Shionogi Awarded the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Award for Cefiderocol at the 8th Japan Medical Research and Development Grand Prize

OSAKA, Japan, January 19, 2026 - Shionogi & Co., Ltd.  (Head Office: Osaka, Japan; Chief Executive Officer: Isao Teshirogi, Ph.D.; hereinafter, "Shionogi") announced that it had been awarded the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare(MHLW) Award at the 8th Japan Medical Research and Development Grand Prize, hosted by the Cabinet Office, Government of Japan for its significant contributions to combating drug-resistant infections through the development of a siderophore antibiotic. The award ceremony was held at the Prime Minister’s Office on January 16, 2026.

The Japan Medical Research and Development Grand Prize is an award program established by the Cabinet Office in 2017 to honor achievements that have greatly contributed to the advancement of medical research and development, not only in Japan but also globally. By recognizing such accomplishments, the program aims to deepen public interest and understanding, and to further incentivize researchers. Among the various awards, the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Award is presented to one case each year in recognition of particularly outstanding contributions to the improvement and promotion of social welfare, social security, and public health.

This year, Shionogi was recognized for its development of cefiderocol, a world’s first siderophore cephalosporin antibiotic, which overcame longstanding challenges in efficacy and safety. Cefiderocol represents an innovative scientific approach in antimicrobial drug discovery. The drug has received international acclaim, being listed on the World Health Organization’s Essential Medicines List and selected for Pull incentives^※in the UK, Sweden, and Japan as part of global efforts to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR). As of April 2025, cefiderocol has been approved in 26 countries and regions. Furthermore, through collaboration with the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP) and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), Shionogi is working to improve access to cefiderocol in 135 countries, including low-income countries¹, thereby contributing significantly to both AMR countermeasures and the reduction of healthcare disparities.

※A Pull incentive is a form of incentive in pharmaceutical research and development, in which rewards are provided upon successful development, or sales and profits are guaranteed after launch. This mechanism decouples the volume of product use from the revenue generated, thereby encouraging innovation and access regardless of sales volume.

Shionogi has identified “Protecting people from the threat of infectious diseases” as a material issue, and is committed to realizing total care for infectious diseases. We will continue to work toward delivering essential anti-infective treatments to patients worldwide as quickly as possible, contributing to global efforts to combat AMR. For more information on Shionogi’s initiatives against AMR, please visit.

Clich here to learn more about our efforts to address antimicrobial resistance.

Summary of the Award

About Cefiderocol

Cefiderocol is an antibiotic that penetrates the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, including multidrug-resistant strains, to exert its antibacterial activity. As of May 2025, cefiderocol is marketed in 26 countries and regions, including Japan, Europe, U.S., Taiwan and China. Cefiderocol is listed on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, and preparations are underway through a collaborative agreement with The Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP) and Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) to improve access to this antibacterial agent for patients in low- and middle-income countries¹.

About AMR

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics, making infections harder to treat. AMR is often referred to as a “silent pandemic” and is recognized as one of the most pressing global public health threats requiring urgent action². In 2021, AMR was estimated to have caused 1.14 million deaths worldwide³. Without coordinated international efforts, it is projected that more than 39 million lives could be lost over the next 25 years⁴. Meanwhile, treatment options remain limited, making this an area of high unmet medical need.

Reference:

1.      Press Release June 15, 2022 Shionogi, GARDP and CHAI announce landmark license and collaboration agreements to treat bacterial infections by expanding access to cefiderocol in 135 countries

2.     Antimicrobial Resistance Collaborators. Global burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance in 2019: a systematic analysis. Lancet 2022; 399: 629–55.

3.     Antimicrobial resistance (who.int) WHO. Antimicrobial resistance. Who.int. Published October 13, 2020. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antimicrobial-resistance

4.     GBD 2021 Antimicrobial Resistance Collaborators. Global burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance 1990-2021: a systematic analysis with forecasts to 2050. Lancet. 2024 Sep 28;404(10459):1199-1226. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01867-1. Epub 2024 Sep 16. PMID: 39299261.

Forward-Looking Statements

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are based on expectations in light of the information currently available, assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from these statements. Risks and uncertainties include general domestic and international economic conditions such as general industry and market conditions, and changes of interest rate and currency exchange rate. These risks and uncertainties particularly apply with respect to product-related forward-looking statements. Product risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, completion and discontinuation of clinical trials; obtaining regulatory approvals; claims and concerns about product safety and efficacy; technological advances; adverse outcome of important litigation; domestic and foreign healthcare reforms and changes of laws and regulations. Also for existing products, there are manufacturing and marketing risks, which include, but are not limited to, inability to build production capacity to meet demand, lack of availability of raw materials and entry of competitive products. The company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For Further Information, Contact:

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