Partnerships are the enablers of our pipeline both today and in the future. They are critical to our sense of urgency to provide maximum VALUE to the patients who are waiting. Our partnering teams support opportunities that are aligned with Astellas’ strategy and culture of open innovation, to drive our pipeline today as well as in the future.
How We Collaborate
Each partnership is unique, which is why we develop tailored approaches for every deal, whether it’s discovery, development and/or commercialization.
Our expert partnering teams work together to assess and drive scientific innovation through partnerships, investments, collaborations and acquisitions. We work with each partner to identify and implement mutually beneficial approaches, including deal scopes and structures that lead to win-win partnerships along with the personalized support approach from beginning to end of the deal that provides access to the right science and best experts throughout our global organization.
We support our partners in accelerating innovation from bench through clinic to commercialization as quickly as possible. This support includes but is not limited to discovery and development collaborations, clinical trial design and execution, commercial assessment, and line extension including post-marketing studies.
Business Development Leadership Team
Issei Tsukamoto
Head of Business Development
Corporate Development and Strategic Operations
The Corporate Development and Strategic Operations team focuses on acquiring late-stage assets from third parties and divesting/out-licensing selected internal assets spanning from late research to commercialization, to optimize delivery of such products to patients in need. The team also identifies and assesses external research opportunities in emerging Focus Areas that can potentially be a part of Astellas’ future Primary Focus.
Junji Koizumi
Head of Corporate Development & Strategic Operations
Scouting & Transaction
The Scouting & Transaction group brings deep scientific and therapeutic insights to identify and evaluate opportunities that fit Astellas’ R&D strategy. Opportunities range from academic research, enabling technologies as well as assets in all stages from discovery to late stage. Our proven track record demonstrates our respect to partners, where we are maximizing the expertise and capabilities the partner can bring and incorporating into the deal structure.
Miki Nakamori
Head of Scouting & Transaction
(Primary Focus Genetic Regulation, Blindness & Regeneration, Immune Homeostasis)
Tomohiro Yamauchi
Head of Scouting & Transaction
(Primary Focus Immuno-Oncology, Targeted Protein Degradation, Mitochondria)
Alliance Management
The Alliance Management team aims at maximizing alliance values and achieving a common goal with partners by respecting cultural differences, nurturing and enhancing trust-based relationships. Our dedicated alliance teams, with strong collaboration capabilities, come to each partnership with a focus on transparency to deliver VALUE to patients for a bright future.
Head of R&D Alliances
Elena Cavalli
Head of Commercial & Enterprise Alliances
External Incubation Hub
The External Incubation Hub team devotes BD expertise to catalyzing innovation in pre-competitive areas, nurturing the drug discovery ecosystem, leveraging “Open Innovation in Drug Discovery Research”, and being in a good position to cutting-edge science for creating future Focus Areas. The team values innovation from academia and start-ups to help them release the potential of their early scientific discoveries.
Head of External Incubation Hub