JSR enters into Contract R&D Agreement with AMED for Development of Basic Technologies for Next-Generation Therapeutics and Diagnostics

TOKYO, JAPAN- JSR Corporation (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Eric Johnson, JSR Corporation) has entered into a research and development agreement with the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED). JSR received an open call for proposals in FY 2021 entitled "Project Focused on Developing Key Technology for Discovering and Manufacturing Drugs for Next-Generation Treatment and Diagnosis (development of next-generation drug discovery technologies by controlling the intestinal microbiome)", and was selected last October for its research and development project, “Study of GMP production and quality control technology of Live Biotherapeutic Products”. This project will conduct research and development aimed at the establishment and practical application of a wide range of fundamental technologies related to intestinal microbiome drug discovery for the creation of intestinal microbiome-controlled drugs.

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Outline of the adopted project

・Research Subject: Study of GMP production and quality control technology of Live Biotherapeutic Products

R & D Representative: Hideo Hashimoto, JSR Corporation

Study period: Up to 6 years

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In order to create innovative, domestically-originated intestinal microbiome-controlled drugs, this project will establish a first-in-class manufacturing and quality control technology base in Japan, and conduct research and development aimed at wide-ranging practical applications. In recent years, as a result of dramatic advances in infrastructure development for microbiome research, there has be an accumulation of data supporting the impact of the intestinal microbiome on important systems throughout the body, which suggests that control of the microbiome may become a treatment for various diseases. There are already many startups aiming at microbiome drug discovery overseas, and many clinical trials are being conducted. However, in Japan, there has been a lack of established infrastructure for the practical application of microbiome-controlled drugs.

JSR plans to establish a manufacturing base in Japan by developing technologies related to the manufacture and quality control of microbiome-controlled pharmaceuticals while demonstrating leadership as a representative research organization.