Pfizer Inc., the world's biggest drugmaker, is diverting drug studies and tests from Japan as part of an industry push to avoid this nation's regulatory delays and higher costs.
The New York-based maker of Lipitor, the No. 1 cholesterol medicine in the world, is increasing development spending in South Korea, said Akihisa Harada, head of clinical research at Pfizer's local unit in Tokyo.
Many Japanese hospitals are unable to test dozens of people, making it faster and cheaper to recruit patients elsewhere in Asia, he said.