I currently lead the pharmacology research team, which aims to develop next-generation anti-cancer medicines using various modalities. For the first three years after joining the company, I was involved in early “drug discovery” research, gathering information on potential medicinal substances and exploring the possibilities of using them as a medicine. “Drug discovery” is not something that one person can do alone; it is a process that involves the combined efforts of many people.
While I possessed the ability to formulate medicinal concepts building on my academic background, I lacked the expertise necessary to translate these concepts into specific medicines, such as compounds or antibodies. For this reason, I have been working with internal experts to turn my ideas into reality and evaluate their efficacy as medicines.
Recently, I have been venturing into more complex modalities. Since this requires a higher level of expertise than before, I am constantly collaborating with experts in medicine design. At Daiichi Sankyo, there is an environment where we can share our knowledge and inspire each other to achieve our goals.
This is something I picked up from my friend during my time in academia, but the English word “research” is a combination of “re” (to repeat) and “search” (to investigate). In my personal experience, research often fails, but the important thing is to keep trying with new hypothesis formulated from the failure.
At Daiichi Sankyo, there is an environment where you can take on challenges without fear of failure, allowing you to take a proactive approach to “research.” As a research team, you progress through the research process, making trial-and-error attempts and engaging in repeated discussions, there is nothing more satisfying than when the hypotheses your team have formulated together prove to be correct.
An organization that overcomes challenges through communication
Communication is an essential skill for overcoming difficulties when coordinating across departments or when conflicting opinions arise. When I was involved in preclinical pharmacology research for a medicine, in addition to our pharmacology research team, there were members from various departments within the company, including development, regulatory affairs, safety, manufacturing, and marketing, who were involved in the development project for an anti-cancer medicine, and there were times when it was difficult to reach a consensus. Furthermore, in meetings that included global members, because discussions were held with colleagues from different cultural backgrounds, it proved even more difficult to coordinate opinions and deepen mutual understanding.
However, because we all shared the common goal of getting our medicines to patients as quickly as possible, we were able to reach a consensus through effective communication. At Daiichi Sankyo, even when opinions differ, there are many people with the flexibility to overcome those differences while respecting each other.
Envisioning a career dedicated to advancing knowledge in drug discovery research
Drug discovery research is broadly divided into three steps: identifying seeds for new medicines, refining the identified seeds and evaluating them based on various criteria to create medicine candidates, and providing scientific support in clinical trials.
I have been fortunate enough to have experienced two of these steps and am currently working on the third step. I hope to continue to grow as a drug discovery researcher and bring new medicines to patients.