Purpose-led sustainability that drives global growth and innovation

June 15, 2021

In the biopharmaceutical industry, a strong vision and nimbleness are catalysts for innovation that ultimately help propel a company forward. In addition to creating critical new medicines for patients, it also takes perseverance to think and act differently in order to deliver sustainable growth.

With a foundation built on strong, authentic values, Takeda has gained a reputation for business integrity and high quality for 240 years. With more than two centuries spent serving patients, our deep history and heritage along with our values have helped guide us through our transformation into a top global, values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader and paved the path toward a sustainable future.  

Purpose-led sustainability

Earlier in the month, President and CEO Christophe Weber kicked off the 2021 Biopharma CEO Investor Forum with a presentation on our approach to a concept we call “purpose-led sustainability.” The meeting brought together the top biopharmaceutical companies to provide the investor community with insight into the long-term plans for leaders in the industry.

Christophe spoke about Takeda’s purpose-led sustainability efforts, which are guided by our purpose, vision and values and through the collective efforts of each and every one of our employees. He discussed how, altogether, this is enabling the company to address high unmet medical needs, support sustainable health care systems, mitigate climate change and create a diverse and inclusive organization where people can thrive.

Specific to sustainability and climate change, he also discussed how some of our biggest challenges we face collectively can be attributed to impacts to the environment which poses a significant risk to human health. At Takeda, we have set out to take a bold approach to mitigating environmental issues in the areas of water, waste, product stewardship and climate change and because, as Christophe says, “it’s simply the right thing to do.” A few examples of how Takeda is using its size and scale to minimize its environmental impact include reducing our carbon footprint through our commitment to reducing 40 percent of our emissions from operations by 2025 and being carbon zero by 2040, producing less waste and lowering resource consumption.

Momentum building in our inflection year

Over the past several years, Takeda has transformed into a global biopharmaceutical leader. Now with close to 50,000 employees in approximately 80 countries and regions, our teams are focused every day on bringing life-transforming treatments to patients worldwide.

Christophe shared at a recent fireside chat at the Endpoints Biopharma R&D Summit, which took place during the 2021 BIO International Convention which convenes leaders from across the biotech ecosystem, that one of our biggest changes has been our R&D transformation in 2015. Now with a world-class, state-of-the-art R&D engine that has generated an innovative and modality-diverse pipeline of approximately 40 clinical-stage new molecular entities (NMEs), FY21 is expected to be an inflection year for our pipeline as we anticipate having an unprecedented five to six regulatory submissions under review by the FDA and other major global regulatory agencies by year-end FY021, with the potential for up to four approvals. Additionally, FY21 will kick off what we believe will be a decade of sustained pipeline innovation for Takeda.

Additionally, Andy Plump, our President of R&D, spoke at the Endpoints at BIO 2021 conference as part of a panel addressing the topic of post-COVID-19 R&D pipelines. Andy and the other panelists discussed that while the U.S. outbreak may be on the verge of being contained, new variants, gaps in access to vaccines and inconsistent vaccination rates keep the issue alive. Andy highlighted that luck is not a strategy. The industry needs to prepare by taking action now – ensuring coordination across the system, more investment in antivirals, and increasing funding to pursue the right targets that could help prevent future pandemics.

Also at the BIO International Convention Rajeev Venkayya, president of our Vaccine Business Unit, spoke on a panel about the triumphs and continued struggles faced during the COVID-19 pandemic sharing how we can learn from these experiences to be better equipped to handle future global pandemics. Separately, Chris Arendt, head of our Oncology Therapeutic Area Unit, participated in a panel discussion on the importance of collaboration to drive progress in the development of new immunotherapy treatments for patients with cancer, and the role partnerships play in advancing our immuno-oncology programs.

By putting in place the fundamentals of purpose-led sustainability, Takeda’s purpose – “Better Health for People, Brighter Future for the World” – defines why we exist and how we will contribute to society. Together we work to deliver on our highly innovative pipeline and our continued commitment to patients, our people and the planet as a way to create long-term sustainable growth and societal value.