Abstract
Development of truly epoch-making new drugs is always related to innovative discoveries or theories of highest level. Fruit of development efforts by corporate scientists, such drugs are rooted in academic research in national laboratories or universities. In resent years, however, success in basic research often leads to establishment of a small venture enterprise, which acquire a wide range of patents for its potential products. This trend, particularly prominent in the U.S., makes a published paper rather a belated starting point of a drug development program. The lead-time until commercialization of a drug, estimated to be about 13 years, is correspondingly being shortened to about five years in near future. These circumstances urge pharmaceutical companies to perform some basic research by themselves. Takeda is trying to base its target of drug development efforts on studies of orphan receptors and their ligands. Innovative pharmaceuticals should result from discovery of new orphan receptors/ligands and enzymes in genomic study. This approach will necessitate further advances in technology as well as reflections on the methodology.
