A drug for the treatment of chronic kidney disease, which is said to be one in eight adults, is expected to be approved for the first time in Japan.
Approved is "Fosiga" manufactured and sold by British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca.
In Japan, it has already been approved as a treatment for diabetes and chronic heart failure, but last week, an expert group of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare approved the approval, saying that it is also effective for chronic kidney disease.
It is expected to be officially approved by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare as the first treatment for chronic kidney disease in Japan in the near future.
Chronic kidney disease is a general term for diseases in which the function of the kidneys gradually declines, and it is said that there are about 1 in 8 adults in Japan, or about 13 million patients.
According to AstraZeneca, clinical trials in 21 countries, including Japan, showed a 39% reduction in the risk of kidney function deterioration and death in the drug-treated group.