In line with the reorganization of our business policy, we will focus on drug development research that maximizes the value of medicine.
First of all, please tell us about your business.
Torii Pharmaceutical Doi-san: The Company is a pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and sells ethical drugs. Currently, we are working on three major disease areas (renal dialysis, skin disease, and allergic diseases).
Could you tell us about your current research structure?
Torii Pharmaceutical Doi-san: The Company reorganized its organization in 2020. At that time, we sold our own factory in Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture, and closed the research laboratory. In September 2020, we will open a new laboratory at Mitsui Link Lab Kasai Co., Ltd., with the aim of maintaining and managing the quality of pharmaceuticals currently on sale, and maximize the value of products.
Then is your Kasai Lab not a drug discovery base, but a research base for maximizing value?
Torii Pharmaceutical Miyazaki: That's right. In that sense, "drug" may be the word closest to the image.
Torii Pharmaceutical Doi-san: Many clinical trials at present are clinical trials designed to obtain drug approval. The drug has been approved primarily through tests focusing on efficacy and safety of new drugs. On the other hand, when pharmaceuticals begin to be used in clinical trials, various clinical questions can be obtained. In order to answer such questions, you need to get new data. This is what is called drug development research. Kasai Lab is conducting drug growth research to collect evidence in the Real World. Through these research activities, we are contributing to the maximizing product value.
What kind of research does Mitsui Link Lab Kasai take on every day?
Torii Pharmaceutical Doi-san: Currently, Kasai Lab is engaged in various joint research with clinical teachers. We conduct analysis of clinical samples. We believe that these data analysis will provide research results that can be returned to healthcare professionals, including doctors, or patients. The researchers at our lab are working hard every day with a few elites.
It is a wonderful point that you can use the facilities in a pharmaceutical company quality environment as soon as you move in.
Please tell us about your encounter with Mitsui Link Lab Kasai.
Torii Pharmaceutical Doi-san: In order to reduce or relocate the research scale, we needed to find the next company lab in a short period of about half a year. Initially, there were about 4 facilities, and we visited all facilities and finally decided to be Mitsui Link Lab Kasai. The biggest decisive factor is the ability to design the lab with straightforward drawings, as well as the excellent access from our head office (Nihonbashi, Tokyo). You can move your head office and lab within 30 minutes. In addition, the scalability of the lab, which can respond to future expansion of business scale, was also very attractive.
What do you think now when you actually open your own lab?
Torii Pharmaceutical Doi-san: Mitsui Link Lab Kasai is located on the premises of Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., and I think that it is a great advantage for pharmaceutical companies like our company to be able to use it immediately in a pharmaceutical company quality environment. The establishment rules for the operation of Link Lab Kasai and the in-house facilities such as waste disposal and fire-fighting equipment, was a sense of security for us, who had limited schedules until the opening was limited. It is also helpful that there is a lot of shared space where you can take a break. We also use the shared space when customers visit us. Our employees also use the cafeteria of Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd. for lunch.
Torii Pharmaceutical Miyazaki: The unmanned stand on the first floor is also convenient, and I often use it.
Torii Pharmaceutical Doi-san: I'm in my fourth year of occupancy in September 2023, but I think there's no trouble and an environment that is very easy to work has been developed. At the beginning, for example, there were times when I couldn't get used to the rules on waste, but now I have experienced a lot of experience and managed the lab well.
Even if the size of one company is small, if you cooperate, you can create innovation that is as competitive as a large company!
Please tell us about the future you want to realize through Mitsui Link Lab.
Torii Pharmaceutical Doi-san: We are also researching immunotherapy for cedar pollenosis. It has been reported that about 40% of Japanese people are affected by cedar pollen, and it is just a national disease. It is said that if you have allergies, the quality of life of the patient is very low. Through drug development research at Kasai Lab, "I would like to aim for a future in which patients suffering from allergies are free from allergies.
Thank you very much. Finally, please tell us what you expect for Mitsui Link Labour.
Torii Pharmaceutical Doi-san: We are also looking forward to providing opportunities for tenants to interact with each other. It would be helpful if Mitsui Fudosan could act as the flagship of the exchange.
Torii Pharmaceutical Miyazaki: If there are exchange events, conversation opportunities will increase.
Torii Pharmaceutical Doi-san: I think large companies are taking on the challenge of open innovation now. I think there are many small tenants, including Mitsui Link Lab, including Mitsui & Co., Ltd., but I expect that there will be opportunities for the tenants working there to open innovation among the tenants working there. If we can provide opportunities and opportunities for new innovations by promoting exchanges among tenants, there may be such a future. Open innovation among companies is not easy, but I believe it is important to do activities that do not close their doors, despite being disturbed by the rough waves of society.
