Message from the Director

The mission of the Exploratory Oncology Research & Clinical Trial Center (EPOC) is to rapidly advance research and development towards the realization of the National Cancer Center's goal of “a society that prevents, overcomes, with and beyond cancer”. To achieve this, we need a place that can accurately comprehend what is required in the clinical field and refine innovative ideas and seeds to meet those needs.

The landscape of pharmaceuticals and medical devices development is evolving at a dizzying pace, with open innovation and the emergence of the concept of drug discovery technology platforms. Hence, an international hub that can respond immediately to these changes is ever more important. EPOC's future vision is an agile, easily adaptable organization that swiftly responds to changes and challenges, based on excellent clinical and basic research conducted in collaboration with teams within the National Cancer Center, such as the Hospital, Hospital East, and Research Institute, as well as with domestic and overseas research institutions, thus overcoming various restrictions from standards and manufacturing which are bottlenecks to practical application through industry-academia collaboration, and converging technology and science from diverse fields of expertise based on clear exit strategies.

We have designated the near clinical phase, which encompasses applied research and early clinical research of promising game changing technologies in cancer treatment, including regenerative/cellular medicine, gene therapy, antibody drugs, nuclear medicine, AI and robotics, as the area of particular focus. To this purpose, we have established the Kashiwanoha Regenerative Medicine Platform and others so that EPOC staff can work with domestic and international experts and cross-disciplinary teams to develop and implement new technologies. We will continue to evolve as a unique development base in which trust is placed, that ‘EPOC will make it happen’.

Dr. Katsuya Tsuchihara, M.D., Ph.D.
Director, Exploratory Oncology Research & Clinical Trial Center