Kyowa Kirin Starts collaboration in drug discovery technology with School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology An initiative to create innovative pharmaceuticals with neighborhood academia

Tokyo, Japan, April 27, 2023 -- Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd. (TSE: 4151, President and CEO: Masashi Miyamoto, “Kyowa Kirin”) announces that it reached an agreement of joint research and organizational collaboration with School of Life Science and Technology　(Dean: Susumu Kajiwara), Tokyo Institute of Technology (“Tokyo Tech”) in drug discovery technology. Under the agreement, Kyowa Kirin aims to achieve the discovery of innovative drugs originating from Japan by combining the outstanding technology seeds in School of Life Science and Technology of Tokyo Tech with Kyowa Kirin's own technology-driven drug discovery.

In recent years, science and technology are advancing rapidly, and the speed of its social implementation is accelerating in the pharmaceutical industry. This dynamic environment requires agile open innovation activities, and there is an rising demand for an ecosystem in which diverse stakeholders, such as academia, research institutes, and companies, engage in mutually collaborative efforts to continuously generate innovative solutions.

In this collaboration, faculty members in School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Tech will second to Kyowa Kirin's Tokyo Research Park (Machida, Tokyo) and conduct research activities under a cross-appointment system^*. By leveraging the geographical proximity of Tokyo Tech's Suzukakedai Campus (Yokohama, Kanagawa) and Kyowa Kirin's Tokyo Research Park, and fostering an ecosystem that promotes close collaboration and synergy between the two entities, academic and corporate researchers specialized in life science and technology are encouraged to engage in cross-cultural exchange, comprehend each other's perspectives, and generate novel ideas.

The Steering Committee, comprising representatives from School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Tech and Kyowa Kirin, will establish the basic policy for the collaboration, determine research projects, and evaluate the status of the collaboration. It is expected that this steering committee will help advance drug discovery research at Kyowa Kirin and the social implementation of knowledge in Tokyo Tech effectively and efficiently.

Susumu Kajiwara, Ph.D., Dean, School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Tech, said, "I hope that active discussions and exchange of information between industry and academia across diverse domains of life science, especially drug discovery, will lead to the creation of unexpected ideas. Moreover, I anticipate that the faculty members of Tokyo Tech will gain practical experience in the industry in Kyowa Kirin and broaden the scope of their research and development, thereby bringing about significant innovation in society in the future.

Yoshifumi Torii, Ph.D., Executive Officer, Vice President, Head of R&D Division at Kyowa Kirin, commented, “Collaborative research with academia is a key to Kyowa Kirin’s drug discovery concept. We believe more effective collaboration is necesary to achieve clear competitive advantages in our research activities. The Tokyo Institute of Technology's School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, which conducts top-class research activities in the life sciences fields, focuses on "life science" and "technology" and it has significant overlap with Kyowa Kirin's management philosophy. We are pleased to have the opportunity to demonstrate synergy in this area. We hope this alliance will build an ecosystem that will enable closer collaboration with academia and create life-changing value.”