March 3, 2022
EPS Holdings, Inc.
Immediate Release

EPS Holdings, Inc. and National Cancer Center Hospital East Signed
Memorandum of Comprehensive Partnership
EPS Holdings, Inc. (Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Hao Yan; hereinafter “EPSHD”)
and the National Cancer Center Hospital East (Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President: Hitoshi Nakagama;hereinafter “NCC”) have signed a memorandum of comprehensive partnership for a variety ofpurposes, including enhancements to clinical trial efficiency and support for clinical development ofseeds for drug discovery. In the future, EPSHD and the National Cancer Center Hospital East
(Kashiwa-shi, Chiba; Director: Atsushi Ohtsu, M.D., Ph.D.; hereinafter “NCCHE”) will elevate
exploration into themes that can achieve the purposes outlined in the memorandum through thismutual partnership.
1.

Background and Purposes of the Memorandum
EPSHD and its subsidiaries (“EPS Group”) holds a dominate position in the oncology field
thanks to a long track record in the clinical development of pharmaceutical products and medical
devices for CROs*1, SMOs*2, and various other businesses. The EPS Group has been providing
broad support to core medical institutions throughout Japan as well as clinical studies and otherendeavors taken on in academia. A challenge faced in the clinical development of seeds
originating at academic institutions and biotech ventures is soliciting the projects and funds
necessary for clinical development. The EPS Group launched its innovative medicine business toovercome these problems in clinical development. Its services provide support in the clinicaldevelopment of seeds originating at academic institutions and domestic and global biotech
ventures and in marketing in and outside Japan.
The NCCHE has been designated by the government of Japan as a core clinical research hospitaland a central cancer genomic hospital as well as a specialized medical institution for the treatmentof cancer, which provides mediation and support for research and studies. The NCCHE alsocollaborates with many domestic and global medical institutions and pharmaceutical companies
for many leading-edge research and studies and shares these outcomes not only in Japan but also
the rest of the world.
In March 2020, EPSHD entered into a basic joint research agreement with the National Cancer
Center Japan (“NCC Japan”), which was done on site at NCCHE. This joint research project
advanced investigations and platforms to accommodate long-term large-scale approaches toresearch in the field of oncology that integrated genomic analysis and multiple other protocols.
Thereafter, the EPSHD and NCC Japan worked together to ramp up the efficiency of clinical
trials through various means, such as new research methods leveraging database research anddata as well as advancements in virtual clinical trials through the evolution of IT and othertechnologies. With the change in these needs, EPSHD and the NCC Japan have decided that it isimperative to expand the scope of the themes which both parties are currently working with.
EPSHD and NCC Japan have agreed to further expand the comprehensive partnership to jointly
examine a wider variety of themes.
The EPS Group will capitalize on its proprietary CRO and SMO functions, virtual clinical trials,
IT capabilities, and knowledge in configuring big data platforms to look into ways to enhance the1

operational efficiency and virtual clinical trials in promoting clinical studies at NCCHE. It will
also foster a synergistic effect with the needs for support of NCCHE biotech ventures as part ofits innovative medicine business.
2.

Joint Research Initiatives
EPSHD and NCCHE will start joint research into the following themes:(1) Examine frameworks and other necessities to lead international investigator-initiated clinical
trials(2) Develop new methods for clinical studies expanding the use of genomic data, databaseresearch, and other such technologies, and frameworks for applications to multiple types ofcancers based on those technologies(3) Implementation of virtual clinical trials for various clinical studies(4) Preparations of systems to efficiently promote sponsor-initiated clinical trials(5) Creation of new approaches to clinical trials using various research and businesses that cancapitalize on that data
(6) Support in and outside Japan of the clinical development and marketing for innovative
medicine seeds and venture companies, etc.

About EPS GroupThe EPS Group is a healthcare solutions provider that has been handling all processes from drug
discovery and development to sales, marketing, consulting, and various other solutions since its
founding as a pioneer CRO in Japan in 1991. The Group broadening its businesses as well by also
engaging in initiatives to bring new value to pharmaceutical and medical device companies,
hospitals, clinics, and academia through efforts that include expansion in China and the rest of Asia,
big data and AI, and regenerative medicine. In 2021, the EPS Group launched an innovative
medicine business and started services to support the clinical development of seeds originating at
academic institutions and domestic and global biotech ventures and to support marketing in andoutside Japan.
About National Cancer Center Hospital East
The National Cancer Center Japan (NCC Japan) established the National Cancer Center Hospital
East (NCCHE) in 1992 as a top hospital in Japan specializing in cancer treating for over 9,000 newpatients every year. Its mission is to develop and provide world-class cancer treatments and care.
Japan has designated the NCCHE a core clinical research hospital and a central cancer genomichospital as well as a base for joint development of next-generation medical devices. Together with
the Exploratory Oncology Research & Clinical Trial Center (EPOC), NCCHE promotes thedevelopment of leading therapeutic medicines and medical devices to treat cancer, such as First-inHuman trials of new cancer medications and sponsor-initiated clinical trials, as a TR research anddevelopment base which boasts a cross-departmental network, and gained a number of results.
*1: CRO (Contract Research Organization)*2: SMO (Site Management Organization)

Contact:
EPS Holdings, Inc.
Corporate Communications OfficeE-mail: pr@eps.co.jp

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