Pharmaceutical Processing World

  • Home
  • Regulatory
    • Recalls
  • Pharmaceutical Processing
  • Facility
  • Supply Chain
  • Equipment and Materials
  • Contract Manufacturing
  • Advertise
  • SUBSCRIBE

Ex-Novartis Pharma Employee Arrested Over Drug Data

By Pharmaceutical Processing | June 11, 2014

TOKYO, June 11 (Kyodo) — Tokyo prosecutors arrested a former employee of Novartis Pharma K.K. on Wednesday on a charge of manipulating clinical study data leading to exaggerated claims in advertising for one of the firm’s drugs.

Nobuo Shirahashi, 63, is alleged to have manipulated cerebral stroke incidence and other data collected by a research team at the Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine so that the team released a paper in favor of the Diovan blood pressure-lowering drug in 2011.

The arrest came after the prosecutors raided the Japanese sales arm of Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis earlier this year over its alleged use of clinical study reports for exaggerated advertising for the drug in violation of the pharmaceutical affairs law.

As a Novartis Pharma employee Shirahashi took charge of analyzing data from clinical tests comparing Diovan and other blood pressure-lowing drugs at five Japanese universities, including the Kyoto school, between 2002 and 2004.

The Kyoto team concluded Diovan was more effective than other blood-pressuring drugs in preventing stroke and angina based on the manipulated data from some 3,000 patients.

The Kyoto medical school’s investigative panel reported the data manipulation last year.

The Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo, another of the five universities, also found manipulated data from a clinical study on the drug.

Novartis Pharma contributed a total of 570 million yen to the Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine and the Jikei University School of Medicine between 2002 and 2012.

Novartis Pharma launched Diovan in Japan in November 2000 and achieved annual Diovan sales in excess of 100 billion yen in and after 2005. Cumulative Diovan sales reached 1.2 trillion yen by 2012.

Related Articles Read More >

Doctor, woman patient and tablet for consulting with results, medical info and talk for healthcare with mockup space. Japanese medic, digital touchscreen or show video for surgery, wellness or advice.
Putting patients first in clinical trials
Confidently navigate the transition from bench to batch
Merck
FDA approves Merck’s Winrevair to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension
kobayashi pharmaceutical logo
Report: Japan health authorities investigate Kobayashi Pharmaceutical factory after five deaths
“ppw
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest news, technologies, and developments in Pharmaceutical Processing.

DeviceTalks Tuesdays

DeviceTalks Tuesdays

MEDTECH 100 INDEX

Medtech 100 logo
Market Summary > Current Price
The MedTech 100 is a financial index calculated using the BIG100 companies covered in Medical Design and Outsourcing.
Pharmaceutical Processing World
  • Subscribe to our E-Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • R&D World
  • Drug Delivery Business News
  • Drug Discovery & Development
  • DeviceTalks
  • MassDevice
  • Medical Design & Outsourcing
  • MEDICAL TUBING + EXTRUSION
  • Medical Design Sourcing
  • Medtech100 Index
  • R&D 100 Awards

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Pharmaceutical Processing World

  • Home
  • Regulatory
    • Recalls
  • Pharmaceutical Processing
  • Facility
  • Supply Chain
  • Equipment and Materials
  • Contract Manufacturing
  • Advertise
  • SUBSCRIBE