Unprecedented advance in medicine is coming

Pharmaceutical research is developing at a rapid pace and personalized treatments are the future. What should we expect from Astellas and in terms of therapeutic categories?

Astellas is among the leading innovative companies that put the patient at the center of their activities. Our strategy focuses on developing therapies targeted to patient needs, with an emphasis on areas that have high needs such as oncology, urology, nephrology, immunology, women's health. We are working hard in oncology and in particular on immunotherapy, which is revolutionizing the treatment of various types of cancer. Through our research in this field, we aim not only to provide innovative solutions for disease control, but also to enable patients to live more fulfilling and quality lives.

We also have focused studies on rare diseases, where personalized medicine is key to offering effective treatment to patients who lack standard therapeutic solutions.

Our expectations for the future include building new partnerships with various actors in the healthcare system to ensure that all patients, regardless of their illness, have access to the best treatment options.

How do you envision pharmaceutical innovation in a few years? How can the lives of patients facing serious and rare diseases be changed?

In a few years, the pharmaceutical industry will witness unprecedented advances in the field of medicine, thanks to innovations that will enable a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms of diseases. We expect that therapies will become increasingly personalized and precise, allowing for an individual approach to the patient based on their genetic profile, biological markers and the specific characteristics of their disease.

The lives of patients with severe and rare diseases can indeed be significantly changed, thanks to the development of biotechnology and gene therapies. Technologies such as CRISPR now allow gene editing and create treatment options for a number of genetic diseases that until recently were considered incurable. Cell therapies also offer the potential to regenerate tissues and improve patients' lives, which is particularly important for conditions such as cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and autoimmune disorders.

Pharmaceutical innovations will lead to increased effectiveness of treatment, with fewer side effects and higher therapeutic success.

How can new technologies and AI help?

New technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) are fundamentally changing the methods of drug discovery, development and optimization. AI is playing an increasing role in analyzing large volumes of medical data, helping researchers identify new drug targets and create more effective therapeutic protocols. Through the use of machine learning, we can quickly analyze and interpret information from clinical trials, enabling faster and more accurate discovery of potentially successful therapies.

AI can also help identify potential side effects and predict the effectiveness of a treatment for a particular patient. Thus, doctors will be able to customize therapies even better, taking into account the individual characteristics of each patient.

Do you think we are heading towards more expensive treatments? Do you think public health systems are coping well?

Pharmaceutical innovations and high-tech solutions such as cell and gene therapies undoubtedly bring great value, but they also require significant investment and resources, which increases the cost of treatment. It is true that we are moving towards increasingly expensive solutions, as personalized therapies and genetic treatments require a high degree of precision and are often produced according to an individual protocol that reflects the unique needs of each patient.

As expected, these decisions present public health systems with significant challenges, putting on the agenda the issue of sustainable financing and the need for public health reforms. Healthcare institutions and industry need to work closely together to ensure long-term and sustainable patient access to these therapies. The key point here, however, is that healthcare should be seen as a critically important area of ​​investment. From an economic point of view, against the backdrop of an aging population, ensuring the best possible control of chronic diseases is the only possible way forward for any social system.

How does Astellas contribute to the economy and society?

Astellas makes a significant contribution to the economy and society not only through healthcare innovation, but also as one of the major investors in research and development. We create new jobs by engaging professionals from a variety of fields, including science, medicine and engineering society, and we support economic development through investment in clinical trials.

Our company actively engages in social responsibility through education programs aimed at training healthcare professionals and increasing public awareness of important healthcare topics. We believe that one of our missions is to improve people's lives not only through medicinal products, but also through supporting public health and disease prevention initiatives.

What are your expectations and plans for the Greek market?

The Greek market is important to us, but the pharmaceutical companies there face serious challenges due to the huge compensations and rebates to the health insurance fund, which makes the market difficult to sustain in the long term. This situation creates significant uncertainty for companies in the industry, which face difficulties when it comes to developing innovations.

Despite these limitations, Astellas remains committed to improving access to innovative therapies and creating sustainable healthcare solutions in Greece. We plan to continue working to optimize the environment through partnerships with local healthcare institutions and professional organizations, while maintaining our commitment to quality and innovation. Astellas aims to offer not only medicinal products, but also comprehensive solutions to improve health outcomes for the local population.

The interview was initially published in Forbes Greece.

Translated by Tzvetozar Vincent Iolov