Host: The Japanese Pharmacological Society
Name : The 97th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Pharmacological Society
Number : 97
Location : [in Japanese]
Date : December 14, 2023 - December 16, 2023
“LEQEMBI”, the world's first disease-modifying therapy for Alzheimer's disease(AD), was approved in Japan in September of this year, following the UnitedStates, ushering in a new era in dementia treatment. Eisai Co., Ltd. has beenengaged in research and development in the field of dementia for more than 40years, continuing to overcome failures and diversify R&D risks. Although wesucceeded in developing the world's first AD drug "ARICEPT" in 1997, wecontinued to strive for next-generation drug discovery. We have developed avariety of new drug candidates based on the amyloid-β (Aβ) cascade hypothesis,which is the root cause of AD, but candidates have dropped out one afteranother. Among them, the anti-Aβ protofibril antibody “LEQEMBI” was developedthrough careful clinical research, utilizing the results of familial AD researchconducted in collaboration with academia. There is no success in drug discoverywithout failure, and by enduring failure, experience and knowledge areaccumulated. This experiential knowledge is the key to success in drug discoveryand is the “nautical chart” that guides the ship of new drug development on theright course. The presence of a captain who writes the charts and navigates thesea is also essential. I would like to take this opportunity to touch on “thespirit of drug discovery” that exists based on empathy with AD patients.
