Astellas Pharma will be inviting Japanese biotech startups to use its R&D lab as part of a government-backed acceleration program to help these companies “go global.”
Participating drug discovery startups will be able to access lab and office space at SakuLab-Tsukuba, an open-innovation laboratory located at Astellas' research center in Tsukuba, Japan. These biotechs will receive “support through consultations with Astellas experts in various fields” as well as be able to “accelerate their drug discovery research by leveraging networks with fellow residents and Astellas researchers,” according to a June 13 release.
The offer is the result of a memorandum of understanding signed by both Astellas and Japanese think tank Mitsubishi Research Institute (MRI) with the aim of “strengthen[ing] Japan's position as a global hub for drug discovery and foster the growth of its startups that can thrive globally.”
The project is backed by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's Medical Innovation Support Office (MEDISO), which is operated by the MRI and is keen to address the lack of practical application of Japan's advanced life sciences tech.
“Astellas Pharma is committed to growing and developing innovative ideas and technologies with academia and startups by providing knowledge and experience gained through research and our global network,” the company’s chief R&D officer Tadaaki Taniguchi, M.D., Ph.D., said in the release.
Hirofumi Suzuki, executive officer and general manager of the MRI’s Public Innovation Unit, said today’s agreement “will further strengthen and accelerate drug discovery research by Japanese startups, ultimately leading to the creation of innovative medical solutions.”
“We are pleased to partner with Astellas Pharma to support startups under the MEDISO initiative, and we are sure that this will be a groundbreaking step for Japan's drug discovery ecosystem,” Susuki added.