As the population ages, the number of cancer patients in Japan increases, so the need for new treatments is growing. With the recent development of various new cancer drugs, early clinical development, which is the starting point for development, is becoming more and more competitive internationally. For this reason, the Center for Advanced Medical Development was established at the Cancer Institute Hospital to serve as a clinical development base for the next generation of cancer therapies, with the aim of bringing new cancer drugs from Japan to patients around the world as quickly as possible.

The emergence of cancer drugs with complex mechanisms of action (the mechanisms by which drugs exert therapeutic effects), such as immunotherapy, and the individualization of target patients using genetic diagnosis, have led to the need for a wide range of expertise and experience in the development of new cancer drugs. For this reason, the center has established three divisions: the “Division of Early Clinical Development for Cancer”, the “Division of Cancer Immunotherapy Development”, and the “Division of Cancer Genomic Medicine Development”. In addition to bringing together knowledge in these specialized fields, we will promote innovative early clinical development by proposing clinical trials suitable for individual patients. This work will involve collaboration between the departments and divisions of the Cancer Institute Hospital.

(From right) Dr. Sano, Center Chief, Dr. Kitano, Director of DCID, Dr. Kogawa, Director of DECDC,
Dr. Ueno, Director of DCGMD

Mission statements of the Center for Advanced Medical Development

Vision:

We aim to create a society in which cancer patients can live with hope and peace of mind through the development of world-leading innovative treatments and diagnostic tools alongside the development of our human resources.

Mission:

  • To expand precision medicine with world-leading translational research.
  • To provide a wide range of highly individualized clinical-trial options to our current and future patients through close collaboration with general practice and supportive-care divisions.
  • To foster the next generation of leaders in experimental therapeutics and early phase clinical trial support teams.

Core values:

Challenge, Creativity, Respect, Speed

Division of Early Clinical Development for Cancer (DECDC)

We promote early clinical development of low-molecular drugs and antibody drugs for various cancers and phase I trials, including first-in-human trials.

Division of Cancer Immunotherapy Development (DCID)

We carry out early clinical development of cancer immunotherapeutic drugs, such as immune-checkpoint inhibitors, gene-engineering cell therapies, and combination therapy with various drugs (combined cancer immunotherapy).

Division of Cancer Genomic Medicine Development (DCGMD)

We conduct clinical trials to implement in vitro diagnostics using advanced genomic analysis developed at the Cancer Precision Medicine Center (CPM Center) to promote advanced medicine.

With our staff’s expertise in cancer treatment, we also provide second opinions to cancer patients treated at medical institutions other than the Cancer Institute Hospital.