Over the course of more than 25 years at Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma group companies, Atsushi “Andy” Fujimoto developed a clear understanding of what it takes to make a real difference in the lives of people facing serious diseases. It takes a tenacious attitude and an unrelenting focus on trying to help people with unmet medical needs. In his role as president of Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America (MTPA), Andy follows an unwavering patient-first philosophy that is central to MTPA’s mission.
This patient-centered approach is not just an idealistic, aspirational sentiment. It is woven into the very fabric of the organization. Adhering to this philosophy means measuring success, not by revenue and sales, but by how many patients MTPA’s therapies can help. It means recognizing that unsolved challenges are often the ones that need to be addressed with the most urgency. Above all, it requires building a team that is committed to doing the right thing by patients – upholding MTPA’s integrity so patients can trust the company will continue doing work aimed at tackling complex problems.
MTPC, our parent company in Japan, is the second-oldest pharmaceutical company in the world, has an extensive background discovering, researching, and refining medicines. MTPA strives to deliver treatment options as quickly as possible to the patients who need them. What this means to me is that we have the experience to understand unmet medical needs and bring medicines to market that help patients.
MTPA was established in the United States in 2016 with the ambitious goal of delivering therapies for some of the most difficult-to-treat diseases, especially those that affect the central nervous system. We’ve been investing our resources and working diligently ever since to pursue the therapies patients need while establishing a work culture that is science driven, patient-focused, compliant and transparent.
MTPA is special because of our people. We have built an amazing team of committed individuals who work hard to make a difference in the lives of people living with serious diseases. This is our mission. We know it takes determination and collaboration, which is why we have worked to create a culture at MTPA that fosters both.
By valuing a constant exchange of ideas, we open the door for possibilities as we strive to achieve remarkable things. In everything we do, we think about how we can make a real difference to the lives of people struggling with debilitating diseases. We understand that each patient is unique, and the needs of patients guide us in our work every day. I believe this way of thinking will serve us well in the U.S. and help us create a new level of trust in the community.
Every day, I look around our office at the devoted teams and feel a great sense of pride.
Every day, I look around our office at the dedicated teams and feel a great sense of pride. I can see the great work demonstrated by these individuals. Each person is committed to excellence and looking for ways to improve our processes to be more efficient and effective. Our goal is to bring medicine to patients who need more options. I’m proud that everyone at MTPA holds themselves personally accountable for making a positive impact on our work and in the lives of those with unmet medical needs.
Bringing our first product to the U.S. in 2017 was the first meaningful step in our commitment to serving patients with unmet needs in North America. In 2018 we opened a subsidiary in Canada, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Canada (MTP-CA) in Toronto, followed by obtaining Notice of Compliance (NOC) market authorization for our first product in Canada in October of 2018. We are excited to continue our efforts to help people with unmet medical needs.