Japan's Takeda on the hunt for new drugs to support growth

Singapore

AFFORDABILITY of drugs is the single biggest challenge for not just governments looking to keep a lid on healthcare costs, but also for drug makers hunting for growth and pressured to find new treatments to cope with the rapid rise in patients' need for medicines.

The Asia-Pacific region alone bears 25 per cent of the global disease burden, and the problem is amplified by a fast-ageing population and rise in lifestyle-induced diseases in places including Korea and Taiwan, says Gordon Cameron, area vice-president, Asia-Pacific, at Takeda Pharmaceuticals.