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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).

Shunichi Takahashi

Bayer Yakuhin, Ltd.

Main specialty areas

  • medicines
  • regenerative medicine products

Specialized support fields

  • Marketing
  • Business planning
  • Funding
  • Business operation systems

After joining Mitsui Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., he worked at　Nihon Schering K.K., Berlex Biosciences (a US subsidiary of Schering AG). In 2007, he joined Bayer due to management integration. Over the past 15 years, he was in charge of exploring new projects and verifying concepts in drug discovery research, especially in the areas of cardiovascular systems, immunity, stem cell research, etc. Subsequently, he was in charge of the project management cardiovascular system area manager of development headquarters, the primary care manager of the medical affairs headquarters, and he has been in his current role since 2014 (Open Innovation Center director). He leads strategic partnerships and joint research with Japanese academies and venture companies. He is also verifying new pharmaceutical business models that take advantage of big data, AI, IoT, and others. In 2018, he launched the first venture incubation facility (CoLaboraotor Kobe) as a foreign-affiliated pharmaceutical company and is focusing on fostering ecosystems.

Katsuya Hashizume

Beyond Next Venutes Inc.

Main specialty areas

  • medical devices

Specialized support fields

  • Marketing
  • Business planning
  • Funding

For over 10 years, he has been consistently involved in investing in academia startups. Joined BNV in 2020, focusing on investments in startups in the medical device and digital health sectors. Appointed as an Executive Officer in August 2021. Leads the investment department while also overseeing the community management of portfolio companies. Prior to BNV, he has served as the leader of industry-academic investment group at JAFCO and the chief promoter of JST START. While investing in startups, he has been involved in the company creation of several acedemia startups, including Microwave Chemical (IPO), Biomedical Solutions (M&A) and Bly Medical (M&A). Completed graduate studies at the Keio University Graduate School of Media and Governance.

Kenji Harada

Director & Chief Venture Capitalist, Medical Incubator Japan K.K

Main specialty areas

  • medicines
  • regenerative medicine products

Specialized support fields

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

He graduated with a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, the University of Tokyo, and is an immunologist by training. He is also a licensed pharmacist and a licensed first-class radiation supervisor. After obtaining his doctorate, he performed a wide range of tasks from basic research to preclinical research as a team leader at Toray Basic Research Laboratories (currently Pharmaceutical Research Laboratories), during which he was developing anti-inflammatory and central nervous system drugs. Subsequently, he was involved in planning and promoting collaborative research with universities and making assessments of platform technologies and drug candidates of American and European biotech startup companies from the technological and intellectual aspects. Furthermore, he conducted GMP inspections in pharmaceutical products and medical device areas multiple times. After starting his career as a venture capitalist, he consistently invested in the biotech sector in the U.S. and Japan. He served as a board member in some of the investees of the U.S. and Japan. Since August 2020, He has expanded his investments into European countries at his current company. He is also engaged in several Japanese governmental projects supporting Japanese startups and research projects.

Kazuhiro Takekita

Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Vascular Regeneration and Podiatry, Associate Professor

Main specialty areas

  • regenerative medicine products

Specialized support fields

  • Regulatory compliance
  • Specialized support fields

He was involved in launching a project of regenerative medicine by using autologous skeletal muscle-derived cell sheets in the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University. Subsequently, he was involved in the evaluation of regenerative and biological devices at the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA). He performed several duties related to the Health Labour Sciences Research Grant, clinical study of human stem cells, and advanced medical care at the Research and Development Division, Health Policy Bureau, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. After that, he led the regenerative medical product evaluation unit as chief of the Office of Review for Regenerative Medical Product, PMDA. Also, he was involved in improving the legislation for regenerative medical products in the revision of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law in 2014. From August 2017, he has been serving as a specially appointed lecturer in the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, where he promotes projects to develop various products derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells.

Tamaki Nara

Lecturer, Medical Technology Innovation Center, Juntendo University
Director, Orbis Planning Co., Ltd.

Main specialty areas

  • medical devices

Specialized support fields

  • Regulatory compliance
  • Marketing
  • Business planning
  • Business operation systems

Master of Business Administration（MBA）. Field of expertise is innovation management. While working at a major precision equipment manufacturer, engaged in new business, product planning, and corporate planning. Mainly engaged in commercialization in the medical equipment and healthcare field (such as Medical IT), as well as the establishment and management of internal joint ventures. During this time, I became acutely aware of the great significance of building an appropriate collaborative development system between medical researchers and companies, and the necessity of a place for co-creation for both parties to work together. Since then, I have been involved in providing guidance on the implementation of research and development in the medical field and building plans for industry-academia collaboration, leveraging corporate technology and academia's knowledge at medical graduate schools and hospitals. Also have been supporting Start-ups mainly from academia.

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