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.
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.
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).
Akiyo Inoko Hewett
Attorney, Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP
Main specialty areas
- medicines
- medical devices
- regenerative medicine products
Specialized support fields
- Regulatory compliance
- Business planning
- Funding
- Business operation systems
- Specialized support fields
Akiyo Inoko Hewett is a bilingual and double-licensed attorney based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. She graduated from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies and earned her J.D. at Keio Law School. After passing the Japanese bar exam and completing her legal training in Kushiro, Hokkaido, Akiyo relocated to the United States. She earned an LL.M. from Emory University School of Law in Atlanta, Georgia. Currently, Akiyo serves as an attorney at Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP, where she provides legal services to Japanese companies doing business in the United States and supports clients across a broad range of corporate matters. Her practice areas include international and domestic commercial transactions, regulartory compliance, healthcare law, and immigration law.

Shin-ichi Kamachi
CRO-K Co.,Ltd
Main specialty areas
- medicines
- regenerative medicine products
Specialized support fields
- Regulatory compliance
- Business planning
- Business operation systems
Completed doctoral course at Kyushu University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences. After joining Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Research Institute in 1977, he worked consistently on pharmaceutical research and development. He has experience in approving one small molecule drug and four biopharmaceuticals. He also has the experience of being the first Japanese company to recommend approval for a central review of EMA. He took early retirement in 2004 and mainly assists with biopharmaceutical CMC and non-clinical testing. After establishing the Japanese branch of an American biopharmaceutical consulting company (Biologic Consulting Group, BCG), he currently serves as a senior consultant for CLOCK Co., Ltd., providing support and advice on the development of biopharmaceuticals.

Hiroya Kuwahara
Department of Neurology and Neurological Science / Institute of Innovation Advancement
Tokyo Medical and Dental University
Main specialty areas
- medicines
- medical devices
- regenerative medicine products
Specialized support fields
- Marketing
- Business operation systems
M.D. (graduated from Tokyo Medical and Dental University), and Ph.D. (completed doctral course at Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University). Specialist and Attending Neurologist of the Japanese Society of Neurology, and Fellow and Board Certified Member of the Japanese Society of Internal Medicine. He is engaged in 1) clinical practice, research, and education in neurology, 2) research and development of fudamental technologies for drug discovery (especialy nucleic acid drugs and drug delivery system), 3) promotion of clinical research and industry-academia collaboration, at Tokyo Medical and Dental University. He has a career of a Deputy Director at Research and Development Division, Health Policy Bureau, at the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare from 2018 to 2019, and was involved in establishing a nationwide system for promoting clinical research and accelerating venture companies in the healthcare field. He provides consultations on the needs of clinical practice, on collaborative research and field provision in relation to project implementation, and on clinical research and development.

Aiko Kato Sullenberger
RykoTECH President
Main specialty areas
- medicines
- medical devices
- regenerative medicine products
Specialized support fields
- Marketing
- Business planning
- Funding
- Business operation systems
Aiko Kato Sullenberger, CEO of RykoTECH, a significant contributor within the Boston startupecosystem for several years, brings a wealth of experience in various roles, spanning investor,startup, and accelerator. She provides specialized advisory services comprehensive strategicconsultation and facilitation of market entry into the US across diverse sectors, including drugdiscovery, medical devices, digital health, digital therapeutics and biotech. Aiko can help • Fundraising • Strategic Partnership Development • Create Deal Flow (Connecting with Potential Investors) • Identifying Partners and Advisors • Assistance in Facilitating Clinical Trials • Corporate Strategy: Investment Thesis, Portfolio Analysis • Market / Trend Research & Analysis • Go-to-Market Strategy • Academic Business Liaison: Interdisciplinary Project Lead • Cross-Functional Team Building

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