Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited, a global pharmaceutical company,  announced its TaNeDS (Take a New challenge for Drug diScovery) collaborative drug discovery project for 2015. The company will select research partners for the project from among researchers based in Japan.

Background: Daiichi Sankyo is proactively promoting open innovation and the development of a competitive pipeline for the rapid and continuous creation of innovative new drugs. One aspect of this strategy is the collaborative research and grant programme TaNeDS, which was launched in 2011 and has since received numerous research theme proposals from across Japan, with various projects currently ongoing. Daiichi Sankyo will continue the program in 2015, seeking further drug discovery research possibilities by casting a wide net to find research themes and technologies that will result in the discovery of new drugs. Furthermore, continuing on from 2013 and 2014, Daiichi Sankyo’s wholly owned subsidiary, Daiichi Sankyo RD Novare Co., Ltd. (RD Novare), is again joining TaNeDS to promote the development of technology platforms for the next generation.

Overview of TaNeDS:  Multi-entrance: The TaNeDS project will accept entries for a range of themes, including exploratory research, collaborative research, early-stage drug discovery and concepts for inventions. Themes covering all stages, from the initial phase of research to practical use, will be accepted. In order to attract a variety of entries, both individual researchers and groups will be welcomed.

Multi-exit: In order to efficiently realize practical uses from research results, a number of outcomes are foreseen, including further investigations into discovered results, collaborative research on drug creation, and utilization of OiDE projects aimed at fostering intellectual property or technologies from a business viewpoint.

Desired research themes by Daiichi Sankyo:

a) Drug discovery target verification - Research themes that will lead to the verification of new drug targets regarding elements found in exploratory/discovery research through methods including analysis of body functions and of pathology samples will be accepted.

b) Drug discovery target investigation – Research themes that will lead to the discovery/identification of new drug targets based on unique research tools or ideas will be accepted.

c) Drug discovery technology development/verification – Research technology themes that help to revitalize or improve effectiveness of drug discovery research will be accepted.

d) Pharmaceutical technology – Research themes that will solve issues related to the pharmaceutical manufacturing process will be accepted.

Daiichi Sankyo will determine if feasibility studies with Daiichi Sankyo researchers (preliminary collaborative research or collaborative research) should be conducted based on proposed themes. Accepted themes will be selected for continuation based on results after the research period comes to a close.

Desired research themes by RD Novare: Research themes that will lead to the development of novel technology platforms related to drug discovery and development will be accepted. Scientists at RD Novare work together on lead technologies being researched academically by applicants to establish leading edge technology platforms and biological evaluation methods.

Desired research themes by Daiichi Sankyo:

a) Drug discovery target verification – Oncology; Other disorders;  Vaccines.

b) Drug discovery target investigation: Oncology; Other disorders;  Vaccines.

c) Drug discovery technology development/verification: Biologics; DDS; Pathological model/unique cell-based assays/vital imaging; in silico models related to drug effect estimates/pathological clarification; ADME (Drug Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion); Drug safety; Measuring technology related to biomarker; Vaccines.

d) Pharmaceutical technology: New synthetic technology; Biomedicine safety technology: Chemical compounds/drug analysis technology.

Desired research themes by RD Novare: Drug discovery and development technology platform research: High-throughput-screening, bacteria-therapy, technology platform related to ADME protein-production platform and structure-based-drug-discovery.

Researchers from universities and public research institutions who can conduct research in Japan are eligible for applying. Application period: May 18 to June 15, 2015.

For more information about the TaNeDS programme, visit the Daiichi Sankyo corporate website: http://www.daiichisankyo.co.jp/corporate/rd/taneds/