We Are Tomodachi Japan and Russia Edition 2018

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7Contribution to curing multidrug-resistant tuberculosis through an innovative medication(1) Extending healthy life expectanciesReducing traffic jams with a high-tech traffic signal system(2) Developing comfortable and clean cities easy to reside and live inKeiso Yamasaki, Global Project Leader of TB Projects of the Pharmaceutical Business Division of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., says, “I am happy to see this research we have been conducting for a long time bear fruit, fulfilling the company’s philosophy, ‘Otsuka—people creating new products for better health worldwide.’ I hope that delamanid will bring Japan and Russia closer together.”Tomoaki Chiba (left), General Manager of the Management Department of the Traffic Control Systems Division of Kyosan Electric Manufacturing Co., Ltd., and Ryota Notaki (right), Engineering Manager of the Engineering Department of the Traffic Control Systems Division of Kyosan Electric Manufacturing Co., Ltd. They say, “ARTEMIS’s introduction in Voronezh was reported on by local news, and we received positive feedback.”Although this was Kyosan’s first project for Russia, the company was able to overcome issues in adapting the system through trial and error together with its Russian counterparts.efforts.This article showcases four major projects among these In Russia, more than 14,000 citizens died of tuberculosis in 2016 according to the World Health Organization (WHO), making treatment for it an urgent need.In recent years, multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, which is non-responsive to existing anti-tubercular drugs, has become a serious issue. In July 2017, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Otsuka) signed a cooperative agreement with leading Russian pharmaceutical company R-Pharm JSC and began working on a plan to fight multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Russia.Delamanid, which was discovered and developed by Otsuka, has proved effective in the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. In 2015, it was added to the WHO Model Lists of Essential Medicines and is being put to use not only in Japan but other countries as well.Most conventional tuberculosis medications have significant side effects, which makes it difficult for patients to take them over the sustained period required for a complete cure. In addition to being more tolerable in this respect, delamanid does not interact with HIV or diabetes medication, rendering it effective for patients undergoing those treatments as well.“Delamanid’s safety is one of its distinctive characteristics, which is why the WHO also recommends its use for children. Also, the medication is taken orally rather than by injection or intravenous drip. Therefore, it has the advantage of being easy to take long-term. I think that’s what R-Pharm JSC appreciates in our product,” explains Keiso Yamasaki of Otsuka’s Pharmaceutical Business Division.A new drug application for delamanid was submitted in Russia in March 2018. If it is exempted from clinical trials, the medication will become available in Russia in early 2019. “We wish to make delamanid available in Russia as quickly as we can, and reduce the number of tuberculosis victims. We hope to eventually make it so that delamanid can be produced within Russia,” says Yamasaki.For the many Russians suffering from multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, delamanid may bring new hope.In many Russian cities, serious traffic jams are occurring that pose a significant obstacle to economic activity and civic life. Kyosan Electric Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (Kyosan) is working on alleviating Russia’s traffic jams with a unique traffic signal system.