Chugai Pharmaceutical, with its R&D bases and global development functions in Japan, has strived to conduct clinical studies based on medical grounds and obtain early PoC by having medical doctors participate in drug discovery projects from their initial stages. Three medical doctors who leverage their abundant experience as clinical physicians to contribute to the creation of drugs talk about those things that only Chugai Pharmaceutical can achieve and the future that it envisions.

(Interviewees: Omoto, Kobayashi, Iwasa)

*Reproduced from Chugai Pharmaceutical’s official Talentbook page (https://www.talent-book.jp/chugai-pharm) Article details and employee positions are current as of October 2024.

Leveraging insights gained on the medical frontlines for better drug discovery. Development of innovative drugs aided by clinical experience

Kobayashi works in the Translational Research Division, Iwasa in the Clinical Development Division, and Omoto in the Medical Affairs Division. As medical doctors (MD), they each leverage their own clinical experience and medical knowledge to contribute to the optimization of the drug discovery process from both scientific and real-world medical perspectives.

 

Kobayashi: As an executive science director, I am involved in many of Chugai’s drug discovery and product projects in the early clinical development stages, except for oncology. I also work on forming key drug development strategies, such as target product profiles (TPP) and clinical development plans (CDP). My main role is to identify indicated diseases and target patients for drugs before their approval and to consider the design of clinical trials and measures to enhance their value.
While my specialization is neurology, my strength is my clinical experience, which allows me to quickly catch up even in unknown fields, by applying my knowledge of diseases based on various conditions, including immune and vascular disorders. I believe that the value of having MDs on staff is represented by our capabilities in swiftly identifying the diseases and patients’ needs, understanding the treatment challenges from multifaceted perspectives, sharing them with the rest of the team, and accelerating discussions.
I also see as another key role of MDs the proposal of optimal drug usage and new clinical trial design, based on hypotheses grounded in physiological and pathological insights, while also taking the design of precedent clinical trials into account.

 

Iwasa: I have been involved in oncology clinical development and have participated in new drug development projects as a development team member. I also engage in the formulation of development strategies, strengthening of team members’ scientific capabilities, and in-licensing evaluation of third parties’ products, as well as presenting opinions at clinical development strategy meetings and providing cross-departmental consultation.
I believe that MDs’ strength lies in their insights gained from real-world clinical experience. Our great advantage is that, as MDs, we are well aware of drug effects, the appearance of adverse drug reactions, and the connection between numerical figures and clinical characteristics, including the gap between test value abnormalities and the actual condition of patients.
My role is to answer medical-related questions as a kind of bridge between the clinical development team and medical institutions. I also believe that it is the MD’s responsibility to reflect actual clinical experience and medical perspectives into the formulation of drug development strategy.

 

Omoto: As a medical manager, I work in the formulation and implementation of medical plans, which are strategies to contribute to patients’ health by maximizing product value through research and scientific communication, targeting pre-market late-stage developed products and post-market products. I also work as a coordinator for Roche’s Product Development Medical Affairs (PDMA) division and Life Cycle Team (LCT).
In addition, in my MD capacity, I give advice from medical perspectives to other departments and projects. In the formulation of action plans based on the analysis of the patient journey, leveraging my experience in actual clinical settings, I aim to help build more effective medical strategies by identifying the appropriateness of priority order and latent clinical needs that are often overlooked.

Armed with clinical experience, leaping into the forefront of drug discovery in pursuit of an ideal career path

The three MDs have a wealth of clinical experience in their respective fields. Their aspiration to pursue a career at a pharmaceutical company, particularly Chugai Pharmaceutical, is based on their strong respective intentions.

 

Kobayashi: I joined Chugai after more than 10 years of clinical experience and research work at graduate school and study abroad. I decided to enter the pharmaceutical industry because I wanted an environment where I could make comprehensive use of the knowledge and experience that I had gained to date. With experience in basic and clinical research, and abundant clinical experience, I was looking for a place where I could use all of that experience, so my current position at Chugai Pharmaceutical was ideal.

 

Iwasa: After working as a resident at a hospital that specialized in cancer care, I worked in anti-cancer drug therapies, primarily in the field of gastroenterology, for about 16 years.
In the course of participating in diagnosis and clinical trials in the field of gastrointestinal cancers and phase I solid tumor trials, I became more interested in new drug development. In clinical settings, drugs are used according to protocols. I wanted to gain a deeper understanding of the development strategies of pharmaceutical companies, which was why I started to think about changing jobs to a pharmaceutical company.
Of the numerous pharmaceutical companies, I chose Chugai Pharmaceutical because I was attracted by the abundance of products developed in the gastroenterology field, which is my area of specialization.

 

Omoto: Before joining the company, I was engaged in clinical work and research as a physician for about 10 years. At the beginning, I envisioned that my career would be solely devoted to clinical practice. I found immense reward in being able to contribute directly to patients in medical care and surgery on the ground in clinical settings.
However, as the opportunities to work on research increased, I realized that I could help more patients through research, so I started to think about going to graduate school or changing jobs to a pharmaceutical company.
I chose Chugai Pharmaceutical in particular because, at the time, it was just about to venture into the area of practice that I was working in. I was attracted by the opportunity to explore new fields together with them and decided to join the company.

 

Our three interviewees were assigned to their respective current departments after joining the company. Thanks to the meticulous support of the people around them, they have adapted to their new workplace without being bewildered by the differences in the environment compared with the clinical frontlines.

 

Omoto: Chugai’s employees are all so supportive. There were few MDs in my department, and I had little knowledge about internal operations, but they taught me with great care. I am deeply appreciative of how warmly they welcomed me to the team.

 

Kobayashi: At that time, my department had almost no MDs. However, the people around me are very professional and kind, and I have never faced a situation that I had trouble dealing with. Also, whenever I asked questions or expressed my own thoughts, they never reacted negatively; on the contrary, we were able to have constructive discussions.
When I worked as a clinical physician, I had all the discretion and responsibility, but I feel comfortable in my current environment, in which I work in a team.

 

Iwasa: There were no MDs in the department I was assigned to either. However, my superior worked with me to consider what kind of roles I should perform as an MD and gave me opportunities to attend various meetings. My superior was also very considerate, such as encouraging me to speak up from medical perspectives, and thanks to that, I was able to fit into the workplace right away.
There were times when I struggled with the specialized terminology peculiar to the pharmaceutical industry, but a senior colleague who had worked at the company as an MD for many years gave me advice through regular one-on-one meetings, which was a tremendous help.

 

All three say that their workstyle has changed drastically since they changed jobs and that their work-life balance has improved.

 

Kobayashi: I basically work from home, coming into head office two or three times a month. I go on business trips in Japan and overseas for about one or two months a year, but the flexible working arrangements have great appeal, as they allow me to work flexibly at my own pace.
This workstyle makes it easier to work and has also had a positive impact on my health. It is not uncommon for doctors to be required to deal with unexpected situations. I appreciate being able to plan ahead of time.

 

Omoto: I occasionally go on domestic and overseas business trips, but I usually come into the office about once a week. As I have small children, having flexible work arrangements has been incredibly helpful. In particular, compared with when I worked in a hospital, I am now better able to control my work myself, which is a great advantage.

 

Iwasa: When I worked as a clinical physician, I often had to work on public holidays, and there were many situations where I was required to make quick decisions, so it was often difficult to switch on and off. Since changing jobs, I am now able to have a more balanced lifestyle, which has brought significant changes in my daily life.

Exploring new horizons in drug discovery with clinical knowledge. A firm sense of accomplishment gained as an MD

Our three interviewees have made their presence felt by making use of their clinical experience. They all say that they are delighted to be able to contribute to the team as members of the organization.

 

Iwasa: I feel that I have fulfilled my duty when I have been able to respond appropriately when I am consulted by other departments about development strategy and adverse drug reactions. Since joining the company, while I have absorbed new knowledge, I have also gained a sense of self-realization as an MD by giving feedback on my knowledge of clinical settings.

 

Kobayashi: In a project that I participated in shortly after joining the company, I was able to propose a disease whose disease concept had been established relatively recently, and clinical development incorporating that disease is now under way. This was an experience where my broad knowledge of diseases as a neurologist stood me in good stead. I have a strong sense that the specialist perspectives of MDs and the comprehensive approach of pharmaceutical companies complement each other.

 

Omoto: Not only when I contribute to the projects I am in charge of, but also when I respond to consultations from other departments, like Mr. Iwasa, I have a strong sense of my raison d'être as an MD.

Also, compared with my days as a clinical physician, I have been working more in teams. I have experienced both the challenges and the excitement of teamwork, and when we achieve notable results, the sense of accomplishment is particularly rewarding.

 

It is only at Chugai Pharmaceutical, which has R&D bases and global development functions in Japan, that MDs can participate from the initial stages of drug discovery projects. All three have had experiences that are unique to Chugai Pharmaceutical.

 

Iwasa: Based on its philosophy of patient-centricity, Chugai Pharmaceutical strongly emphasizes "Together with patients" and promotes full cooperation with patients and various stakeholders.

My sense is that the way in which Chugai Pharmaceutical actively engages in activities that incorporate feedback from the medical frontlines and patients is one of its strengths. By participating in these activities, I have been able to apply my experience of being close to patients that I gained in medical institutions.

 

Kobayashi: One characteristic of Chugai Pharmaceutical, which has development bases in Japan, is that it gives us opportunities to have direct conversations and consider drug development strategies with top researchers in Japan and overseas, which I find very fulfilling.

 

Omoto: It is a huge attraction to be able to work on a scale that might not have been possible if I had continued to work as a clinical physician. I find it rewarding to be able to have the kinds of experiences that are only possible for MDs at Chugai Pharmaceutical. They include launching new research projects and seeking to reach a consensus about future directions with prominent people in academic societies whom I would not have been able to even meet before.

 

They also say that the stimulating environment that the alliance with Roche provides is the driving force behind the development of innovative and effective drugs.

 

Omoto: I have opportunities to attend meetings in English on a regular basis and to travel to (Roche’s) head office in Switzerland for business. These are the kind of interesting experiences that are not available to clinical physicians. I find it very appealing to be able to engage in drug development from a global perspective.

 

Kobayashi: In considering the expansion of new applications for drugs that are discovered by Chugai Pharmaceutical and licensed out to Roche, we often form a joint team to conduct in-depth research into diseases. The alliance with Roche gives us valuable opportunities to encounter different ideas and policies. I find very interesting the process in which we have discussions with others who have different views from us to align development policies.

Becoming a bridge that connects companies and patients for unmet medical needs and beyond

With a sense of mission as MDs who have been close to patients, our three interviewees each have futures that they want to realize at Chugai Pharmaceutical.

 

Kobayashi: I sometimes feel uncomfortable with the expression, “Unmet medical needs,” that is often used in the pharmaceutical industry. This may be because it gives me the impression that needs are being pursued not only from the patients’ perspectives but also from the companies’ perspectives. Here at Chugai Pharmaceutical, I feel that the focus is on philosophies such as sincerity and patient-centricity, and that such approaches have taken firm root in the work that people actually do in the company.

Our role as MDs is to make use of our extensive experience as clinical physicians to devise strategies that can generate profits for the company while focusing on the real problems of patients. If we could expand the concept of needs that has been talked about from the companies’ perspectives, we will be able to demonstrate our raison d'être even further.

 

Iwasa: Although pharmaceutical companies are not permitted to be directly involved in medical practice, I hope to make a contribution as an MD so that we can approach patients’ issues from perspectives that are closer to those of the medical frontlines.
While I understand that the presence of competitors facilitates development in some ways, I hope for a future in which we are able to deliver good drugs to patients swiftly in the future and not be caught up in competition with other companies. In the future, I hope that we realize joint development beyond boundaries between companies.

 

Omoto: Unlike clinical physicians, at a pharmaceutical company, we are able to conduct activities that transcend the boundaries of domains. It is possible that I will one day work in other domains or development phases. I believe that striving to contribute more broadly is both my responsibility and a source of fulfillment.
As Mr. Kobayashi mentioned earlier, gaps can emerge between the pure patient perspective and the company perspective, so I hope to bridge those gaps as an MD and make a greater contribution to society.