Print（PDF/112KB） Apr. 09, 2021 Sustainability

Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Receives the "Intellectual Property Achievement Awards" for the First Time

Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Osaka, Japan; Representative Director, President and CEO: Hiroshi Nomura) announced today that it has received the "Award for Excellent Corporation Utilizing the Intellectual Property Rights System (Open Innovation Promotor)" from the Commissioner of the Japan Patent Office (JPO), as part of the FY2021 "Intellectual Property Achievement Awards," which is jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the JPO.

The METI and the JPO commend individuals who have contributed to the development and dissemination of the intellectual property rights system and raised awareness thereof and corporations that have most effectively taken advantage of the intellectual property rights system.

<Reasons for the commendation>
■ In 2014, with future sustained growth in mind, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma established the External Innovation Development Office (currently renamed to External Innovation) in order to further promote and reinforce in-licensing and alliances as well as in-house drug discovery. Thus, the Company has been promoting in-licensing of compounds and partnership in early-stage clinical studies. In 2015, the Company launched an open innovation program called the Partnership to Realize Innovative Seeds and Medicines (PRISM^*) to invite original ideas that match its early-stage drug discovery research needs. So far, a total of 28 ideas have been adopted.
^*For details of PRISM, visit https://www.sumitomo-pharma.co.jp/prism/. (in Japanese only)

■ The Company is active in the Regenerative Medicine / Cell Therapy business, with a focus on medical applications of iPS cells as its unique growth model, thus continuously developing and creating technologies to stably and efficiently manufacture high quality cell therapy products. At the same time, the Company utilizes the patent and know-how administration system to protect its technologies for stably supplying cells used for research, development, and commercial purposes.

■ The Company is committed to establishing win-win alliances with its alliance partners (universities, public testing and research organizations, startups, etc.) or partner researchers while coordinating their opinions and intentions and has an impressive track record on intellectual property rights alliances.

As a pharmaceutical company, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma considers the active management of intellectual property to be an essential part of its business strategy. Our basic policy is to develop our own robust intellectual portfolio, while at the same time respecting the intellectual property rights of others.

For the betterment of healthcare and fuller lives of people worldwide, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma will continue to promote research collaborations with parties inside and outside Japan, including universities, research institutions and biotech companies with innovative technologies. We also aim to continuously create excellent pharmaceutical agents by making full use of the latest science and technology.

(Reference information)

About the "Intellectual Property Achievement Awards"
Every year, the METI and the JPO confer the "Award for Contributor Concerning the Intellectual Property Rights System" to individuals who have contributed to the development and dissemination of the intellectual property rights system as well as raised awareness thereof, and the "Award for Excellent Corporation Utilizing the Intellectual Property Rights System" to corporations that have most effectively taken advantage of the intellectual property rights system and contributed to its smooth operation and development, in the name of the METI Minister and the Commissioner of the JPO. Both awards are collectively referred to as the "Intellectual Property Achievement Awards."