Shionogi unveiled its latest pipeline update, including a focus on long-standing key areas such as HIV and COVID-19 and a new obesity candidate, at its recent R&D Day, amid struggles to line up new products for launch over the next few years. The Japanese firm also seems set to seek further in-licencing collaborations.

A new national project to support bioventures and the venture capital funds investing in them has started in Japan. The strategic aim of the JPY50bn initiative is to enhance the speed of development and trials of new drugs and vaccines for infectious diseases, the lack of which became obvious since the breakout of COVID-19. 

Shionogi announces plans to file for rapid Japan approval of S-217622, its once-daily oral therapeutic drug for COVID-19, while interim Phase III results show good efficacy for S-268019, its recombinant protein vaccine for SARS-CoV-2. Both are expected to be the first Japan-made solutions for the disease and could make a significant impact in the market.

Despite having multiple world-class pharma companies and innovative research, Japan is notably absent as a source of candidate vaccines for the coronavirus. The pandemic is again throwing into sharp relief past and present challenges around the country's vaccines sector.