October 5, 2016
Press release
Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation

Joint research identifies hit compounds for the development ofa new treatment for malaria
Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma uses its compound libraryin joint research activities with Medicines for Malaria Venture―Targeting treatments for infectious diseases that burden the developing world―
Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation (Head Office: Osaka; President and Representative Director:
Masayuki Mitsuka) announced today that a joint research program with Medicines for Malaria Venture(MMV), a not-for-profit research organization focused on antimalarial drugs, has identified threegroups of promising compounds with activity against malaria from the compound library. The
identification of these compounds resulted from jointly implemented screening activities.
Aiming to promote the discovery of new drugs for infectious diseases that burden the developing world,in May 2015 Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma provided its pharmaceutical compound library, which contains
about 50,000 compounds, to MMV and commenced joint research. The screening was conductedwith the support of Global Health Innovative Technology Fund (GHIT Fund), a public-private
partnership originating in Japan. The research involved the use of high-throughput screening of thepharmaceutical compound library with MMV’s screening partners, Eskitis Institute, Griffiths Universityand University of California, San Diego (UCSD), with the aim of discovering new antimalarial drugcandidate compounds that overcome the problem of resistance to current antimalarial drugs. These
activities resulted in the identification of hit compounds with antimalarial activity, of which three series
were prioritized.
The GHIT Fund will provide an additional ¥61.82 million for a period of 18 months to support further
discovery research to deliver a lead compound. From October 2016, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma,
MMV and its partners will move into the next stage of research focusing on the three recently identified
groups of promising hit compounds as new antimalarial leads.
Moving forward, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma will strive to contribute to the health of people around theworld through the discovery of pharmaceuticals that address unmet medical needs, including taking
on the challenge of discovering pharmaceuticals geared toward the eradication of widespreadinternational infectious diseases, such as malaria, Ebola, hemorrhagic fever, influenza, and so on.
〈〈For Details, Contact the Following Section〉〉
Corporate Communications Department
Tel +81-6-6205-5211

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About Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation
Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation is a research-driven pharmaceutical company with a Head Officebased in Dosho-machi Osaka, the birthplace of Japan’s pharmaceutical industry. As part of its“Medium-Term Management Plan 16-20: Open Up the Future,” the company is focused on discoveringdrugs that address unmet medical needs in several priority disease areas, including central nervous systemdiseases, autoimmune disorders, diabetes, kidney disease and vaccines. Through this work, the company
contributes to the healthier lives of people around the world. For more information, go to
www.mt-pharma.co.jp/e.
About Medicine for Malaria Venture (MMV)
MMV is a leading product development partnership (PDP) in the field of antimalarial drug research anddevelopment. Its mission is to reduce the burden of malaria in disease-endemic countries by discovering,developing and delivering new, effective and affordable antimalarial drugs.
MMV’s vision is a world in which innovative medicines will cure and protect the vulnerable andunder-served populations at risk of malaria, and ultimately help to eradicate this terrible
disease.www.mmv.org

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