Japan’s fast-track approval system for innovative drug candidates has marked its seventh year since launch, during which it has accepted 27 candidates with 13 of these moving to approval. But in recent years the system has faced a decreasing number of admitted candidates, this original infographic analysis shows.

Japan’s fast-track approval system for innovative drug candidates has marked its seventh year since launch, during which it has accepted 27 candidates with 13 of these moving to approval. But in recent years the system has faced a decreasing number of admitted candidates, this original infographic analysis shows.

Japan cautiously lifts decades-old bans on somatropin’s use in diabetic patients and interferon beta 1a/1b in pregnant patients, judging benefits can outweigh risks and following requests from doctors and pharma firms to consider patients.

The past few months have seen the European Medicines Agency award its much sought-after priority medicines designation to treatments for Hunter syndrome, bubble boy disease and narcolepsy.