NS Pharma Names New President for Orphan Drug Development and Commercialization

NS Pharma, Inc., a subsidiary of Nippon Shinyaku Co., Ltd., has announced the appointment of Yukiteru Sugiyama, Ph.D., as the new President of its US headquarters, effective June 30, 2024. Sugiyama steps into the role following the retirement of Tsugio Tanaka, MSc.

Sugiyama received his doctorate in organic chemistry from Nagoya University in 1996. He began his career with Nippon Shinyaku in the same year, focusing on research and clinical development in structural chemistry and blood cancer therapies. In 2007, Sugiyama transitioned to the company's commercial division. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he was assigned to NS Pharma in the US, where he served as assistant vice president overseeing commercial functions for VILTEPSO® (viltolarsen). His career at Nippon Shinyaku spans 28 years, during which he has taken on increasingly significant responsibilities.

In his new role as President of NS Pharma, Sugiyama emphasizes the importance of empathy in the development of therapies for rare diseases. He highlights his commitment to maintaining high levels of empathy within the company and enhancing transparency among all stakeholders.

Sugiyama will steer the company through the next stages of clinical and commercial development for its key products, VILTEPSO and CAP-1002, the latter in partnership with Capricor Therapeutics, aimed at treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy (Duchenne). Additionally, NS Pharma is advancing its research on exon 44 skipping therapy (currently in Phase 2) and exon 50 skipping therapy (in Phase 1/2) for Duchenne. Other projects include a selective JAK1 inhibition therapy for eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) and several preclinical neurological therapies.

NS Pharma, Inc. operates as a fully owned subsidiary of Nippon Shinyaku Co., Ltd., and holds a registered trademark of the parent company. The organization remains committed to developing innovative therapies and addressing unmet medical needs.