Astellas Pharma, Ono Pharmaceutical, and Maruho
Part of the Eco-Bridge Project
The Korea Technology and Information Promotion Agency for SMEs (Gijeongwon) announced on the 27th that it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for joint research and development and commercialization cooperation with Astellas Pharma, Ono Pharmaceutical, and Maruho, leading global Japanese pharmaceutical companies, at the Andaz Tokyo hotel in Tokyo, Japan.
At the "Korea-Japan Pharmaceutical & Bio Global R&D MOU Signing Ceremony" held on the 26th at the Andaz Hotel in Tokyo, Japan, Gijeongwon Director Kim Youngshin (left) and Astellas Vice President Fujita Shuei are posing for a commemorative photo. Photo by Gijeongwon
Astellas Pharma is a global pharmaceutical company launched in 2005 through the merger of Yamanouchi Pharmaceutical and Fujisawa Pharmaceutical. It has numerous blockbuster innovative drugs, including the prostate cancer treatment XTANDI and the urothelial cancer treatment PADCEV. In particular, by operating SakuLab, an open innovation hub, it is regarded as an open, research-driven company that actively promotes joint research with external biotech firms.
Ono Pharmaceutical, founded in 1717, is a pharmaceutical company that has led the global anticancer treatment paradigm through the development of immuno-oncology drugs. Recently, it has also been expanding cooperation with Korean companies, including conducting follow-up research after receiving technology transfers from domestic biotech companies such as LegoChem Biosciences and Nexi.
Maruho is one of Japan's leading dermatology-focused pharmaceutical companies, specializing in the development of treatments for skin diseases and immune disorders. Recently, it has been strengthening strategic cooperation with Korean biotech firms by conducting follow-up research after receiving candidate substances for allergy treatments and other assets from Korea's GI Innovation.
This agreement was pursued as part of the Eco-Bridge project, a global-collaboration-type R&D program promoted this year by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, with the aim of enhancing new drug development capabilities at domestic small and medium-sized pharma-bio companies and expanding global commercialization cooperation.
Since signing a business cooperation agreement with Shonan iPark in Japan in November 2023, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups has continued to promote Korea-Japan bio cooperation every year. In this process, as joint research demand and technological complementarity between companies in both countries were identified, cooperation with these three global pharmaceutical companies was realized to give concrete form to that potential.
Leveraging this cooperation with the three Japanese global pharmaceutical companies, Gijeongwon plans to support domestic small and medium-sized pharma-bio companies so that they can make a full-fledged entry into the global new drug development ecosystem through joint R&D, technology transfer, and subsequent joint clinical trials.
Gijeongwon expects that this agreement will lead to early commercialization outcomes such as technology transfer, strengthen local networks and regulatory response capabilities needed to enter the Japanese and global markets, and at the same time serve as an opportunity to build a sustainable open-innovation cooperation platform between the Korean and Japanese pharma-bio industries.
Director Kim Youngshin said, "This agreement is highly meaningful in that it has established a strategic cooperation platform with Japan's leading research-driven pharmaceutical companies," adding, "We will strengthen policy support so that domestic small and medium-sized pharma-bio companies can make a full-fledged entry into the global open-innovation ecosystem and take on the world market through joint R&D."
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