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

厚生労働省

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.

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).

Tomoyo Mori

Fast Track Initiative, Inc. Capitalist

Main specialty areas

  • medical devices

Specialized support fields

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

Tomoyo obtained her medical license and began her career by engaging in training and clinical practice in medically underserved areas. She then joined the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital, where she treated patients with heart failure, heart transplants, and myocardial infarctions. At the university hospital, she also participated in clinical trials for medical device startups. In parallel with her clinical work, she was involved in domestic and international business development for medical device startups and led a team while participating in U.S.-based MedTech accelerators (MedTech Innovator, Fogarty Innovation). She holds an MBA from the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business and is a board-certified internist by the Japanese Medical Specialty Board as well as a certified occupational physician by the Japan Medical Association. Currently, she is part of Fast Track Initiative, where she focuses on investment, company creation, and business development for medical device startups.

Akihiko Watanabe, Ph.D.

President, GlobalHumanScienceInnovation; Senior Consultant, Headland Strategy Group; Visiting Professor, Gifu Pharmaceutical University; BD Consultant, United Immunity; Executive Advisor, SOKK Japan

Main specialty areas

  • medicines
  • regenerative medicine products

Specialized support fields

  • Marketing
  • Business planning
  • Funding
  • Business operation systems

With R&D expertise atJapanese and global pharmaceutical companies as a backbone, he has been engaged in marketing, BD, management planning and fundraising, in addition to R&D. In the Editorial Committee of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, he organized roundtable discussions and special issues on practical application of academia seeds. He has been thinking about how Japanese bio-ventures can succeed. Over the past five years, he has worked at bio-venture companies as CBO or VP of BD and open innovation. He is also engaged in the making and analysing stratetgies of management, business, R&D, and marketing for pharmaceutical companies and bio-ventures on commission from a US consulting firm.

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.

Tomoko Maeda-Chubachi

TMC Clinical Development Consulting, Inc, President; The Institute of Drug Development Career Promotion, Founding Director; Japan Alliance of Medical School Startups, Director

Main specialty areas

  • medicines

Specialized support fields

  • Regulatory compliance
  • Business planning
  • Business operation systems
  • Etc

Dr. Maeda-Chubachi is an advisor and consultant for pharmaceutical and biotech companies and was the Chief Medical Officer at Pelthos Therapeutics (previously Novan), leading First-in-Human to launch preparation. Tomoko is known for her expertise in drug development with over 20 years industry experience. She has led clinical and medical affairs in large pharma as well as a small biotech. She led global drug development teams, resulting in 8 approvals in multiple regions, including Xalatan, Xeljanz, Taltz, Vtama, and Zelsuvmi. Tomoko has broad knowledge of drug development, of which process is highly regulated and need thorough risk assessment, management, and control. As a Chief Medical Officer, she worked closely with the CEO and board about the strategy and governance.

Saaya Hirai

Globizz Corp. Senior Manager

Main specialty areas

  • medicines
  • medical devices
  • regenerative medicine products

Specialized support fields

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

After graduating from a university in Taiwan, she began her career at Globizz Japan as a Business Planning Specialist. In this role, she developed proposals for Japanese companies seeking entry into the U.S. market and provided support for FDA compliance, including assistance with Quality Management System (QMS) development for medical device manufacturing facilities and FDA inspection readiness. She later transitioned to Globizz Corp., the U.S. headquarters of Globizz Japan, where she currently coordinates FDA submission projects and conducts regulatory research and registration activities. In addition, she supports Japanese companies in expanding their presence in the U.S. medical device market by accompanying them to major industry exhibitions, assisting with trade show participation, and joining business meetings to facilitate market development. Leveraging her proficiency in English, Japanese, and Chinese, she plays a key role as a bridge in international projects. Her support experience includes FDA submission strategy development, 510(k) submissions, Breakthrough Device designation requests, U.S. KOL interviews, reimbursement strategy support, and assistance with establishing U.S. corporate entities.

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