A comprehensive portal site for Medical Innovation Support Office (MEDISO).
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.
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.
- ●Support method：We provide support via online meeting or e-mail.
- ●Support source：Support is provided in cooperation with experts in R&D, consultants in pharmaceutical affairs, and experts from related organizations including the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
- ●Remarks：Consultation and support services are free of charge.
Click here for inquiriesIn 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).
Hidehiro Ando
President & Representative, Andy Pharma Partners Inc.
Main specialty areas
- medicines
- medical devices
- regenerative medicine products
Specialized support fields
- Marketing
- Funding
- Business operation systems
He graduated from the Department of Veterinary Medical Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tokyo. He joined Tanabe Pharma Corporation (present Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation). After being assigned to the research department of pharmacokinetics, he was involved in partnership-related business of international development department, research and development planning department, etc., including establishment of a joint venture with overseas companies. Subsequently, he worked in the technology transfer department of RIKEN (Institute of Physical and Chemical Research), a regenerative medicine venture, Bayer Yakuhin, a drug discovery venture, and he established a personal office. He has engaged in business development and licensing work for 40 years, and now, based on his experience and networks, he is supporting business development activities, such as licensing agreements and joint research of domestic and foreign pharmaceutical companies/ventures. He provides comprehensive support services ranging from looking for appropriate partners, preparing the draft of contract outline, contract negotiation, and alliance management with partners after the partnership agreement. Especially, based on experience of practicing on both sides of venture and pharmaceutical companies, he keeps in mind providing informative advice and proposals for specific action plans.
Kazuhiro Terashima
CaTe inc. CEO
Fujita Health University, Department of Cardiology, Assistant Professor
Main specialty areas
- medical devices
Specialized support fields
- Business planning
- Funding
- Business operation systems
- Etc
Cardiologist, Fellow of Cardiovascular Intervention and Therapeutics, Registered Cardiac Rehabilitation Instructor, Certified Occupational Health Physician and Clinical Education Instructor. He graduated from Nagoya University School of Medicine in 2011. After working at the Japanese Red Cross Aichi Medical Center, Nagoya Daiichi Hospital, Sakakibara Memorial Hospital and other institutions, he joined Fujita Health University in 2023 as Assistant Professor of Cardiology and CCU Instructor. In 2020, he founded CaTe Inc. to research and develop programmed medical devices for cardiac rehabilitation, and to conduct clinical research and company-led clinical trials of such devices. He is currently the principal investigator for basic research on the Exercise Load Optimization function, a promising technology seed. In 2023 he closed Series A funding with JAFCO etc. as lead investor. While continuing his clinical work, he serves as CEO of the company and advises and supports other clinicians in the social implementation of clinical technology seeds.
Yutaka Tomioka
Project Researcher, Department for the Promotion of Medical Device Innovation, National Cancer Center Hospital East.
Chief Regulatory Scientist, ayumo Inc.
Chief Development Officer / Director, Atransen Technologies, Inc.
Main specialty areas
- medical devices
Specialized support fields
- Regulatory compliance
- Business operation systems
Ph.D. (Engineering). I began my career at the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA), where I worked in medical device review and reliability inspection (reliability standards compliance inspections and on-site GCP inspections for medical devices). My responsibilities included the approval review, consultation services, and reliability inspections for a wide range of medical devices, including novel medical devices. Drawing on my 10 years of experience at the regulatory authority, I moved to National Cancer Center Hospital East in July 2019 to support the development of medical devices originating in Japan. At National Cancer Center Hospital East, I supported medical device development led by both academic institutions and companies. I left my full-time position at National Cancer Center Hospital East at the end of 2025, and joined ayumo Inc. in January 2026 (current position), where I lead the regulatory affairs team.I also joined Atransen Technologies, Inc. in May 2026 (current position). I currently hold part-time positions at National Cancer Center Hospital East, Yokohama City University, and the National Defense Medical College, while also supporting a number of startups, pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, academic institutions, and small manufacturing workshops (machi-koba) in Ota Ward, Tokyo.
Saho Murakami
VISIONEO LLC CEO
Main specialty areas
- medicines
- medical devices
- regenerative medicine products
Specialized support fields
- Regulatory compliance
- Business planning
- Funding
- Business operation systems
After gaining clinical experience as an ophthalmologist, I served at the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA), where I was responsible for reviewing and providing consultations on pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and regenerative medical products in the fields of CNS, sensory organs, and anesthesiology. My work included designation reviews for Sakigake (pioneering) and orphan drugs, as well as post-marketing safety activities. Currently, I support business and clinical development across the healthcare and life sciences sectors, offering strategic and R&D advisory services to major corporations, startups, and venture capital firms.
Kenichi Yamahara
Professor at the Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Institute for Advanced Medical Sciences, Hyogo Medical University
Representative Director of CTEX Co., Ltd.
Main specialty areas
- medical devices
- regenerative medicine products
Specialized support fields
- Regulatory compliance
- Marketing
- Business planning
- Business operation systems
- Specialized support fields
From the time of a former position at the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, he planned and implemented the formulation of the amnion-derived mesenchymal stem cells and investigator-initiated clinical trials for acute grafts versus host disease/Crohn's disease under the support by Health and Labour Sciences Research Grants/AMED. He often had PMDA consultations on the products of regenerative medicine and acquired knowledge of laws and regulations. Taking advantage of the experience, he founded a venture, Japan Biomedical Co., Ltd., which manufactures the domestic bovine serum NeoSERA® for the products of regenerative medicine by satisfying the standards for biological materials in January 2017. Furthermore, in order to aggressively develop investigator-initiated clinical trials of cell therapy making use of university hospital infrastructures, he founded a venture, CTEX Co., Ltd., from Hyogo Medical University in February 2018. Recently, he participated as a medical expert in the company developing the regenerative medical product and is a principal investigator for investigator-initiated clinical trials for the development of cell therapy in the medical device category (adopted by AMED). Currently, he is working on the practice of cell therapy development initiated at the university hospital while concurrently serving in the basic and clinical departments of Hyogo Medical University.
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.
- The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare／
- Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA)／
- Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)／
- Cabinet Office／
- Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry／
- Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications／
- Small and Medium Enterprise Agency／
- Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, Japan／
- Union of Kansai Governments／
- New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)／
- Life Science Innovation Network Japan, Inc. (LINK-J)／
- Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)／
- Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)／
- INCJ, Ltd.／
- Osaka Prefecture／
- Tokyo Metropolis／
- Kanagawa Prefecture／
- National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition (NIBIOHN)
