Daiichi Sankyo : to Facilitate New Drug Discovery in 2017 through Collaborative Research and Grants

For Immediate Release

2017.03.23

Company name: DAIICHI SANKYO COMPANY, LIMITED
Representative: George Nakayama, Representative Director, President and CEO
(Code no.: 4568, First Section, Tokyo Stock Exchange)
Please address inquiries to Noriaki Ishida, Executive Officer,
Vice President, Corporate Communications Department
Telephone: +81-3-6225-1126
http://www.daiichisankyo.com

Daiichi Sankyo to Facilitate New Drug Discovery in 2017 through Collaborative Research and Grants

TOKYO, Japan (March 23, 2017) - Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (hereafter, Daiichi Sankyo) today announced its TaNeDS (Take a New challenge for Drug diScovery) collaborative drug discovery project for 2017. The company will select research partners for the project from among researchers based in Japan.

1. Background

Daiichi Sankyo has operated the collaborative research and grant program TaNeDS since 2011 as one aspect of open-innovation, conducting drug discovery research with domestic academic researchers. Since 2013, Daiichi Sankyo has expanded the scope of the program and sought drug discovery research possibilities overseas as well.

In 2017, Daiichi Sankyo will implement the program again with the aim of increasing collaborative opportunities with researchers in Japan.

2. Overview of TaNeDS

(1) Multi-entrance

The TaNeDS project will accept entries for a range of themes, including exploratory research, collaborative research, early-stage drug discovery and concepts for inventions. Themes covering all stages, from the initial phase of research to practical use, will be accepted. In order to attract a variety of entries, both individual researchers and groups will be welcomed.

(2) Multi-exit

To efficiently realize practical uses from research results, a number of outcomes are foreseen, including further investigations into discovered results, collaborative research and technical research on drug creation, and utilization of OiDE projects* aimed at fostering intellectual property or technologies from a business viewpoint.

* Open innovation projects funded by the OiDE fund (Open innovation for the Development of Emerging technologies, which is managed by Mitsubishi UFJ Capital) jointly established by Daiichi Sankyo and Mitsubishi UFJ Capital in 2013.

3. Project overview

(1) How to apply

Four project types have been set up for 2017.

Target project number: about 15 (including Daiichi Sankyo subsidiary companies' projects) across project types

1 Project duration subject to change based on research with a maximum of two years.
2 Within 5 million yen per project for Daiichi Sankyo Group projects.

Drug discovery target verification
Research themes that will lead to the verification of new drug targets regarding elements found in exploratory/discovery research through methods including analysis of body functions and of pathology samples will be accepted. In some areas, research themes aimed at identifying molecules with potential to become new drug discovery targets (discovery research) will also be accepted.

Drug discovery technology or pharmaceutical technology verification

Research and technological themes that will invigorate or improve the efficiency of drug discovery research or solve issues in pharmaceutical manufacturing process development will be accepted.

Compound donation

Research themes aiming to treat new indications with known drugs using Daiichi Sankyo's drug repositioning compound library will be accepted.

Depending on the theme, either a collaborative feasibility study together with Daiichi Sankyo's (or Daiichi Sankyo Group's) researchers or joint research using Daiichi Sankyo's (or Daiichi Sankyo Group's) existing research infrastructure will be conducted.

Potential for further research will be assessed on the basis of the results of above studies.

(2) Desired research themes

For more information about the TaNeDS program, please visit the Daiichi Sankyo corporate website: http://www.daiichisankyo.co.jp/corporate/rd/taneds/

(3) Who is eligible?

Researchers who can conduct research in Japan

(4) Schedule

Application period: May 29, 2017 to June 26, 2017

First selection period: June 27, 2017 to August 10, 2017

Second selection period: August 17, 2017 to October 13, 2017

　　　　 Contract negotiation: From October 16, 2017

Start of research: Upon completion of contract