Realities and Challenges of Bridging
Research in Japan
Katsumi Fujitani, Takeshi Yamada, Koichi Makimura, Yoko Mano,
and Nobuhiko Furuya
Abstract In Japan, bridging research and practice, also referred to as “bench-tobedside research,” has not been actively conducted for many years. In recent years,
competition in the medical field has intensified, particularly in the pharmaceutical
field, as foreign companies have entered the Japanese market through M&A and
Japanese companies have promoted integration and reorganization. In the pharmaceutical industry, small- and medium-sized companies struggle to keep up with the
competition due to increased development costs and prolonged R&D periods. This
chapter introduces a successful case study of clinical bridge research, especially in
relation to product development in the Japanese pharmaceutical industry. We also
point out various problems such as frustration in filing patent applications, funding
challenges, and complicated clinical trial procedures. The purpose of this study is to
clarify the overall status of bridge research in Japan with respect to the issues raised.
Keywords Bridge study · Dermatophytosis · Patent · R&D · Commercialization
1 Introduction
1.1 Background
Translational research (TR), also known as bridge research, selects promising seeds
generated from basic research results at universities and other types of research
K. Fujitani (*) · Y. Mano · N. Furuya
Graduate School of Health Science, Bunkyo Gakuin University, Bunkyō, Japan
e-mail: kfujitani@bgu.ac.jp
T. Yamada
Institute of Medical Mycology, Teikyo University, Itabashi, Japan
K. Makimura
Institute of Medical Mycology, Teikyo University, Itabashi, Japan
School of Medicine, Teikyo University, Itabashi, Japan
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
H. Matsushita (ed.), Health Informatics, Translational Systems Sciences 24,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-3781-3_8
139
Research in Japan
Katsumi Fujitani, Takeshi Yamada, Koichi Makimura, Yoko Mano,
and Nobuhiko Furuya
Abstract In Japan, bridging research and practice, also referred to as “bench-tobedside research,” has not been actively conducted for many years. In recent years,
competition in the medical field has intensified, particularly in the pharmaceutical
field, as foreign companies have entered the Japanese market through M&A and
Japanese companies have promoted integration and reorganization. In the pharmaceutical industry, small- and medium-sized companies struggle to keep up with the
competition due to increased development costs and prolonged R&D periods. This
chapter introduces a successful case study of clinical bridge research, especially in
relation to product development in the Japanese pharmaceutical industry. We also
point out various problems such as frustration in filing patent applications, funding
challenges, and complicated clinical trial procedures. The purpose of this study is to
clarify the overall status of bridge research in Japan with respect to the issues raised.
Keywords Bridge study · Dermatophytosis · Patent · R&D · Commercialization
1 Introduction
1.1 Background
Translational research (TR), also known as bridge research, selects promising seeds
generated from basic research results at universities and other types of research
K. Fujitani (*) · Y. Mano · N. Furuya
Graduate School of Health Science, Bunkyo Gakuin University, Bunkyō, Japan
e-mail: kfujitani@bgu.ac.jp
T. Yamada
Institute of Medical Mycology, Teikyo University, Itabashi, Japan
K. Makimura
Institute of Medical Mycology, Teikyo University, Itabashi, Japan
School of Medicine, Teikyo University, Itabashi, Japan
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
H. Matsushita (ed.), Health Informatics, Translational Systems Sciences 24,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-3781-3_8
139