Japan's doctors want new drugs developed

The development of new drugs for Alzheimer's, cerebrovascular dementia and depression are specifically wanted by Japanese physicians, according to the results of a survey conducted by So-net M3, a provider of medicine information for physicians via the Internet, and Social Survey Research Information, a market research firm also based in based in Tokyo. The research was conducted among 11,000 physicians nationwide from the end of September through the middle of October 2008.

By treatment category, 19% and 50% of internal medicine and diabetic expert practitioners, respectively, want the development of new diabetes drugs. 65%, 61% and 59% have patients with diabetes, hypertension and constipation, respectively. 94%, 91% and 87% of internal medicine physicians have patients with diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia. In surgery, 78%, 77% and 71% for gastric cancer and colorectal cancer and constipation, respectively.

Japanese firms Astellas Pharma and Daiichi Sankyo and global behemoth Pfizer hold the top three positions in terms of coverage for physicians by medical representatives in all therapeutic areas. However, in the diabetes sector, Novo Nordisk Pharma of Denmark, Takeda Pharmaceutical and Daiichi Sankyo rank as the top three.