AMR Fellowship in Japan Final Report

Current Status and Challenges of the Japanese Antimicrobial Drug Discovery Ecosystem

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a phenomenon in which microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses, become resistant to antimicrobial agents, thereby reducing the efficacy of existing therapies. The spread of resistance increases the risk of severe infectious diseases and death; consequently, AMR is considered a serious public health threat worldwide. The O’Neill report, published in 2016, predicts 10 million deaths per annum due to AMR by 2050. Hence, preventive measures are a pressing global challenge.

This report describes AMR measures and the environment surrounding antimicrobial drugs in Japan and discusses the challenges of the antimicrobial drug discovery ecosystem. The Japanese antimicrobial drug discovery ecosystem has multi-layered challenges, including a weak R&D infrastructure, the absence of start-ups, inadequate market formation, and fragmented policy. To solve these problems and build effective systems, integration of the following strategic efforts is required.

Authors: Nobuaki Matsunaga and Michiko Iizuka

Publisher: LEAD: Leadership in Enhancing Antimicrobial Discovery

Citation: Matsunaga, N. and Iizuka, M. (2025) ‘Current Status and Challenges of the Japanese Antimicrobial Drug Discovery Ecosystem’, AMR Fellowship in Japan Final Report, LEAD: Leadership in Enhancing Antimicrobial Discovery, DOI: 10.19088/LEAD.2025.003

DOI: https://doi.org/10.19088/LEAD.2025.003Link opens in a new window