Sustainability
Innovation for Friendly medical care
Creating a better world through friendly and patient-centric medical care
Since its founding as a Kyoto Pharmaceutical University spin-off and pharmaceutical venture in 2001, CosMED Pharmaceutical has been developing technologies to apply the results of transdermal therapeutic system (TTS) research that provides an effective means of delivering medical products to the body.
Japan is at the forefront of a demographic shift throughout the world towards aging populations and longer lives. What can we do to extend people’s healthy lifespan when faced with this situation? We offer user-friendly and innovative medical technologies that avoid causing “inconvenience” or “pain” and make the benefits of medical care and drugs more accessible to everyone.
To date, we have utilized two core technologies: “microneedles” and “adhesive patches” to develop the world’s first* microneedle cosmetics. In the medical and pharmaceutical fields, we have also succeeded in developing a microneedle patch for the painless topical application of dental anesthesia. At present, we are working in partnership with universities and research institutions across Japan to bring “friendly medical care” to users through the development of medical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic products such as “vaccine microneedle array patches (VMAPs)” (vaccines applied as an adhesive patch).
A core strategy of our business is to create a better future that is rich with “friendly medical care” that allows people to be more in tune with themselves. We are passionate about pursuing a sustainable society through the growth of our business.
*From the Journal of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Japan, published by The Academy of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Japan
Core Business Strategy: Technological Development that Shapes the Future
Core Technologies that Shape the Future
CosMED Pharmaceutical provides value to society through its expertise in applying the results of transdermal therapeutic system (TTS) research that offers an effective means of delivering medical products to the body. Leveraging this expertise, we utilize two core technologies: “microneedles” and “adhesive patches,” to offer user-friendly and innovative solutions in the medical and pharmaceutical domains, as well as the cosmetic and health domains.
Enhancing the Social Value of Medical Care
Taro Takemi, former President of the Japan Medical Association, defined medical care as “the socialized practice of medicine.” There has never been a greater need to enhance the social value of medical care by extending healthy life expectancy and creating a sustainable society.
| Social Issues that Require Solutions | Issues Adopted by CosMED Pharmaceutical | |
|---|---|---|
| Extending the healthy life expectancy of an aging society that lives longer |
Psychological and physical barriers to medical care | • As people live longer and society gets older, health initiatives are an essential part of sustainable social security • Raising health life expectancy involves improving the health practices of the younger generation, which now includes people in their 40s • Resolving the issue of time-poverty among those responsible for both elderly care and childcare Helping to foster an environment where people can continue to value and maintain healthy practices that are often disregarded for reasons of “convenience” |
| Burden on healthcare professionals |
• Improving the working environment for healthcare professionals and the shortage of physicians (or regional disparities) are two major social issues • The situation in Japan is desperate, even compared to other countries Helping reduce the burden of medical care for not only patients, but also for healthcare professionals. |
|
| Health Management |
• Health guidance is effective in preventing lifestyle diseases • There is potential in a society that uses tools such as Personal Health Records (PHRs) to raise peoples’ awareness of their own health Helping to advance health management technology |
|
| Ensuring the world has access to appropriate medical care |
• Lifestyle diseases are an emerging issue in developing countries • The mortality rate due to infection and other causes remains high in developing countries and assistance is still required Delivering appropriate medical care to more people worldwide |
|
“Friendly Medical Care” as a Business Strategy
CosMED Pharmaceutical pursues a strategy of developing technologies that offer “friendly medical care” as a solution to the above issues. Through innovations in medical care technology that make the benefits of medical care and drugs more accessible, we are committed to creating a society in which people throughout the world, regardless of age or sex, are more in tune with themselves and live happier and more fulfilling lives.
Environmental Conservation for the Next Generation
CosMED Pharmaceutical has adopted “Innovation for Friendly Medical Care” as its sustainability policy. As a manufacturing company that pursues an integrated process of research, planning, and manufacturing, it is our responsibility to observe environmental laws and regulations and to establish measures to prevent accidents and pollution. CosMED Pharmaceutical strives to protect the environment in local communities and the world as a whole and to fulfill our responsibility to the next generation.
Individual and Team Development Environmental Conservation for the Next Generation
CosMED Pharmaceutical has adopted “Innovation for Friendly Medical Care” as its sustainability policy and aims to create a society that offers friendly medical care. To achieve this, we will maintain the physical and mental health of our employees, and by developing teams through exchange and cooperative innovation among diverse intellects, create an intellectually rich company that offers self-realization and individual expression.
Responsibility to Society
CosMED Pharmaceutical believes that strengthening corporate governance is one of the most important duties of management. CosMED Pharmaceutical not only strives to ensure sound management practices, but also to increase transparency by disclosing accurate and timely information to all stakeholders.
The corporate governance system at CosMED Pharmaceutical is shown below.
Corporate Governance System
Organizational Chart of Governance Structure
Risk Management & Compliance Committee
The Risk Management & Compliance Committee plays a primary role in overseeing CosMED Pharmaceutical’s activities in the areas of risk management and legal compliance. The Risk Management & Compliance Committee is a body that implements a risk management process that follows the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle, in which CosMED Pharmaceutical identifies and isolates short- and medium-term corporate risks (Plan), assesses these risks and institutes actions to minimize them (Do), and monitors and reports on these matters via the committee (Check, Action).
