Takeda and Tohoku University Launch Project Souten to Accelerate Innovative Drug Development

− Establishing an accelerated model for advanced clinical trials to improve access to medical care for patients in the region and strengthen drug discovery capabilities in Japan
− Accelerating the construction of a medical network and medical data infrastructure starting from Tohoku University Hospital; promoting research and development of new drugs and treatments through integrated analysis; and enhancing Tohoku’s global contributions

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Headquarters: Osaka, Japan, President & CEO: Christophe Weber, hereinafter referred to as “Takeda”) and the Tohoku University Drug Discovery Strategy Promotion Organization (Headquarters: Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, Director: Hideo Harigae, hereinafter referred to as “Tohoku University”), have entered into a strategic alliance (hereinafter referred to as “Project Souten”), with a goal of building and leveraging an innovative clinical trial network.

Project Souten aims to simultaneously improve the efficiency of clinical development and patient access to medical care over a three-year period, from October 2024 to September 2027. Tohoku University Hospital will build and integrate the data infrastructure, develop digital tools for various analyses, and utilize the regional medical network and the medical-related data accumulated there for clinical development. This will expedite the identification and registration of patients who are suitable for participating in Takeda-led clinical trials, and the provision of opportunities for patients who are suitable for participating in Takeda-led clinical trials. It is believed that the optimization of clinical trials and clinical development plans will significantly improve the efficiency of clinical development and increase expectations for clinical development in Japan from Europe and the United States. In addition, ideas for new drugs and solutions generated from both sides are anticipated, thereby creating a virtuous cycle that can advance to practical applications.

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Project Souten launch
(from left to right: Yasushi Kajii, Regional Head of Takeda R&D Japan, Dr. Hideo Harigae, Director of the Organization for Drug Discovery Strategy)

Yasushi Kajii, Regional Head of Takeda R&D Japan, commented, “Project Souten is a groundbreaking initiative that improves patient access to healthcare and enhances the efficiency of clinical development. I am thrilled to collaborate with Tohoku University. It excels in science, technology, and human resources, and leads global networks of medical professionals and researchers. The university also has strong relationships of trust with local residents and patients, built on its achievements. Its world-class medical technology, research capabilities, and digital expertise further strengthen this alliance. Through Project Souten, Takeda is more committed than ever to delivering innovative medicines to patients in Japan and worldwide, faster.”

Dr. Hideo Harigae, Director of the Organization for Drug Discovery Strategy and Director of the Hospital at Tohoku University, said, “In Project Souten, expanding and utilizing the medical information and human networks we have accumulated in the Tohoku region is a crucial step toward improving the quality of regional medical care but also significantly contribute to directly and indirectly accelerating the development of innovative treatments in Japan and ultimately around the world. We have high hopes for this strategic alliance with Takeda, which was founded in Japan and focuses on the practical application of innovation born from diversity.”

Takeda and Tohoku University have been promoting basic research on pharmaceuticals through joint research with the Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization (ToMMo) to analyze the whole genomic information of local residents, also described as the correlation between genetic background and long-term health status. Project Souten is a progression of these initiatives that aims to contribute to improving patient access to medical care by utilizing the accumulated knowledge and know-how in drug development in Japan and around the world, eliminating drug lag and drug loss.

Project Souten Overview

Integrated database: Through the Miyagi Medical and Welfare Information Network (MMWIN), an information-sharing system connecting medical and welfare facilities across Miyagi Prefecture, we aim to efficiently identify patients eligible to participate in clinical trials. This process leverages medical data obtained with patient consent, focusing on Tohoku University Hospital, a central hub, and its partner hospitals.
Digital tools: Develop and deploy next-generation tools powered by AI technology to quickly and efficiently identify and select patients, as well as create the data needed for clinical development and submission.
Strategic alliance: The strategic alliance between Takeda and Tohoku University Hospital will drive the identification, execution, and data integration of clinical trials needed in the region. In addition, we will build a mechanism for alliance between university hospitals, partner organizations, and companies necessary for conducting clinical trials.

About Takeda

Takeda is focused on creating better health for people and a brighter future for the world. We aim to discover and deliver life-transforming treatments in our core therapeutic and business areas, including gastrointestinal and inflammation, rare diseases, plasma-derived therapies, oncology, neuroscience and vaccines. Together with our partners, we aim to improve the patient experience and advance a new frontier of treatment options through our dynamic and diverse pipeline. As a leading values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Japan, we are guided by our commitment to patients, our people and the planet. Our employees in approximately 80 countries and regions are driven by our purpose and are grounded in the values that have defined us for more than two centuries. For more information, visit https://www.takeda.com/.

About Tohoku University

Founded in 1907, Tohoku University is a national university that focuses on the creation of innovative research results and the development of excellent human resources under the three major spirits of “research first,” “open doors,” and “respect for practical learning.” As of November 2024, it has been recognized as an “International University of Excellence” and is striving to solve social issues through an interdisciplinary approach by promoting the development of researchers with an international perspective and a high level of expertise. Therefore, as a further strategic initiative, we established the Drug Discovery Strategy Promotion Organization in December 2023 to serve as a base for a collaborative network that strategically promotes joint research with companies and other organizations by utilizing the cutting-edge research environment and innovative technologies related to the drug discovery field and is promoting activities with the aim of contributing to the social implementation of research results.
Tohoku University Hospital, a center of research in the medical field, has a mission to provide safe and advanced medical care, develop advanced medical care, and develop human resources who will be responsible for it, as the cornerstone of medical care in the Tohoku region. In addition, it is the first hospital in Japan to be certified as a “Core Clinical Research Hospital,” and we are promoting international-level clinical research, drug discovery, and medical device development in collaboration with various companies by leveraging our strengths as a comprehensive university.

Media Contacts:

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited
Yuko Yoneyama
TEL: 070-2610-6609
Email: [email protected]

Organization for Drug Discovery Strategy, Tohoku University
Platform Promotion Support Office
Email: [email protected]

Tohoku University Hospital
Public Relations Office
TEL: 022-717-8032
Email: [email protected]