Pharmaceutical Research

We are engaged in drug discovery research in the field of autoimmune and musculoskeletal including pain as a priority area. For example, we focused on the potent stimulatory effect on bone turnover of human parathyroid hormone (human PTH) and were successful at selectively eliciting a stimulatory effect on bone formation alone to develop Teribone®, which currently contributes to the treatment of osteoporosis, which puts one at particularly high risk of bone fracture. Our passion for such drug discovery research is being passed down generations of our employees as the fruits of our many years of experience in research and development of such drugs as our Elcitonin® synthetic calcitonin derivative and our Bredinin® immunosuppressant, both world firsts. We are earnestly engaged in the discovery of therapeutic agents for autoimmune and musculoskeletal including pain diseases, and so forth with new mechanisms of action and high efficacy in order to address unmet needs and improve the quality of treatment of their diseases.

We were quick to undertake research and development of biologics, which now play a central role in the tide of innovative pharmaceutical products. We successfully developed gene cloning of human thrombomodulin, which is present in the membrane of endothelial cells and controls blood coagulation, and we were granted manufacturing and marketing approval in Japan for Recomodulin® as the world's first recombinant thrombomodulin product. Recomodulin® contributes to the treatment of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) associated with malignant tumors, infectious diseases, and so forth via a new mechanism of blood coagulation regulation. A clinical trial is currently underway on a global scale with a target indication of severe sepsis associated with coagulation abnormalities.

New drugs are borne from the desire to take on challenges and the creative thinking of each and every researcher against the backdrop of a free-spirited and challenging corporate culture. We establish clear and lofty goals to enhance the motivation of our researchers, forming project teams comprised of researchers from various fields with different cutting-edge technologies who can pursue their research with creative thinking without being put in a box and can interact and stimulate each other. In addition, we are actively promoting open innovation and taking on the challenge of discovering innovative new drugs hand in hand with researchers from both within and outside the company. Drug discovery research is carried out at our Pharmaceuticals Research Center in Izunokuni City, Shizuoka Prefecture. Consolidating our synthetic chemistry research division and pharmacological research division, and putting together a system in which product creation-related research can be undertaken in a consistent manner, has led to strengthening the ties between the wisdom and skills of our researchers and teams.