Chugai and IFReC provide top level Japanese collaboration to benefit immunology
Posted: 20 May 2016 | Mandy Parrett, Editorial Assistant | No comments yet
Osaka University and Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. announce details of their collaborative agreement for advanced research into immunology.
Osaka University and Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. announce details of their collaborative agreement for advanced research into immunology.
The research collaboration will be carried out between Osaka University’s Immunology Frontier Research Center (IFReC) and Chugai in a new research building – completed in March 2011 – that provides superior research facilities and enjoys international expertise.
Chugai provide ten year funding
A Japanese leader in the field of biopharmaceuticals and antibody pharmaceuticals, Chugai Pharmaceutical will provide one billion yen per year over a period of 10 years in return for access to results relating to independent basic research projects at IFReC and the right of first refusal for joint research. In addition, a Collaboration Promotion Laboratory will be set up at IFReC to implement collaboration research toward clinical application. The collaboration will begin in April 2017 and run to March 2027.
IFReC and Chugai aim to have five to ten joint research projects continually in progress.
Chugai’s Chairman and CEO, Osamu Nagayama commented, “Drug discovery technology is making immense changes through the use of genome research and biotechnology etc., giving rise to the need for a new style of university-industry cooperation.”
“Chugai has innovative proprietary technologies for antibody engineering and middle molecules, which enables drug discovery of targets that could not be done previously. Through the combination of these technologies and the diverse research results achieved through the global top-class immunology research at IFReC, we are confident of providing multiple innovative pharmaceuticals to patients.”
Fruit of WPI initiative
IFReC was selected for the World Premier International Research Center (WPI) Initiative Program launched by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) in 2007 at Osaka University. Headed by Director Shizuo Akira, an eminent immunologist, IFReC convenes approximately 30 of the world’s top-class principal investigators from Japan and overseas in the fields of immunology, live imaging and bioinformatics to conduct innovative immunological research. The research conducted by IFReC is of the highest standard and recognised globally, with papers published in major international journals and prestigious international prizes awarded to its researchers.
Related topics
Immunology
Related organisations
Chugai, IFReC, Osaka University
