Lisa Takagi
Managing Editor
Lisa provides editorial coverage of all aspects of Japan’s prescription drug market for Scrip and Pink Sheet, including company, market, pricing and regulatory developments, as well as publishing podcast content regularly in the local Japanese language.
Lisa brings close to a decade of experience working in either international teams or reporting, writing and editing, including in broadcast media through an internship as a TV reporter in Canada. Most recently, she covered the IT sector for ITmedia Enterprise in Japan. Lisa is bilingual in Japanese and English. She speaks basic French and Mandarin with keen interests in learning new languages. She holds an MA in Fine Art from Tokyo University of the Arts as well as a Master’s in Journalism from the University of King’s College in Halifax, Canada.
Latest From Lisa Takagi
Japan Eyes Cutting Reimbursement For COVID-19 Drugs
Japan will end full reimbursement coverage for COVID-19 therapeutic drugs from October, after downgrading the status of the virus to the same level as seasonal flu in early May. As authorities discuss the possible coverage reduction, a larger than usual price cut may also be applied to Shionogi's oral COVID antiviral Xocova.
Japan Readies One-Off Price Cuts For Big Sellers
Japanese regulatory authorities have announced a set of additional reimbursement price cuts for selected products in August, under which Novartis’s heart failure drug Entresto will see its price slashed by 15%. A batch of other newly approved drugs has also been priced.
Japan Finally Approves Mifepristone To Public Support
Japan has approved abortion drug mifepristone but will limit its use to clinics with authorized physicians, with strict nationwide monitoring of sales. The majority of more than 10,000 public comments around the approval were in support of the new option for women.
Japan Results Round-Up: Astellas, Daiichi Sankyo, Chugai Solid, Shionogi Hits New Heights
Amid positive ongoing forex impact, Astellas, Shionogi and Daiichi Sankyo logged solid fiscal years and Chugai has good growth in its first quarter, although some of the majors are expecting a decline in sales as demand due to COVID-19 wanes. Even so, Shionogi logged record results on the back on government procurement of its pandemic antiviral.
Asia Deal Watch: Aditum Bio Launches Vitalli To Develop Daewoong Immunology Candidate
In addition, deals involving Lupin/Medisol, Junshi/Dr. Reddy's, Zai Lab/MediLink, Kyowa Kirin/ADVANZ, Ipca/Unichem, Jiangsu Aidea/Kainos.
Reata, Kyowa Kirin End Bardoxolone CKD Development
Reata was expecting positive results from a Phase III study by Japanese licensee for diabetic kidney disease after a US rejection for Alport Syndrome last year, but the US company and Asia partner Kyowa Kirin have now decided to end development in CKD indications after a missed secondary endpoint seen as critical to approval in Japan.