Overview of KPIA

The association was originally founded in 1948 as the Osaka Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (OPMA) and the name of OPMA was changed to the Kansai Pharmaceutical Industries Association (KPIA) on January 1st, 2018.
KPIA is a Regional organization aiming at enhancing common benefits for members and contributing to the realization of “Society of Health and Longevity” by making use of the strengths of Kansai*, and through strengthening joint collaboration, mutual understanding, and enlightenment of stakeholders including members, and through the sound development of the pharmaceutical and related industries.

The KPIA comprises over 300 pharmaceutical marketing authorization holders/ manufacturers and companies engaged in associated businesses, headquartered mainly in the Kansai Area. KPIA is a member of the Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Associations of JAPAN (FPMAJ) as a regional organization.

KPIA conducts its activities through four (4) committees and six (6) study groups and the secretariat, under the direction of the Board of Directors to address problems that operators in the pharmaceutical industries are facing. Specifically, KPIA keeps close contact and cooperation with, and promote mutual understanding with, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), the Osaka Prefectural Government and other Regional authorities in the Kansai Area governing pharmaceutical industries to collect, examine, analyze, and compile information related to pharmaceutical-related laws and regulations and the pharmaceutical industries.

The results of these activities are communicated to members through seminars, newsletters, information network and other events and media to provide information and improve the knowledge of members. KPIA also makes various proposals related to pharmaceutical industries to the national and Regional governments and other public organizations.

• *Strengths of Kansai for Pharmaceutical and Related Industries
  • Integrated pharmaceutical and related industries typified by Dosho-Machi
  • Integrated manufacturers having creative and advanced technologies in the variety of fields
  • Consolidated presence of universities and research institutes related life science field
  • Consolidated science and technology at the highest international level for creating new drugs
  • Consolidated agencies for supporting and consulting drug discovery performed by academia and industry
  • Proactive initiatives by Regional government for promotion of pharmaceutical and related industries
  • Regions having a long history for gathering people, goods and information, and for interacting each other with Asia, Europe and America
  • Presence of international distribution centers for import-export logistics such as Kansai International Airport
  (Including, but not limited to the above)

• Organization Chart

• Charter
• KPIA Vision 2025

Activities of Committees and Study Groups

Committees and study groups are formed according to specialized fields and actively work on projects to find solutions for various issues and problems up to which operators in the pharmaceutical industries face. Member companies can join any committees and study groups they are interested in and take part in their activities. Currently, KPIA has the following four (4) committees and six (6) study groups:

Activities of the Secretariat

1. Provision of information on notifications issued by public agencies, and holding seminars, presentation meetings and other lectures
   KPIA, FPMAJ, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association of Tokyo (PMAT) and the Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA) formed a joint initiative, PRAISE-NET. As the main operator of PRAISE-NET, KPIA ensures its stable operation and stable provision of services.KPIA provides member companies with the information on notifications issued by public agencies and other relevant information twice a day via PRAISE-NET.
   It also provides to member companies a monthly newsletter via PRAISE-NET containing information and reports on seminars, presentation meetings and other lectures, the general assembly of KPIA, and minutes of the Board meeting, meetings of committees and study groups.KPIA also conducts study workshops and presentation meetings inviting officers from MHLW, the Osaka Prefectural Government, Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) and other organizations as lecturers. It also conducts seminars on specific topics of interest by inviting experts in medical and pharmaceutical fields as lecturers.
2. Cooperation in and promotion of projects in the Kansai Area
   KPIA cooperates in various pharmaceutical-related projects in the Kansai Area. Major projects include drug discovery projects implemented in national strategic special zones, international strategic comprehensive special zones, the Osaka Bio Strategy, the Northern Osaka Bio Cluster, the Kobe Biomedical Innovation Cluster, and the Keihanna Science City. It also conducts industry-academia opinion exchange forums regarding seeds of new drug discovery possessed by academia and research institutes in the Kansai Area.