Specific Treg Research Unit

About Us

The Specific Treg Research Unit was established in 2021 and is based at Tsukuba Research Center in Japan. The Unit is responsible for drug discovery targeting for Primary Focus Candidate, Immune Homeostasis*; more specifically, the regulatory T cells (Treg), which are known to play a central role in the maintenance of immune homeostasis. The deep knowledge of Treg biology and innovative modality / technology are the keys to materializing the concept of specific Treg induction. Through many years of R&D experience in the immunology area, Astellas has acquired its capabilities to lead “Specific Treg” drug discovery. Going forward, close collaboration with external partners will be indispensable for the creation of truly innovative therapeutic agents. We are very much looking forward to working with various partners and pursuing together the creation of therapeutics that can bring cures to patients.

*Please check here for the explanation of Primary Focus Candidate, Immune Homeostasis.
 

Our Approach

We pay particular attention to "Specific Treg" that has specificity for pathogenic antigens and/or injured organs. Our aim is to develop innovative therapeutics for autoimmune diseases and achieve high efficacy and safety through efficiently inducing “Specific Treg” in living bodies.
 

Team

Leader

Hidehiko Fukahori, Ph.D.

Unit Head

Hidehiko Fukahori, Ph.D.

Dr. Fukahori worked as a researcher in the areas of autoimmune diseases, organ transplant and allergies, and discovered 3 clinical candidates. He has led many in-house research projects and multiple collaborative research programs with external partners. In 2019, he took a Research Unit Head position in the immunology area. He has been in the present position since April 2021.

 

Masahiko Akamatsu, Ph.D.

Science Lead

Masahiko Akamatsu, Ph.D.

Dr. Akamatsu investigated immunosuppressants at the Astellas Research Institute of America for three years. After returning to Japan, he participated in joint research with Professor Shimon Sakaguchi of Kyoto University (at that time), who discovered Treg, and Professor Shuh Narumiya of Kyoto University. As a principal scientist representing Astellas, he contributed to the discovery of unique compounds that induce Treg conversion, one of the outstanding outcomes of this joint research.

 

Publications

Akamatsu M, Mikami N, Ohkura N, Kawakami R, Kitagawa Y, Sugimoto A, Hirota K, Nakamura N, Ujihara S, Kurosaki T, Hamaguchi H, Harada H, Xia G, Morita Y, Aramori I, Narumiya S, Sakaguchi S. 
Conversion of antigen-specific effector/memory T cells into Foxp3-expressing Treg cells by inhibition of CDK8/19.
Sci Immunol. 2019 Oct 25;4(40):eaaw2707. doi: 10.1126/sciimmunol.aaw2707.
 

Patents

WO/2018/139660 PCT/JP2018/002826
(EN) NOVEL COMPOUND, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING REGULATORY T CELLS
 

Press Releases

Pandion and Astellas collaboration to deliver pancreas-targeted immunomodulators
(Pandion is a wholly owned subsidiary of Merck & Co Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA.)

 

Partnering

Assets and capabilities that Astellas expects from its partners

  • Drug discovery approaches (e.g. target molecules, mechanisms, drug candidates) that can efficiently induce regulatory T cells with specificity for pathogenic antigens and/or injured organs in living bodies 

  • New analysis technology to elucidate the relationship between specific regulatory T cells and disease