For Immediate Release

Company name: DAIICHI SANKYO COMPANY, LIMITED
Representative: Joji Nakayama, President and Representative Director
(Code no.: 4568, First Section, Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya Stock Exchanges)
Please address inquiries to Toshiaki Sai, General Manager,
Corporate Communications Department
Telephone: +81-3-6225-1126
http://www.daiichisankyo.com/

Daiichi Sankyo Selects Research Partners for TaNeDS Collaborative Drug Discovery Project

Tokyo, Japan (October 27, 2011) — Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (hereafter, Daiichi Sankyo) today announced that it has selected research partners for its TaNeDS (Take a New challenge for Drug diScovery) collaborative drug discovery project. The researchers were selected from universities and public research centers in Japan. Daiichi Sankyo will soon begin signing agreements with the selected parties to initiate collaborative research.

1. Total entries: 337

2. Selected parties: 21

3. Selections by entry type

4. Selections by research theme

For reference: 2011 TaNeDS project overview (from February 28, 2011 press release)

1. How to apply

1. A.     Individual base: Exploratory research themes will be accepted. Through one year studies with Daiichi Sankyo researchers, the feasibility of the themes in terms of drug discovery and development of technology will be determined. Themes that show promise will enter into the collaborative research phase.
2. B.      Project base: Large-scale research themes expected to lead to drug discovery and development of technologies will be accepted. Teams can include researchers from several organizations (ex. different universities or schools within universities). Daiichi Sankyo researchers will design the TaNeDS projects, which will be conducted jointly over a period of two years.
3. C.     Theme development: Research themes that make practical use of intellectual properties and proprietary know-how will be accepted. After adoption of the themes, projects will enter the collaborative research phase to increase the value of the intellectual properties, and Daiichi Sankyo will determine the possibility of starting a new venture within a set period of time. If Daiichi Sankyo determines the theme to be realistic, it will consider supporting the establishment of a collaborative venture.

2. Desired research themes

- Oncology

- Cardiovascular metabolics (metabolic disease, heart disease and vascular disease)

- Leading edge pharmaceuticals

- Antibodies, nucleic acid therapeutics

- Pharmaceutical technology platforms　　

3. Who is eligible

Researchers from universities and public research centers that can conduct research in Japan

4. Schedule

Application period: June 1 to June 30, 2011

First selection period: July 1 to July 31, 2011

Second selection period: August 1 through September 30, 2011

Feasibility studies/collaborative research: Starting October 1, 2011

*For more information about the TaNeDS program visit the Daiichi Sankyo corporate website: https://www.daiichisankyo.co.jp/rd/taneds/index.html (Japanese only)