Kyowa Kirin to Establish State-of-the-Art Drug Discovery Research Hub

Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd. announced that it plans to create a state-of-the-art research hub, to further improve its capabilities in drug discovery. The plan is to integrate two existing sites, the Fuji Site (Fuji Research Park [FRP]; Research Park Head: Satoshi Saeki / CMC R&D Center; Center Head: Hideo Takashima, Nagaizumi-cho, Sunto-gun, Shizuoka) and Tokyo Research Park [TRP] (Research Park Head: Rinpei Niwa, Machida-shi, Tokyo), into a new integrated research hub at Yokohama Business Park (Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa; “YBP”). Specific conditions and the implementation schedule will be determined through further reviews with relevant stakeholders. Following the potential launch of the new research hub, Kyowa Kirin is considering the closure of both the Fuji Site and Tokyo Research Park.

The new integrated research hub represents one of multiple measures Kyowa Kirin is pursuing to enhance its drug discovery capabilities, building on the important role both research parks have played in Kyowa Kirin’s history of research and drug discovery. The new hub will build on the strengths, expertise, and research culture developed at these sites, while exploring a research framework suited to the next era. This effort is a part of the company’s growth story “Vision 2030 and Beyond”. 

“This integration of research sites is not simply a consolidation or relocation of facilities. It will be a strategic initiative to elevate Kyowa Kirin’s drug discovery capabilities to the next level in the global competitive landscape,” said Takeyoshi Yamashita, Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Kyowa Kirin. “Under our Vision 2030 and Beyond, we expect that closer integration of our research organization will significantly deepen collaboration across Drug Discovery, TR and CMC, thereby accelerating the research that leads to the creation of new medicines. By consolidating our research activities under an integrated research hub, we aim to create an environment where researchers can collaborate autonomously and across functions, strengthening our ability to continuously deliver life-changing value.”