The start of the fiscal second half in Japan in October brought a flurry of executive changes and reorganizations at foreign and domestic firms in the country including Allergan, Sandoz and Takeda.

Two recently released inspection results by western pharmaceutical regulatory authorities have put GlaxoSmithKline PLC and Pfizer Inc. in the spotlight after both multinationals ran into manufacturing problems in China.

China is facing a serious shortage of recombinant hepatitis B vaccines because three major domestic manufacturers – Dalian-based Hissen, Shenzhen-based Bio Kangtai and Tiantan Biological Products of Beijing– officially halted production of their products on 1 January.

Orchid Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals' recent exit from its 50:50 manufacturing joint venture in China does not imply that it is moving out of the Chinese market, the Indian company has affirmed. Orchid's plans are seen rather as part of the firm's strategy to consolidate manufacturing operations in India.