Work at Sato Pharmaceutical's Shinagawa Research and Development Center is divided into the Medical Research Department, which handles new compound synthesis and drug efficacy research, and the Formulation Research Department, in charge of formulation planning and analytical research. In the Medical Research Department, research using individual evaluations and screening takes place, with research into highly useful materials and development of new combinations.
The new Research Planning Department: strengthening the drug
development system
Research and development at Sato Pharmaceutical is concentrated in the Shinagawa Research and Development Center in Tokyo. It is organized into six different wings, including the New Research Wing, Formulation Research Wing, Drug Effect Wing and Composition Research Wing. As part of the process of strengthening the drug development research system, the new Research Planning Department has been established. The Department plans and promotes research, with drug development based on actual medical needs. Joint development with other companies is also conducted, so that higher quality products can be supplied more quickly to society.
High-level research in Switch OTC pharmaceuticals,
genetic technology and metabolic syndrome
At Sato Pharmaceutical, it is not simply a matter of redesignating ethical pharmaceutical products as Switch OTC, but of researching combinations of components that provide the most useful results, ensuring safety while also providing maximum effectiveness of OTC products.
In recent years, healthcare product research and development has placed greater importance on genetic and protein analytic research. Sato Pharmaceutical has made use of many technologies in its research, including cell culture in the screening for a new anti-inflammatory, molecular biology and genetic technology. In the new Research Wing, evaluation of existing products such as Yunker and Acess is made at the genetic level on product efficacy, while active research and development continues on new products such as hair restoratives and dermatitis treatments.
In the Lifestyle Laboratory, lifestyle-related disease such as metabolic syndrome are the target of research and development.
New drug delivery systems stressing high drug effectiveness and ease of use
The Research and Development Department's main focuses in new drug delivery system (DDS) research are the ease of drug usage, safety and high effectiveness. In the process of developing new DDS's, exclusive dosage formats and highly absorbable drugs, Sato has already made countless patent applications. SATAB, a Sato-exclusive development, is one such technology. Placed into the mouth, SATAB dissolves in the presence of only a small quantity of saliva and without the need for water; the technology has now been applied to eight different products including cold medicines and nasal decongestants.
Another new area of research is a next-generation, e DDS with a thickness of just 50 microns. In March of 2009, this was used in Zentrip, a new motion-sickness treatment from Sato on sale in the US incorporating meclizine hydrochloride. Sato is also working on a number of new developments with SATAB and film DDS with masking technologies to minimize the bitterness of some medicines. Other areas of technological activity include external-use treatments, such as a gel-type treatment that delivers the active ingredients through high permeability, medicated plasters, and a sensitive-skin moisturizer treatment using low-stimulation skin moisture transpiration control.
Natural remedy component research
In the formulation of trial products, ingredient stability, content homogeneity, dissolution tests and other strict material standards are set, and the necessary materials for written application for approval of a product under development are gathered. One area that has been a special strength for Sato Pharmaceutical is natural remedy research, with leading-edge technology that allows for isolation, purification and identification of extremely small quantities of ingredients, so that examination and standardization can be made of important product ingredients to ensure product stability. The analysis and valuable data thus produced is a real asset for the company and something that can be put to practical use in future research as well.
