“A medicine my own family may need some day.”

I am responsible for the manufacturing process of APIs (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients) – these are the active ingredients that give a drug its efficacy. Highly potent APIs can be dangerous to touch, so we wear protective clothing which looks a bit like a spacesuit.

At each and every stage of production, we conduct stringent quality checks that go beyond the regulatory standards. You might wonder why we overdo it, but, in the words of my manager, “when making medicine, keep in mind that your own family may need it someday.”

That being said, it's not just about making an effective drug. I feel that a quality product comes from implementing the right manufacturing process. For that reason, I have to be conscious of everything I do.

Takeda is globalizing rapidly. Before I entered the company, I could never have imagined I’d be working alongside so many people from around the world. Lately, I've been traveling abroad to support the transfer of technologies as well as working with our overseas API production sites.

There are differences in how business is done in every part of the world, but we all share a common commitment to deliver the best possible medicines to our patients.   

I want to build on our strengths and work together with my overseas colleagues towards manufacturing the highest quality pharmaceuticals.

     
Daisuke Nakashima  

I produce APIs at the Hikari Plant in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. I was once told by a patient that she could always turn to our medicines for relief - that left a huge impression on me.