Takeda Bets $269 Million+ with CiRA for 100-Scientist 10-Year Stem Cell R&D Pact
April 17, 2015
By Mark Terry, BioSpace.com Breaking News Staff
Takeda Pharmaceuticals , headquartered in Osaka, Japan, announced today that it will work together with the Center for iPS Cell Research Application (CiRA) of Kyoto University on stem cell research.
Dubbed the “Takeda-CiRA Joint Program for iPS Cell Applications” or T-CiRA, the collaboration will develop multiple research projects for drug discovery and cell therapy utilizing iPS cells for treatments for heart failure, diabetes, neurological disorders and cancer. iPS cells are pluripotent stem cells which are a type of stem cell that can be generated directly from adult cells.
“This 10-year program with Takeda, Japan’s largest pharmaceutical company, will become a powerful engine to realizing medical applications using iPS cells,” said Shinya Yamanaka, director of the CiRA in a statement. “We sincerely thank Takeda’s commitment to iPS cell research. This partnership will contribute to the development of new therapies to cure not only major diseases but also rare ones.”
Research will be conducted at facilities provided at Takeda’s Shonan Research Center. Takeda will also offer 20 billion yen over the 10-year period. It will also donate more than 12 billion yen in research support, such as the facility, equipment, company researchers and services. There will ultimately be 100 scientists involved in the project, 50 from Takeda and 50 from CiPS, as well as those recruited worldwide.
The CiRA was established on April 1, 2010. It currently operates 30 research groups that focus on iPS cells. On April 9, 2015, CiRA announced that two wealthy entrepreneurs, Hiroshi Mikitani, chair and chief executive officer of Rakuten Inc., and Marc Benioff, chairman and chief executive officer of Salesforce.com, will each contribute 250 million yen to the research center.
“I will be happy if I am able to help the masses of people who are sick,” said Mikitani in a statement.
Takeda announced on April 15 that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee (EMDAC) had reviewed the cardiovascular outcomes trials for the use of alogliptin in patients with Type 2 diabetes. The panel concluded the drug had an acceptable cardiovascular risk profile.
The drug has been studied alone and in combination with metformin, a sulfonylurea, a thiazolidinedione and insulin to determine safety and efficacy for the treatment of diabetes.
Diabetes is one of the areas the new collaboration will focus on. “I am excited that we will be able to collaborate with CiRA, the world’s leading institute dedicated to pioneering iPS cell research,” said Christophe Weber, president and chief executive officer of Takeda in a statement. “Through this partnership, our company will provide significant assistance over a long period to CiRA’s research into iPS cell technology applications, which is a vital part of Japan Revitalization Strategy. It is our hope to deliver innovative treatments that meet patient needs as soon as possible through this collaboration between Takeda and CiRA.”
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