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Article History

Received: 2 May 2018

Accepted: 3 July 2018

First Online: 11 July 2018

Compliance with ethical standards

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: Masafumi Ikeda has received research grants from Bayer Yakuhin, Kyowa Hakko Kirin, Yakult Honsha, Taiho Pharmaceutical, Eli Lilly Japan, Ono Pharmaceutical, Eisai, AstraZeneca, Zeria Pharmaceutical, Baxalta Japan Limited, Chugai Pharmaceutical, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck Serono, Kowa, Nano Carrier, ASLAN Pharmaceuticals, Novartis Pharma, and Takara Bio. He has also received honoraria from Novartis Pharma, Bayer Yakuhin, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Abbott Japan, Eisai, Taiho Pharmaceutical, Eli Lilly Japan, Daiichi-Sankyo, Yakult Honsha, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Nobelpharma, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma, and Teijin Pharma. Furthermore, he has received consulting fees from Nano Carrier, Bayer Yakuhin, Eisai, Kyowa Hakko Kirin, Novartis Pharma, Shire, MSD, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Teijin Pharma, and Daiichi-Sankyo. Izumi Ohno has received a consulting fee from Merck Serono. Hideki Ueno has received research grants from Taiho, Eli Lilly, Nano Carrier, Baxalta, and Yakult Honsha, as well as honoraria from Taiho, Chugai, and Yakult Honsha. Shuichi Mitsunaga has received research grants from Bayer Yakuhin, Chugai Pharmaceutical, Merck Serono, ASLAN Pharmaceuticals, TORAY, Ono Pharmaceutical, and Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma, as well as honoraria from Ono Pharmaceutical and TORAY. Yusuke Hashimoto has received research grants from Taiho Pharmaceutical and Takara Bio Company. He has also received honoraria from Taiho Pharmaceutical, Boston Scientific, and Olympus Medical, as well as travel accommodation from Taiho Pharmaceutical and a consulting fee from Medicos Hirata. Takuji Okusaka has received research grants from Eli Lilly Japan, Eisai, Novartis Pharma, Yakult Honsha, Taiho Pharmaceutical, Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim, Kowa Company, Kyowa Hakko Kirin, Merck Serono, Ono Pharmaceutical, Bayer Yakuhin, Pfizer Japan, AstraZeneca, Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma, Nobelpharma, Zeria Pharmaceutical, Glaxo Smith Kline, Shizuoka Industry, Nano Carrier, Baxter, and Chugai Pharmaceutical. He has also received honoraria from Novartis Pharma, Taiho Pharmaceutical, Merck Serono, Eli Lilly Japan, Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma, Bayer Yakuhin, Yakult Honsha, Nobelpharma, Nippon Kayaku, Baxter, FUJIFILM RI Pharma, AstraZeneca, Ono Pharmaceutical, EA Pharma, Nippon Chemiphar, Celgene, and Chugai Pharmaceutical. Furthermore, he has received consulting fees from Eli Lilly Japan, Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma, Taiho Pharmaceutical, Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim, Zeria Pharmaceutical, and Daiichi Sankyo. Hideaki Takahashi has received research grants from Bayer Pharmaceutical and Bristol-Myers Squibb, as well as honoraria from Taiho Pharmaceutical and travel accommodation from Pfizer Inc. Rina Hara, Shingo Kobayashi, and Osamu Nakamura are employees of Yakult Honsha. Rina Hara also owns stock in Yakult Honsha. Chigusa Morizane has received research grants from GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Nobelpharma, Eisai, Yakult Honsha, Ono Pharmaceutical, and Taiho Pharmaceutical. He has also received honoraria from Pfizer, Novartis, Yakult Honsha, Lilly, Nobelpharma, and Fujifilm. Furthermore, he has received consulting fees from AstraZeneca, Yakult Honsha, Novartis, and Taiho Pharmaceutical. No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed by the other authors.

: This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors. All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.