Building on Eight Years of Drug Discovery Ecosystem Development at Shonan iPark to Launch a New Business: Partnering with Global Pharmaceutical Companies from Early-Stage Research Sourcing to Incubation.
Announcement
Here is the PDF file
October 9, 2026
iPark Institute Co., Ltd.
Building on Eight Years of Drug Discovery Ecosystem Development at Shonan iPark to Launch a New Business: Partnering with Global Pharmaceutical Companies from Early-Stage Research Sourcing to Incubation.
● iPark Institute connects promising Japanese research seeds with global companies to accelerate the drug discovery process.
● Leveraging its unique network and ability to identify promising opportunities, iPark Institute uncovers early-stage research seeds that have yet to gain widespread recognition.
● Going beyond introductions, iPark Institute provides end-to-end support, from sourcing and evaluation through incubation, helping promising research advance toward commercialization.
● Strategic initiative will first launch with Johnson & Johnson
iPark Institute Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture; Chief Executive Officer: Toshio Fujimoto, hereinafter “iPark Institute”) announced on October 9 the launch of a new business providing support for the identification of early stage research seeds and their incubation in collaboration with global pharmaceutical companies.
The initiative will leverage the community network that Shonan Health Innovation Park (hereinafter “Shonan iPark”) has cultivated since opening in 2018, together with its expertise in drug discovery and incubation, to identify promising early-stage seeds and connect them with partner companies. iPark Institute will then provide integrated support spanning initial evaluation, incubation, and ongoing follow-up, working alongside promising research projects as they progress to the next stage and ultimately toward commercialization.
This initiative represents the first ecosystem innovation engagement between Shonan iPark and Johnson & Johnson, a multinational healthcare company, creating new opportunities to connect global expertise with local innovators and strengthen engagement across the life sciences ecosystem in Japan and beyond. Through this initiative, iPark Institute aims to expand opportunities to translate promising research into commercial applications and help ensure that science originating in Japan reaches patients around the world.
【Leader photo (taken October 9)】
(from left: Stacy Feld, Global Head, External Scientific Innovation, J&J;
Toshio Fujimoto, CEO of iPark Institute Co., Ltd.)
BioJapan 2026, Pacifico Yokohama, October 9, 2026.
Bringing Japanese Science into Global Drug Discovery
As drug discovery research becomes increasingly sophisticated and competition intensifies, global pharmaceutical companies are placing greater importance on identifying and evaluating promising external research seeds at an early stage, ensuring that they align with their R&D priorities and strategies, and advancing them toward drug discovery.
Meanwhile, although Japanese academic institutions and startups possess strong fundamental research capabilities and promising research seeds, they often face challenges in establishing connections with global pharmaceutical companies and viable business strategy aligned with global market needs.
Through this initiative, iPark Institute will bridge the gap between global pharmaceutical companies seeking early access to promising research seeds and the science and research seeds emerging from Japanese academia and startups.
Turning Eight Years of Connections and Insights into a Platform for Research Sourcing
Since opening in 2018, Shonan iPark has built a life sciences community bringing together a diverse range of stakeholders, including pharmaceutical companies, startups, academic institutions, and contract research and development and manufacturing organizations (CROs/CDMOs). It has also expanded its community network through initiatives such as iNexS¹, a consortium for industry-academia research seed matching, and Innovation Tiger², a pitch competition for promising drug discovery startups and academic institutions in Asia.
This initiative will leverage Shonan iPark’s distinctive network and drug discovery expertise as the foundation for research seed sourcing. The search will extend beyond companies and research institutions, with the aim of identifying and evaluating early-stage research seeds that align with each partner company’s R&D priorities and needs.
¹iNexS
²Innovation Tiger
Making Research Seed Identification as the Starting Point
A defining feature of this initiative is that its support does not end with identifying research seeds and introducing them to partner companies. iPark Institute will source research seeds and conduct initial evaluations based on each partner’s subsequent evaluation process. For selected research seeds, iPark Institute will provide incubation and ongoing follow-up to help them advance to the next stage.
When necessary, the initiative will also draw on Shonan iPark’s research facilities, shared equipment, and incubation expertise. By supporting research seeds beyond their initial identification and helping them grow, the initiative aims to increase the likelihood that research outcomes will ultimately lead to new drug discovery opportunities.
Toshio Fujimoto Chief Executive Officer of iPark Institute, added:
“This initiative represents a new challenge for us: bringing the network and expertise in drug discovery and incubation that Shonan iPark has cultivated over the years to society through a new business. We aim to build mutually beneficial relationships that leverage the strengths of both parties and connects Japan’s outstanding science with drug discovery worldwide.”
About iPark Institute Co., Ltd.
iPark Institute Co., Ltd. was established in 2023 with Industrial & Infrastructure Fund Investment Corporation (IIF), Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Takeda), and Mitsubishi Corporation as major shareholders. It took over the management of Shonan Health Innovation Park (Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture) in 2023, which Takeda has been responsible for since 2018. For more information about our company, please click here.
About Shonan Health Innovation Park (Shonan iPark)
Shonan iPark is Japan’s first pharmaceutical-initiated science park, created by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited in April 2018 by opening its own research laboratories to the outside world. Currently operated by iPark Institute Co., Ltd. independent of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, the park aims to become a place where industry, government, and academia from a wide range of industries and sizes can come together to accelerate health innovation. Currently, the ecosystem is comprised of not only pharmaceutical companies, but also companies and organizations in next generation medicine, cellular agriculture, AI, and government, with approximately 220 companies and more than 3,500 people (as of October 2026).
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For inquiries regarding this matter, please contact:
iPark Institute Co., Ltd., Corporate Affairs
Attn: Tsukahara
Mail: iPi.PR@shonan-ipark.com