Japan – Shonan iPark Outlines New Operational Structure to Provide Scale and Sustainable Long-Term Growth for the Ecosystem

Dec 24, 2022 | Business

Renewing its commitment to innovation in Japan and to Shonan Health Innovation Park (“Shonan iPark”), Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (“Takeda”) today announced the creation of a new company, effective April 1, 2023, together with Industrial & Infrastructure Fund Investment (“IIF”) and Mitsubishi Corporation (“Mitsubishi Corp.”), to manage Shonan iPark. In addition, IIF and Mitsubishi Corp. have agreed to acquire a portion of the shares of the new company and together with Takeda, will oversee operations for Shonan iPark. The companies will collaborate to execute on a shared vision to further develop Shonan iPark and the surrounding area’s ecosystem in a multifaceted manner.

Shonan iPark opened in April 2018 when Takeda transformed its research site into Japan’s first pharma-led science park opening its doors to the world. In 2020, the assets (land and facilities) of Shonan iPark were placed in trust and the trust beneficiary rights were acquired by IIF in 2020 and 2021, but Takeda has continued to operate Shonan iPark on an outsourced basis.

Since its opening, Shonan iPark has been operating its facilities and conducting open innovation promotion projects with a mission of “Building a life science ecosystem that is open to the world,” and a vision of “Social implementation of innovative ideas.” The number of tenants has grown from 20 at the time of opening, to more than 150 companies, universities and other organizations from a variety of fields, including pharmaceuticals, AI, and venture capital.

To support its aim of further developing this life science ecosystem, Shonan iPark has decided to shift to the aforementioned new management structure.

“Since its opening in April 2018, Shonan iPark has developed steadily with many players, including Takeda, the largest tenant, from academia, startups, companies, local hospital and governments,” said Toshio Fujimoto, General Manager of Shonan iPark. “We have sought to create a neutral, magnetic hub, where these diverse range of players can gather, collaborate freely, and take on the challenge of creating innovation. I am confident that this shift to collaborative management of Shonan iPark between Takeda, IIF, and Mitsubishi Corp. will allow us to further develop all of our businesses, including facility management, community building, venture support, and collaboration with the local community. We will continue to build a life science ecosystem that is even more open to the world, while maintaining the foundation and momentum of Shonan iPark that we have built up to date.”

About Shonan Health Innovation Park (Shonan iPark)

Shonan iPark is a science park founded in April 2018 by a pharmaceutical company. It convenes private and public sector organizations and academic institutions that widely range in terms of business type and scale and aims to be a space where health innovation can be accelerated. More than 2,000 employees (as of December 1, 2022) from more than 150 pharmaceutical, next-generation medicine, AI, venture capital, and government-related companies and organizations together form an ecosystem to enable such innovation.

Visit our website here: www.shonan-health-innovation-park.com/en

About Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Takeda)

Takeda is a global, values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader headquartered in Japan, committed to discover and deliver life-transforming treatments, guided by our commitment to patients, our people and the planet. Takeda focuses its R&D efforts on four therapeutic areas: Oncology, Rare Genetics and Hematology, Neuroscience, and Gastroenterology (GI). We also make targeted R&D investments in Plasma-Derived Therapies and Vaccines. We are focusing on developing highly innovative medicines that contribute to making a difference in people’s lives by advancing the frontier of new treatment options and leveraging our enhanced collaborative R&D engine and capabilities to create a robust, modality-diverse pipeline. Our employees are committed to improving quality of life for patients and to working with our partners in health care in approximately 80 countries and regions.

For more information, visit www.takeda.com.

About Industrial & Infrastructure Fund Investment Corporation (IIF)

IIF was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (Securities Code 3249) in October 2007 as the only J-REIT specializing in industrial properties.

IIF aims to continuously increase unitholder value by investing in logistics facilities, factories, R&D facilities, and infrastructure facilities that are the foundation of all industrial activities and are expected to be used stably over the medium to long term, thereby ensuring stable earnings and steady growth of assets under management.

IIF has concluded an asset management agreement with KKR Japan Realty Management (KJRM) and entrusts them with asset management operations in accordance with IIF’s Articles of Incorporation and investment policy.

About Mitsubishi Corporation (Mitsubishi Corp.)

Mitsubishi Corp. works with its roughly 1,700 subsidiaries, affiliates and group companies to develop businesses in approximately 90 countries around the world. Spanning multiple industries and regions, these businesses are overseen by Mitsubishi Corp.’s Industry DX Group and 10 Business Groups: Natural Gas, Industrial Materials, Petroleum & Chemicals, Mineral Resources, Industrial Infrastructure, Automotive & Mobility, Food Industry, Consumer Industry, Power Solution, and Urban Development. Through joint digital (DX) and energy (EX) transformations invested in sustainability, decarbonization and digitalization, the company is now focused on leveraging its operations to address myriad challenges that stand to impact our planet’s future.

Inquiries:

Shonan Health Innovation Park Communication
Attn: Keitaro Shirayama, Haruka Hibino
Email: smb.iParkcommunication@takeda.com

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited
Attn: Akiko Ogasawara
Email: akiko.ogasawara@takeda.com
Phone: +81-3-3278-2314

Industrial & Infrastructure Fund Investment Corporation
Attn: Industrial Division, KJR Management (an Asset Management Company of Industrial & Infrastructure Fund Investment Corporation)
Email: iif-3249.ir@kjrm.co.jp

Mitsubishi Corporation
Attn: Corporate Communications Department
Phone: +81-3-3210-2171


Sectors: BioTech, Healthcare & Pharm

Copyright ©2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. A division of Japan Corporate News Network.

Japan – Shonan Kamakura Advanced Medical Center Begins Treatment with Hitachi’s First Dedicated Compact Proton Therapy System

Feb 2, 2022 | Business

Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501) has announced that “Shonan Kamakura Advanced Medical Center” at Shonan Kamakura General Hospital of Tokushukai Medical Group, where Hitachi’s compact proton therapy system (hereafter, “the system”) has been installed, has commenced treatment with the system on 31 January 2022. This is the first order for Hitachi’s dedicated compact proton therapy system.

Proton Therapy System

Shonan Kamakura Advanced Medical Center is a medical facility providing comprehensive cancer treatment, including advanced radiotherapy, built adjacent to the site of Shonan Kamakura General Hospital by Tokushukai Group Medical Corporation, which operates approximately 400 medical facilities and nursing homes throughout Japan. Until now, there have been no proton therapy facilities in Kanagawa Prefecture, where the center is located, but the compact proton therapy system, with its reduced footprint, makes it possible to install a proton therapy facility on a limited site close to the city center.

Features of the installed system

In response to the growing worldwide demand for smaller proton therapy systems, Hitachi has developed the proton therapy system, which is specifically designed for a single treatment room. The system is a compact proton therapy system which, by optimizing the layout of the machine, reduces the installation area to about 70% of that of conventional solutions, making it possible to install the system on a limited site in an urban area and reducing the cost and time involved in its installation. It is equipped with advanced technologies such as spot scanning irradiation technology, which allows the proton beam to be delivered according to the shape of the cancer, a 360degree rotating gantry with cone-beam CT(1) for high-precision positioning, and Real-time image Gated Proton Therapy (RGPT)(2), making it both compact and highly functional.

Hitachi is committed to accelerating the global development of particle therapy system and contributing to cancer treatment around the world, as well as to further expanding its healthcare services.

(1) Cone beam CT provides three-dimensional anatomical images of patients, at isocenter immediately prior to being treated. Information on the location of bone is obtained from traditional orthogonal x-rays and the motion of tumors is captured by RGPT. These are then combined with the ability to identify healthy tissue surrounding a tumor, particularly the location and shape of soft tissue, via Cone beam CT.
(2) RGPT allows real-time beam irradiation to the tumor while compensating for movement associated with respiration. This technology was collaboratively developed between Hokkaido University and Hitachi, and supported by the Funding Program for World-Leading Innovative R&D on Science and Technology (FIRST) of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

Overview of Particle Therapy

Particle Therapy is an advanced type of cancer radiotherapy. Protons extracted from hydrogen atoms, or carbon ions are accelerated up to 70% of the speed of light. This energy is concentrated directly on the tumor while minimizing radiation dose to surrounding healthy tissue. Particle therapy improves the quality of life for cancer patients since the patient experiences no pain during treatment and the procedure has very few side effects compared to that of traditional radiotherapy. In most cases, patients can continue with their normal daily activities while undergoing treatment.

About Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, contributes to a sustainable society with a higher quality of life by driving innovation through data and technology as the Social Innovation Business. Hitachi is focused on strengthening its contribution to the Environment, the Resilience of business and social infrastructure as well as comprehensive programs to enhance Security & Safety. Hitachi resolves the issues faced by customers and society across six domains: IT, Energy, Mobility, Industry, Smart Life and Automotive Systems through its proprietary Lumada solutions. The company’s consolidated revenues for fiscal year 2020 (ended March 31, 2021) totaled 8,729.1 billion yen ($78.6 billion), with 871 consolidated subsidiaries and approximately 350,000 employees worldwide. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company’s website at https://www.hitachi.com.

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