A global initiative
embodying Santen's values

Santen has long contributed to the maintenance and improvement of people's eye health based on the Core Principle of “Tenki ni sanyo suru,” which we interpret as “Exploring the secrets and mechanisms of nature in order to contribute to people’s health.” This is also the origin of our company name.

As a company specializing in ophthalmology, based on this Core Principle, Santen aims to realize "Happiness with Vision," a world where all individuals can live their happiest lives through the best vision experience, by providing valuable products and services to patients, consumers, and healthcare professionals around the world.

One of the initiatives we are implementing globally to realize this vision is the Santen Value Award, an internal award system that began in FY2020.

The Santen Value Award is designed to honor outstanding examples of the various initiatives undertaken by Santen employees around the world that embody the company's Core Principle, and to encourage learning from each other across countries and regions. After receiving recommendations from each region and division covering all employees and projects within the Santen Group in Japan and overseas, the president himself judges and decides winners, presenting them with a President's Award once a year. The most outstanding projects among the winners are recognized with the "Tenki ni sanyo suru" Grand Prize.

Four projects were selected for the Santen Value Award 2022. Of these, two projects—each directly connected to the provision of value to patients, consumers, and healthcare professionals—were selected for the Grand Prize.

For this project, a team from Asian operations worked to improve the level of diagnosis and treatment of dry eye in the region, where diagnostic methods for dry eye often lacked structure and attention, and contributed to building momentum for promoting continued treatment of dry eye.
> Dry Eye

Across Asia, the diagnosis and treatment of dry eye varies widely among regions and medical institutions. This is because standard diagnostic methods for dry eye have not been established in the region, leading to variations in disease and symptom understanding among ophthalmologists. As a result, even if treatment is provided, in many cases it is limited to temporary relief or amelioration of symptoms.

The project team established a working group of employees from across Asia with the goal of helping ophthalmologists in the region better diagnose and treat dry eye. The team then brought together Asian key opinion leaders to develop a best-practice framework for dry eye, drawing on the latest global knowledge and expertise in the field. They also collaborated with ophthalmological communities and other organizations to develop written guidelines, supporting the dissemination of correct understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of dry eye across the diverse medical environments of different Asian countries and regions. As a result of these efforts, they have begun contributing to the modernization of dry eye treatment and improvement of people's quality of life in various parts of Asia. Looking ahead, they aim to incorporate these recommendations into clinical practice throughout the entire region.

This project team worked to expand glaucoma treatment in China by optimally adapting the successful Japanese commercial model to the Chinese situation. Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in many places, but China lacks sufficient specialists and facilities, making standardization of diagnosis and treatment a challenge.

The project team worked closely with the Japan business unit to analyze best practices in Japan with the aim of addressing issues related to the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma in China, including how to promote the value that Santen can provide to patients and healthcare professionals.
The team then addressed each issue in turn, taking into account the market environment in China and the on-site sales situation, to create a localized approach for China that included an efficient means of fostering a common understanding among employees, the establishment of a system for promoting cooperation across divisions, and the establishment of effective management methods for plan execution.

Armed with a consistent narrative and Santen messaging, local medical representatives set out to approach 300 ophthalmologists in China. As a result, while the market for glaucoma pharmaceuticals in China was shrinking due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Santen's sales of glaucoma products exceeded the previous year's level. This successful collaboration between the Japanese and Chinese business teams on glaucoma promises further expansion of Santen's contribution to ophthalmology in China, including for eye health issues beyond glaucoma. The selection of this project for a Grand Prize also highlights its contribution to fostering a globally collaborative mindset throughout Santen’s organization.

A Santen Value Award was also given to an improvement project undertaken by Santen's U.S. subsidiary InnFocus to develop a method to reduce or eliminate chlorine from the polymers used in the PRESERFLO MicroShunt ophthalmic medical device, and to the Digital & Information Technology department for its implementation of a Global Phishing Gamification Platform to prepare for cyber threats.

Commenting on this year’s awards, Takeshi Ito, President and CEO of Santen, said, "Each project has made a significant contribution to Santen by either anticipating the unmet needs of patients and consumers or creating new solutions and value to support our businesses. If each of us at Santen can combine our expertise and work as a unified organization transcending regional, national, linguistic, and cultural barriers, we will be able to further expand the unique value that only Santen can provide to society. I am confident that the learning and awareness gained from this year's awards will inspire further growth for Santen in the years ahead.”