Today, 1 April 2022, we celebrate the official opening of PTC’s new office in Japan!

PTC JapanLocated in the heart of the life sciences industry of Japan – Tokyo, Nihonbashi – our new office adds to PTC’s growing global footprint and extends our reach to support people living with rare diseases around the globe.

We sat down with Stefan Sakurai, President and Representative Director, Japan, to learn more about this exciting step forward and plans for the new location.

Why Japan?

Stefan Sakurai

For patients living with rare disease, there are often no specific treatments to address their needs. At PTC, we aim to address this need by delivering innovative treatment options, including gene therapy, to rare disease patients – and we are committed to supporting these patients in Japan.

Japan also has a highly efficient healthcare system with an established path for access to treatment for patients. We expect our new presence here to be an important part of our global growth journey

Can you tell us more about the local community?

Nihonbashi specifically is known as “the town of medicine” and it is the center of the pharmaceutical industry in Japan. It has been an important business district for Tokyo for the last 400 years.

In this location, we see active collaboration between the industry, academia and government sectors. It’s the perfect place to bring our strong clinical and scientific expertise and dedication to using groundbreaking science and new technologies to find innovative ways to treat rare diseases.

Some other fun facts about the neighborhood: There is a small park in front of our office, and in the Spring, we can see Cherry Blossoms (Japan’s national flower) from our windows. Also, we have a café nearby, Avatar Robot Café, which is remotely operated by people with disabilities, including ALS, SMA, muscular dystrophy.

How will PTC Japan will serve patients in the community?

We will do our utmost to provide access to our innovative treatments to patient populations who have previously had little to no treatment options and support their needs throughout their journey.

Can you tell us more about the team?

Three words come to mind when describing our Japan team: Dedication, passion, and purpose.

What are you most excited about for the future of PTC Japan?

We have a unique opportunity to provide much needed treatments for patients in Japan and at the same time contribute to the continued growth of PTC. With our present accelerated growth plans, we expect to launch our first treatment(s) in Japan within the next couple of years. As Japan is an integrated part of our global development plans, we aim to create a leading presence in this important market.

I would like to thank everybody in PTC for the warm welcome and solid support they have given me and our team members in Japan over the recent six months. Together, we will grow PTC Therapeutics!