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MEDISOA comprehensive portal site for Medical Innovation Support Office (MEDISO).Medical Innovation Support Office

厚生労働省

Knowledgeable experts support
the practical application of medicines,
medical devices,
and regenerative medicinal products.

What is MEDISO

MEDISO provides support for business ventures, academia,
and individuals intending to put into practical use medicines,
medical devices, and regenerative medicinal products.
Click here for further details.

About the Medical Innovation Support Office

The medical innovation support office matches medical venture companies and academic institutions facing challenges in the practical application of medical products and devices for specialists* who provide detailed consultation and support for solving problems at each stage from research and development to practical use, as well as insurance coverage at clinical sites, while looking ahead to the overall comprehensive advances and dissemination into the global market.
* Specialists in each field provide support for the response to laws and regulations, marketing, business planning, fund rasing, management strategy, intellectual property management, and international development, etc.

This website is operated by Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc., as a trustee under instructions from the Economic Affairs Division, Health Policy Bureau, and Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as a part of the total support for the medical ventures program sponsored by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

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Support targets

Ventures, academic institutions, and individuals aiming to put into practical use the medicines, medical devices, regenerative medicinal products, and novel drug-discovery technologies or medical materials subject to the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Law.

Details of support

MEDISO provides support for the practical application of medicines, medical devices, regenerative medicinal products, and other products subject to the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Law.
That support includes business planning, financing, advice on laws and regulations, and other assistance as required.

Click here for inquiries

In case the link does not work, please contact us at the email address below
mediso@ml.mri.co.jp

Specialists Introduction

We will introduce registered specialists
(updated as necessary).

Chia-Feng Lu

Shareholder(Senior Partner), Greenberg Traurig, LLP

Main specialty areas

  • medicines
  • medical devices
  • regenerative medicine products

Specialized support fields

  • Regulatory compliance
  • Business planning
  • Funding
  • Business operation systems
  • Specialized support fields

Chia-Feng Lu represents life sciences companies and industry associations in strategic regulatory and legislative worldwide to guide and develop new legislation and policy, to frame effective approaches to working with the various agencies on compliance and investigation issues. He has intensive experience in provision of the guidance to companies introducing novel technology products, such as AI, block chain, 3D-printing, cancer immunotherapy, digital health, cell / gene therapy, precision medicine-related products and services, RNAi drug, as well as SMART device. In his past experience, he has already assisted companies in translating the scientific ideas from Nobel Laureates into the successful commercial launch of at least two products. In addition, he advises investment banks, private equity firms, and venture capital groups on their evaluations of the technologies, deal structures, and the resulting business impacts, as well as regulatory uncertainty with respect to novel technology and compliance. He specializes in various issues in connection with biotech investors or life sciences companies’ research & development strategy, portfolio management, corporate strategy planning, partnerships, licensing, project finance, auction, investment, and M&A. He has also served as an adjunct faculty member of a number of leading academic institutions in the U.S. and Japan, and an advisor to numerous government agencies.

Akihiko Okuno

SK Intellectual Property Law Firm (SKIP) Managing Partner
SCM BioMedica Co., Ltd. Co-Founder

Main specialty areas

  • medicines
  • medical devices
  • regenerative medicine products

Specialized support fields

  • Specialized support fields

Master's degree in Cell Structure Research, Department of Applied Bioengineering, Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, Japanese Patent Attorney, Information Security Administrator, and JPAA Intellectual Property Management Consultant certification. As a FoundX supporter of the University of Tokyo,　He supports the intellectual property strategies of many IT and bio-related startups. He specializes in supporting the planning of intellectual property strategies in a variety of fields including biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices. In addition, together with Dr. Yoshimasa Tanaka of Nagasaki University (a genius researcher who developed Opdivo with annual sales of over 1 trillion yen together with Dr. Tasuku Honjo, winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology), he established SCM Biomedica Co., Ltd. He co-founded the company and is currently trying to manage his own drug discovery startup.

Nobutaka Tani

Chair Person, Nonprofit Organization Japan Organoid Repository
Independent Consultant (New Business in Life Sciences)

Main specialty areas

  • medical devices
  • regenerative medicine products

Specialized support fields

  • Regulatory compliance
  • Business planning
  • Business operation systems
  • Specialized support fields

He graduated with a master’s degree from the Department of Synthetic Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo. He led the research and development and the launching new project for medical devices, including blood purification system and brain and heart catheters, at Kaneka Corporation. After that, he was involved in RD of the whole life science, including biopharmaceuticals, as the head of the Life Science RD Center, while investing in medical venture companies such as DDS and establishing joint ventures. He then moved to JSR Corporation and established JSR Life Sciences. He led the launch of the life science project for M&A as the first president since JSR Life Sciences was established. As a part of open innovation, he established a CVC and invested in or acquired venture companies in Japan and overseas, while successively holding the positions of president of the invested companies.

Tetsuomi Takano

t2T Healthcare Inc. CEO／Drug R&D Expert Editor-in-Chief

Main specialty areas

  • medicines
  • regenerative medicine products

Specialized support fields

  • Regulatory compliance
  • Marketing
  • Business operation systems
  • Etc

Tetsuomi Takano possesses over 33 years of clinical development experience spanning multiple therapeutic areas. He has accumulated extensive expertise in development strategy, project management, clinical development, regulatory intelligence, and regulatory affairs across Asian countries and regions including Japan and China. He previously held key positions in the clinical development departments at Astellas Pharma, overseeing processes from IND applications for first-in-human studies to NDA approvals in Asian countries and regions. A graduate of Tokyo University of Science's Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and a RPh, his career began in 1986 at Astellas, where he worked for 31 years till 2017. After working as Senior Strategy Director, Strategy & Planning at Covance (currently Fortrea) from 2017 to 2023, he founded t2T Healthcare Inc. in October 2023. The company is dedicated to providing clients with efficient and distinctive strategic solutions to facilitate operational implementation, clinical development, and IND/NDA programs across the Asia-Pacific region. Additionally, he serves as a member of the PMDA China Expert Committee since 2020 and co-founded the web journal “Drug R&D Expert” in 2021, where he holds the positions of Editor-in-Chief and primary author.

Masanori Sato

ReachMed Partners LLC President

Main specialty areas

  • medicines
  • regenerative medicine products

Specialized support fields

  • Marketing
  • Business planning
  • Funding
  • Business operation systems
  • Etc

Masanori has extensive experience in pharmaceutical R&D, alliance management, and business development. Their career evolved into leadership roles in global product launches, strategic licensing, and early-stage clinical development, particularly in antiviral therapeutics at a R&D focused pharmaceutical division of a leading Japanese conglomerate. Later, as head of the business development department, they managed global licensing agreements and partnerships with major pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. and Europe for multiple in-house pipeline assets. Since 2016, they have held leadership roles in alliance management and business development at leading U.S. biotech and European pharmaceutical companies, focusing on partnerships with Japanese firms, contract negotiations, and search & evaluation of external technologies/assets across Japan and the Asia-Pacific region. From 2021, they joined a top Japanese pharmaceutical company, where they led open innovation initiatives, incubation of internal and external seed assets, and support for venture investments. During this time, they also served as a board member for a portfolio biotech companies. In March 2025, they founded their own company, leveraging their broad expertise and network to support Japanese biotech startups and assist international startups into Japan. They hold national license for Small and Medium Enterprise Management Consultant, among others.

About details of specialists

Introduction of measures implemented by public institutions

We will describe the measures from public institutions for pharmaceutical companies,
medical device companies, companies manufacturing regenerative medicinal products, and venture companies.

See more about measures implemented by public institutions