“The burden on medical and long- term care systems due to ageing is expected to intensify in Japan”

Japan-headquartered Asahi Kasei has appointed Ken Shinomiya, President of Asahi Kasei Life Science, as the Leader of its Healthcare Sector in April this year. Under Shinomiya, Asahi Kasei’s Healthcare Sector plans to further advance its portfolio and global presence of pharmaceuticals, life science, and critical care products and services. BioSpectrum Asia took this opportunity to interact with the new leader to find out more about the company’s growth plans within Japan and internationally. Edited excerpts:

- Dr Manbeena Chawla

Ken Shinomiya, President, Asahi Kasei Life Science, Japan

What major initiatives are lined up for Asahi's healthcare business in 2025 and beyond? Are you planning any major investments or partnerships to strengthen the business globally and within Asia?

Our healthcare business spans a diverse range of fields, including Critical Care, Pharmaceuticals, and Life Sciences. Since fiscal 2023, we have established our healthcare headquarters in the United States to manage the business from the world's largest healthcare market, thereby advancing global business development. From fiscal 2025 onward, we will focus not only on realising the returns from previous growth investments—especially in Pharmaceuticals—but also on continuing to invest for sustainable midto long-term growth.

Key priorities beyond fiscal 2025 include integrating our three Pharmaceutical businesses under a unified global strategy to drive future M&A to assure the scale for funding clinical developments through 2030, as well as to accelerate in-licensing global assets to build up a solid clinical pipeline that contributes to sustainable growth beyond 2030. In the Critical Care business, reinforcing organic growth with existing product lines in the severe cardiopulmonary space while pursuing new business opportunities in adjacent areas. Also, further expanding our Life Sciences business, which provides products and services for the pharmaceutical industry.

How much revenue growth/generation is expected in FY25-26 from the healthcare business? Could you break it down with respect to the various sectors such pharma, medical devices, life sciences, critical care and bioservices?