Japan PBSS and MEDISO Co-host the 1st Drug Discovery Ecosystem Series: Partnering of Pharma and Biotech
On May 16, 2026, Japan PBSS held an event focused on partnering between pharmaceutical companies and biotechs in collaboration with MEDISO. More than 160 participants joined to discuss the partnering process, legal considerations, and strategic differences based on business models. Experts from companies like Astellas, Boehringer Ingelheim, PeptiDream, and Heartseed shared their insights.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 21, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 21, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 27, 2026 at 08:12 (141h 41m after Collected)
The Japan Pharmaceutical & BioScience Society (Japan PBSS) co-hosted the first event in its "Drug Discovery Ecosystem Series: Partnering of Pharma and Biotech" on Saturday, May 16, 2026, in collaboration with MEDISO (Medical Venture Total Support Office), a project commissioned by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
This event was the third in-person gathering for Japan PBSS and marked the launch of a series specifically focused on the drug discovery ecosystem.
The day's sessions centered on partnering between pharmaceutical companies and biotechs, exploring topics such as the workflow of partnership reviews in big pharma, potential issues before and after deal closure, the ideal state of collaboration for Japanese biotechs, and the support functions that facilitate such partnerships.
With over 90 attendees on-site and more than 70 online, the event brought together a diverse group of participants from pharmaceutical companies, biotech startups, academia, and supporting institutions.
[Program Highlights]
Multifaceted Perspectives on Pharma-Biotech Partnering
At the start of the event, Narimitsu Uemura and Masakazu Konno from Japan PBSS introduced the society's mission and the event's theme. Subsequently, presentations were delivered on the workflow of partnership reviews within pharmaceutical companies from both development and research perspectives.
Mr. Miki Nakamori from Astellas Pharma Inc. presented on "Partnering Workflow in Pharma - Development Stage (Post-Compound Selection)," while Ms. Tomoko Maeda from Boehringer Ingelheim Japan, Inc. discussed "Partnering Workflow in Pharma - Research Stage (Pre-Compound Selection)." These sessions highlighted how evaluation criteria and decision-making points differ between the research and development phases, offering biotechs a clear understanding of the pharmaceutical side's perspective.
Legal Insights: Points to Consider Before and After a Deal
Mr. Shinichiro Nakano from Mori Hamada & Matsumoto / Japan PBSS gave a talk titled "Tips: Trouble Cases Before and After Deal Closure." He emphasized that partnering in drug discovery does not end with contract signing; rather, building a relationship geared toward long-term R&D and business goals is crucial. He shared legal perspectives on common pitfalls and considerations during the deal-making process.
Biotech Partnering Strategies Based on Business Models
In the latter half, discussions shifted to the biotech perspective. Mr. Yen-Ting Chen from PeptiDream Inc. spoke on "Partnering for Japanese Biotechs - Platform Edition," and Mr. Kikuo Yasui from Heartseed Inc. addressed the "Pipeline Edition."
The sessions clarified that platform-based companies leveraging technical foundations and pipeline-based companies focused on specific development products face different challenges and strategic priorities when partnering with pharma.
Panel Discussion: Secrets of Successful Partnering
Moderated by Yoshinori Ikeura of Axcelead Inc. / Japan PBSS, the panel discussion explored the theme "What are the secrets for Japanese biotechs to partner with pharmaceutical companies?" Panelists included Issei Tsukamoto (Astellas Pharma), Tomoko Maeda (Boehringer Ingelheim), Yen-Ting Chen (PeptiDream), and Kikuo Yasui (Heartseed).
This event was the third in-person gathering for Japan PBSS and marked the launch of a series specifically focused on the drug discovery ecosystem.
The day's sessions centered on partnering between pharmaceutical companies and biotechs, exploring topics such as the workflow of partnership reviews in big pharma, potential issues before and after deal closure, the ideal state of collaboration for Japanese biotechs, and the support functions that facilitate such partnerships.
With over 90 attendees on-site and more than 70 online, the event brought together a diverse group of participants from pharmaceutical companies, biotech startups, academia, and supporting institutions.
[Program Highlights]
Multifaceted Perspectives on Pharma-Biotech Partnering
At the start of the event, Narimitsu Uemura and Masakazu Konno from Japan PBSS introduced the society's mission and the event's theme. Subsequently, presentations were delivered on the workflow of partnership reviews within pharmaceutical companies from both development and research perspectives.
Mr. Miki Nakamori from Astellas Pharma Inc. presented on "Partnering Workflow in Pharma - Development Stage (Post-Compound Selection)," while Ms. Tomoko Maeda from Boehringer Ingelheim Japan, Inc. discussed "Partnering Workflow in Pharma - Research Stage (Pre-Compound Selection)." These sessions highlighted how evaluation criteria and decision-making points differ between the research and development phases, offering biotechs a clear understanding of the pharmaceutical side's perspective.
Legal Insights: Points to Consider Before and After a Deal
Mr. Shinichiro Nakano from Mori Hamada & Matsumoto / Japan PBSS gave a talk titled "Tips: Trouble Cases Before and After Deal Closure." He emphasized that partnering in drug discovery does not end with contract signing; rather, building a relationship geared toward long-term R&D and business goals is crucial. He shared legal perspectives on common pitfalls and considerations during the deal-making process.
Biotech Partnering Strategies Based on Business Models
In the latter half, discussions shifted to the biotech perspective. Mr. Yen-Ting Chen from PeptiDream Inc. spoke on "Partnering for Japanese Biotechs - Platform Edition," and Mr. Kikuo Yasui from Heartseed Inc. addressed the "Pipeline Edition."
The sessions clarified that platform-based companies leveraging technical foundations and pipeline-based companies focused on specific development products face different challenges and strategic priorities when partnering with pharma.
Panel Discussion: Secrets of Successful Partnering
Moderated by Yoshinori Ikeura of Axcelead Inc. / Japan PBSS, the panel discussion explored the theme "What are the secrets for Japanese biotechs to partner with pharmaceutical companies?" Panelists included Issei Tsukamoto (Astellas Pharma), Tomoko Maeda (Boehringer Ingelheim), Yen-Ting Chen (PeptiDream), and Kikuo Yasui (Heartseed).
FAQ
Japan PBSSが開催したイベントのテーマは何ですか？
「創薬エコシステム・シリーズ第1回 Partnering of Pharma and Biotech」として、製薬企業とバイオテック企業のパートナリングを多角的に議論する内容でした。
イベントの参加者数と属性を教えてください。
会場に90名以上、オンラインで70名以上の計160名以上が参加しました。属性は製薬企業、バイオテック、アカデミア、支援機関など多岐にわたります。
提携検討において、研究段階と開発段階でどのような違いが示されましたか？
アステラス製薬（開発段階）と日本ベーリンガーインゲルハイム（研究段階）の講演により、それぞれの段階で評価の観点や意思決定のポイントが異なることが示されました。
法務の視点からはどのようなアドバイスがありましたか？
森・濱田松本法律事務所の中野氏より、契約締結後の研究開発や事業推進を見据えた関係構築の重要性と、Deal成立前後のトラブル事例が共有されました。
バイオテック企業の事業モデルによる提携の違いは何ですか？
ペプチドリーム（プラットフォーム型）とHeartseed（パイプライン型）の事例を通じ、技術基盤を強みとするか個別の開発品を軸とするかで、提携のあり方や検討論点が異なる点が議論されました。