Japanese Pharmaceutical Market in the FY 2022 to Reach a Record High of 10.97 Trillion Yen

According to the news article “2022年度の国内医薬品市場、過去最高の10.97兆円…前年度比2.6%増、コロナ薬・診断薬伸びる | AnswersNews (ten-navi.com)” released by AnswersNews on June 1st, 2023, IQVIA announced that the pharmaceutical market in Japan reached a record high in the fiscal year 2022, with a 2.6% increase from the previous year, totaling 10 trillion and 969 billion yen (approximately 80 billion USD at the current exchange rate). The demand for therapeutics and diagnostics for the treatment of COVID-19 contributed to this growth. Ono Pharmaceutical’s immune checkpoint inhibitor drug, “Opdivo,” remained at the top for the second consecutive year in product sales. All three market segments, including hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies, experienced growth. Among therapeutic categories, “anti-tumor agents” generated the highest revenue. The COVID-19 pandemic also led to a significant increase in demand for diagnostic test reagents, propelling them to the top 10 therapeutic categories. From January to March 2023, the market recorded a 1.3% increase, reaching 2 trillion and 591 million yen (approximately 20 billion USD), while diagnostic test reagents experienced a substantial decrease. In terms of product sales, “Opdivo” maintained its top position, followed by “Keytruda” and “Eliquis.” Among the pharmaceutical companies, Chugai Pharmaceutical retained its leading position, followed by Takeda Pharmaceutical and AstraZeneca.