Research and Development Organization

Sumitomo Pharma has its research and development organization for accelerating the creation of innovative new drugs. In order to strongly boost the drug discovery research projects, we have applied a "Research Project-based Management System" by appointing Research Project Leaders and Research Project Directors in the Drug Research Division. The Research Project Leaders are, in principle, appointed by enthusiastic researchers who originate own research project, and are primarily responsible for leading the drug discovery of each research project. While the Research Project Directors provide advice on scientific aspects and project management for each research project as well as back-up support such as promoting cross-departmental collaborations, and play an important role for proposals on overall research project management and drug discovery research strategies from a holistic perspective of the Drug Research Division.
The Drug Research Division is working as one team to effectively maximize the research outcomes, advancing the drug discovery research projects and increasing the research success rate. The Research Project Leaders are taking the initiative in such research team efforts.
In the Regenerative Medicine/Cell Therapy Business, Sumitomo Pharma aims to create innovations through the research focusing on iPS cells, and taking advantage of leading-edge science and technology such as gene editing and organ regeneration, in the Regenerative & Cellular Medicine Kobe Center.

Product development research is headed up by three research facilities within the Technology Research & Development Division, i.e., Process Research & Development Laboratories for technology development of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), Formulation Research & Development Laboratories for technical development of drug product, and Analytical Research & Development Laboratories for analytical technology development of API and drug product. These facilities work together to advance research related to production methods and the quality of API and drug product in the process of development and application for approval of pharmaceuticals. The Technology Research and Development Division also maintains a system to enable the global supply of investigational drugs, including quality assurance.
In the Regenerative Medicine/Cell Therapy Business, Sumitomo Pharma conducts product development research of cell products and transplantation devices required for regenerative medicine in the Regenerative & Cellular Medicine Manufacturing Plant.

Clinical development activities are carried out through close collaboration among our development teams in the Drug Development Division in Japan, Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc. in the United States, and Sumitomo Pharma (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. in China. Sumitomo Pharma Group will strengthen seamless operation to promote clinical development in a speedier and more efficient manner.