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

Yoshimi Naruo

Orizuru Therapeuics, Inc. Associate Director, IP&Legal Ph.D., Patent attorney

Education: Ph.D. in Bioinformatics/Systems Biology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University. Conducted research in systems biology at RIKEN for 3 years (student internship). Experience: 5 years of experience in drug regulatory affairs at an originator pharmaceutical company, followed by 2 years as an in-house IP specialist handling invalidation and infringement matters at a generic pharmaceutical company. Patent prosecution primarily in the fields of pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and food at an IP law firm. Fulfilling a long-held aspiration to join a startup, she took on the role of Vice President of Legal IP & Strategy at Splink, Inc., where she contributed to winning the Grand Prix at the 3rd IP BASE AWARD hosted by the Japan Patent Office and the 2022 WIPO Global Awards hosted by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Currently, she is responsible for intellectual property and legal affairs at Orizuru Therapeutics, Inc., a company aiming to commercialize regenerative medicine derived from iPS cells. She leads the formulation of IP strategies and the development of an IP portfolio. Her strength lies in creating IP strategies with a focus on pharmaceutical regulatory affairs, and she strives to provide practical advice in the face of limited resources and uncertainties surrounding technology and commercialization.

Taku Seriu

Seriu Medical Consulting Ltd. CEO
APCER Life Sciences. Senior Advisor to the Board
The Institute of Drug Development Career Promotion. Representative Director

A physician and Doctor of Medical Science, he began his career as an internist before leading clinical leukemia research at the Universities of Ulm and Heidelberg in Germany. After returning to Japan, he took on leadership roles including Head of Clinical Development at Nihon Schering, Executive Officer at Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Executive Vice President and Board Member at Otsuka Pharmaceutical, where he oversaw drug development, medical affairs, regulatory affairs, pharmacovigilance, and quality assurance.
He has led the development, approval, and post-marketing activities of more than 50 therapeutics and diagnostics across oncology, neuroscience, cardiovascular and renal diseases, infectious diseases, and rare diseases, contributing to global launches and appropriate-use initiatives.
He currently serves as President of Seriu Medical Consulting and Senior Advisor at APCER Life Sciences, supporting R&D strategy, safety and risk management, organizational development, and new business planning. He also advises startups on development strategy, TPP creation, and fundraising pitch preparation, and has a strong track record in post-acquisition organizational integration, aligning cultures, talent, and processes. He teaches pharmaceutical medicine at several universities and is an editor and contributing author of Introduction to Pharmaceutical Medicine, the first textbook of its kind published in Japan. He continues to practice clinical medicine and remains committed to supporting those driving pharmaceutical innovation in Japan, guided by the principle: “Learn Together, Grow Together.”

Tomokazu Ichikawa

Director, TM Research and Investments Pte. Ltd.

Leveraged cross-functional expertise in business strategy and legal to work on strategy development, M&A, and investments in the medical device sector. Practiced law at Nagashima, Ohno and Tsunematsu, handling M&A and other corporate matters. Worked for McKinsey & Company and Hoya Corporation. Completed several acquisitions and investments in the US and Europe in the medical device business. Experienced managing a healthcare service operator in India. Currently, helping AI Medical Service, an artificial intelligence software startup for endoscope and CUC, a healthcare service provision related company. Spent more than 10 years in Singapore and familiar with business in Southeast Asian countries. Graduated from Waseda University, London Business School's Masters in Finance, and Cambridge's MBA. Attorney at law admitted in Japan.

Shunichi Takahashi

Bayer Yakuhin, Ltd.

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.

Masaho Ishino

After engaging in medical research for 25 years, I became a patent attorney (JAPAN). Over the next 20 years, I have supported medical researchers in creating intellectual property and planning research strategies, as well as engaged in contract practice and technology transfer of university IP. Intellectual property strategies for regenerative medicine and other new modalities require not only a high level of expertise in both cutting-edge medical research and intellectual property rights, but also comprehensive knowledge covering clinical development and regulations. Utilizing my experience of contributing to the development research and practical application of university-originated seeds as a representative of an institution responsible for the AMED's Project of Translational and Clinical Research Core Centers and an organizer of nationwide academia intellectual property networks, I aim to contribute to raising the potential of intellectual property of academia/venture.