The University of Tokyo Translational Research Initiative Organization (TR Organization) will start a new program for drug discovery research from the list of compounds that pharmaceutical companies have discontinued.Currently, we have signed a memorandum of understanding with six pharmaceutical companies, but we are calling on more companies to participate.
According to the University of Tokyo TR Organization, this new program is a "drug redirection program."Pharmaceutical companies make a list of compounds whose projects have been discontinued during the development and research phase and submit them to the TR Organization.Researchers at the University of Tokyo select the compounds they want to use in their research from this list and use them to test the hypothesis of the disease treatment method they are studying.
Many compounds are required to test the hypothesis of researchers, but it has been very difficult to obtain them so far.Some of the compounds that companies have discontinued have completed clinical trials, and most of the parts required for drug discovery can be omitted.Therefore, the burden on the university side is reduced, and the time until commercialization can be shortened.
Companies are also moving toward the effective use of compounds for which research and development has been discontinued, but there is a growing possibility that new drugs will be born from compounds destined to be discarded without the efforts of companies.
The University of Tokyo TR Organization intends to expand the number of researchers involved in new drug research not only within the university but also to other universities and research institutes that support this program.We hope that the participation of a wider range of researchers will advance the creation of new drugs.
