Sumitomo Pharma’s DX
By implementing a data-driven decision-making process, all value chains will make continued efforts to innovate operations and create value
A Data-driven Organization that Propels Itself
Autonomously
Digital data is used as a matter of fact
Optimal Use of In-house Technologies
Corporate Departments Orchestrate DX of the Sumitomo Pharma Group
Introduce Advanced Technologies and Techniques
The Group has built a foundation to accelerate DX by acquiring
and developing healthcare technologies, data utilization
expertise, and the talent to sustain them. The engineers and
in-house capabilities developed through these efforts have taken
root as robust development organizations in both Japan and the
United States and are engaged in continuous activities.
By making full use of these systems, technologies, and talents,
and by setting quantitative targets linked to sales and R&D
milestones, we will improve the accuracy of drug discovery,
shorten the development period, and stably manufacture drugs
that are safe and more reliable than ever, so that we will
generate innovative pharmaceuticals and healthcare solutions as
well as deliver value to a wider range of healthcare
professionals, patients and their families. To contribute to the
health and wellbeing of people, we will accelerate our DX
efforts by focusing on the creation and enhancement of business
value, and promote our “transformation into a data-driven
pharmaceutical company” and “new value creation and operational
reforms” to achieve sustained growth.
Optimal Use of In-house Technology
At Sumitomo Pharma, in-house teams based in Japan and the United States are leading the Group’s DX initiatives. Across the entire Group, including overseas subsidiaries, these teams are working to enhance the efficiency of new drug research and development and to create new value. In particular, they are promoting R&D utilizing AI and big data, with a focus on the psychiatry & neurology and oncology areas, where drug discovery is highly challenging.
Optimal Use of In-house Technology in Drug Discovery
R&D Using In Silico Drug Discovery Technology
In silico drug discovery is the creation of drugs in a computer using computational science, and we are focusing on research that forms the core of first in class drug discovery. Specifically, our research focuses on the search for effective drug targets or mechanisms for specific diseases by harnessing the power of informatics technology to comprehensively analyze large amounts of chemical, biological, and medical data from both inside and outside the company and the creation of drug candidate molecules for target proteins using molecular simulation. We are actively promoting the shift from conventional hypothesis-verification drug discovery research to data-driven drug discovery research that handles data as it is.
R&D in the Psychiatry & Neurology Area
The pathophysiology of psychiatric & neurological disorders is still poorly understood and this is considered a difficult area for drug development. Sumitomo Pharma is engaged in computer-aided, data-driven drug discovery research and development using in silico drug discovery technology, based on the acquisition of a variety of patient information. Specifically, based on big data such as genomic information and brain checkup data, we are searching for drug seeds such as appropriate target molecules and identifying biomarkers that can be used in both clinical and non-clinical settings to improve the probability of success in research and development. Further, we have established our own system using artificial intelligence (AI) for predicting the pharmacokinetics and safety of compounds, and by combining this system with simulation-based prediction of pharmacological activity, we are efficiently generating promising compounds. We also actively promote external alliances. For example, we have launched clinical studies of multiple drug candidate compounds generated using AI technology in collaboration with various partners.
R&D in the Oncology Area
Cancer is a disease with high unmet medical needs despite well-studied pathogenic mechanisms and causative biomolecules. To bridge this gap between basic and clinical research, it is important to utilize data obtained from basic research and patient data to find target molecules that are truly effective in treatment and biomarkers that identify patients who will benefit from therapeutic agents. It is from this perspective that we are working on data-driven drug discovery in the oncology area as well as in the psychiatry & neurology area.
Using natural language processing technology, we are advancing the search for drug candidate substances and target protein candidates through comprehensive analysis of the literature and databases, as well as trend prediction. Based on the findings, we have initiated several new drug discovery projects so far.
In addition to the above, we are also actively working on the use of digital technology to improve the productivity of our R&D activities.
R&D in the Regenerative Medicine and Cell Therapy Business
We are working on the practical application of cells derived from allogenic iPS cells that are currently undergoing investigator-initiated study at Kyoto University Hospital, in collaboration with the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University. In contrast to pharmaceuticals, the instrumental analysis of which is possible, the greatest challenge for regenerative medicine products manufactured by inducing differentiation from iPS cells is to understand the characteristics of living cells. Therefore, technology that appropriately captures variations in the properties of individual cells to ensure quality is needed. In collaboration with the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, we analyzed the gene expression of each individual cell in each production lot using digital technology, and confirmed that the quality was stable using statistical indicators, demonstrating the validity of repeat production (Doi, D. et al. Nature Communications 11; 3369 (2020)). Utilizing the results of this research, cells manufactured in our Manufacturing Plant for Regenerative Medicine & Cell Therapy (SMaRT) are currently being transplanted in investigator-initiated study.
Corporate Departments orchestrate DX of the Group
A dramatic increase in value created by digital technology
Develop DX as our corporate culture through strengthening the development of core human resources in Japan and Japan-U.S. collaboration
In Japan, we will strengthen the development of internal human resources who will serve as the core to develop DX as our corporate culture. On the technical side, we will develop two different types of personnel: “Citizen Data Scientists” and “Citizen Developers.” The former are personnel who can analyze business data using basic statistics and machine learning models and contribute to problem solving and decision making in their departments, while the latter are personnel who have the skills to develop tools by themselves to improve the efficiency of their own and their departments’ operations.
On the organizational culture side, we will develop “Scrum Masters,” who play a role in promoting the instilment of an agile mindset and further motivating people to challenge by energizing the team.
We will continue to promote the development of these human resources, placing importance not only on improving operational efficiency but also on expanding across each division those who can serve as the starting point for new value creation.
Through strengthening the development of core DX human resources in Japan and the circulation of knowledge and expertise through Japan–U.S. collaboration, we will further embed and deepen DX as our corporate culture.
Citizen Data Scientists
Citizen Developers
Scrum Masters
Launch 150 or more DX projects of any size per year in Japan and the U.S. combined
Approx. 10% of Sumitomo Pharma’s employees will play a core role in DX in initiating efforts to increase operational efficiency and create value
Human resources who support Sumitomo Pharma’s DX
Citizen Data Scientists
We position Citizen Data Scientists as the key persons to implement a data-driven, high-quality and prompt decision-making process in all value chains by mastering the three competences required of data scientists: business competence, data science competence, and data engineering, while utilizing visualization and statistical methods.
Citizen Developers
We position Citizen Developers as personnel who will enhance operational excellence and drive digital transformation in all workplaces by acquiring skills to realize automation and sophistication of operations mainly including no-code and low-code tools.
As of May 2023, our internal developer community, which we launched in FY2021, has 200 members. Through this community, we aim to develop 150 persons who can implement applications that improve productivity in their workplaces by FY2027.
Scrum Masters
We position Scrum Masters as personnel possessing facilitation and coaching skills and promoting instilment of an agile mindset. They are responsible for creating teams where highly specialized and diverse personnel can interact with and learn from each other in a healthy way, and conduct their activities in a productive and autonomous manner.
System Development Suitable for DX
Utilization of advanced external technologies
We are pursuing the creation of an ecosystem by developing applications in collaboration with external partners who have cutting-edge core technologies. We are undertaking initiatives in various areas, including image analysis AI and talent management, one of the HR Tech (Human Resources Technology) areas, and in some of these areas, the results are already being applied to actual business and beginning to deliver unprecedented value.
●Click the following link for the article about HR Tech in Sumitomo Pharma. Analyzing Factors for the Production of Results with Talent Management - Sumitomo Pharma by Nikkei BP HumanCapital ONLINE 07/07/2021 (in Japanese only) https://project.nikkeibp.co.jp/HumanCapital/atcl/column/00014/070200016/
Agile Application to Office Work
To improve our flexibility and agility in responding to changes in the business environment, we have formed a virtual team to promote agile and are promoting the adoption of agile work styles.
We are gradually introducing agile methods such as Scrum and Kanban Board in stages, after customizing them to suit each site, and this applies to all office work, not only system development. Agile work styles that focus on customer value and quick and iterative improvements are beginning to foster autonomous and independent teams and create behavioral changes.
Driving Advanced Technologies and Techniques
By leveraging the strengths of our in-house framework—namely, the ability to rapidly test, implement, and refine—we will deploy advanced technologies and new methodologies, including AI and data utilization, across frontline operations, and continuously drive operational sophistication and value creation through digital transformation.
Our approach to the two priority disease areas and other areas
The Group aims to establish itself as a “Global Specialized Player” by 2033. With a focus on the Psychiatry & Neurology and Oncology disease areas, where unmet medical needs are high, we will make the utmost of the experience and knowledge that we have acquired so far to continue making active efforts for research and development of pharmaceuticals, regenerative medicine/cell therapy, non-pharmaceutical products, and otherwise. In other areas, too, we will tap into assets at hand and make steady R&D efforts to deliver solid value to patients. With regard to drug discovery research, we will forge ahead with our translational research and biomarker research and develop modality technologies to further strengthen our highly unique foundation for drug discovery. In addition, we will propel data-driven drug discovery to continuously create candidate compounds that focus on the essence of clinical conditions.
●Priority Disease Areas
https://www.sumitomo-pharma.com/rd/areas_system/research_focus_areas.html
Sumitomo Pharma supports those who are willing to grow on their own.
In order to contribute to the health and wellbeing of people, we aim to dramatically increase the value created by digital technology, and are implementing various initiatives to develop DX as our corporate culture through strengthening the development of core human resources in Japan and Japan-U.S. collaboration.
We are focusing on establishing an environment in which each and every one of our employees can proactively work on developing his or her skills, with the aim of achieving our vision as a company where our diverse human resources can have their own strengths, challenge themselves to achieve higher goals, and maximize their individual abilities.
●Employee Development Program （in Japanese only）
https://www.recruit.sumitomo-pharma.co.jp/gradu/effort/training/