suggest that the Japanese market will rival overseas markets in the near future. Pharmaceutical companies should seriously consider operating within Japan, whose market is currently transitioning to a global market.