Japan Hot For California Biotechs

California's major biotech companies welcome investors, and Japanese pharmaceutical companies are responding with big bucks to develop and sell new drugs.  The California economy is getting another shot in the arm!

Japan's largest drug making company contracted with San Diego's Amylin Pharmaceuticals, within recent weeks, to develop and sell an obesity drug projected to be worth $1 billion.

The deal comes right after Japan's second-largest drug company paid $110 million to Medivation of San Francisco to develop and market a prostate cancer drug that could be valued at $655 million.

Recently, biotech titan Amgen of Thousand Oaks received a $200-million investment check from another Japanese company for rights to its pain, inflammation and cancer drugs.

Japan considers pharmaceutical care as a social service, while America treats it as a business, so it's easier for companies to secure patents.  It's also cost-effective for Japanese companies to invest and develop compounds with a California company.

Recent agreements reached by Japanese and California companies are centered on experimental cancer treatments.  Cancer is the #1 cause of death for the Japanese, according to their government statistics.

I can see why Japan gets excited about doing business with California's great biotech companies.  California is all about innovation, experimentation and the quest for perfection.  We do quality with style!

California and Japan share many things in common and, hopefully, our two lands will share in a successful cure for cancer.  When that day comes, we will surely celebrate together ---

--- and I'll cook the Oyako Domburi myself!