Kyowa Kirin hopes to become a biotech major

Early-stage Japanese drugmaker Kyowa Hakko Kirin aims to become a fully-integrated biotechnology major, according to company president Yuzuru Matsuda.

Speaking at a recent financial results conference in Tokyo, Dr Matsuda said that the antibody technology obtained from last year's $2.55 billion merger with the pharmaceutical arm of Japanese beer giant Kirin Brewery (Marketletter October 29, 2007) will help it grow to the size and capabilities of a major firm like the USA's Amgen and Genentech.

Kyowa is now conducting US Phase I trials for cancer drugs KW-2449 and KRN-330, while the antibody-specific arm of the company is carrying out a Phase I study of KW-2478 in the European Union. In Australia, it has started early clinical testing of NU206, a treatment for inflammatory bowel diseases in collaboration with USA-based Nuvelo.