AI-Driven Drug Discovery

Fujitsu partnered with Tokai National Higher Education and Research System in 2025 to deploy AI for accelerating clinical research and tackling Japan's 'drug loss' problem — the growing gap between drugs available globally and those approved domestically. Japanese pharmaceutical companies including Takeda, Astellas, and Daiichi Sankyo are investing in AI-driven drug discovery platforms, while startups like PharmaX and Kotai Biotechnologies leverage machine learning for molecule screening and target identification.

The drug loss crisis is acute: approximately 86 drugs approved in the US or EU are unavailable in Japan, and the gap is widening. AI-driven approaches to accelerate clinical trial design, patient matching, and regulatory submissions address this directly. Japan's advantage lies in comprehensive health data (universal insurance system generates detailed longitudinal records) and strong pharmaceutical chemistry expertise.

Preferred Networks, Japan's leading AI company, has applied its deep learning expertise to drug discovery through partnerships with pharma companies. The convergence of AI capability and pharmaceutical domain knowledge positions Japan to accelerate its traditionally slow drug approval process while potentially creating exportable AI-pharma platforms.