Message from the COO

“Connecting the success of OPDIVO to our next stage of growth.” This is the vision statement I shared upon assuming the role of president in 2024. This is not merely a product strategy, it expresses our commitment to remain a pharmaceutical company that relentlessly pursues innovative medicines and to aim for even greater heights. In order to continue delivering new medicines to patients around the world, we must establish solid research and development capabilities that are competitive on a global scale, build a business structure that can generate value worldwide, and pave the way for growth as a Global Specialty Pharma. I believe this is my most important mission.

The acquisition of Deciphera in 2024 was a major step toward realizing this goal. Deciphera is a bio-venture focused on oncology, equipped with development and sales infrastructure in the U.S. and Europe and proprietary technology called the Switch-Control Kinase Inhibitor Platform. Going forward, we will deliver Deciphera’s new medicines such as QINLOCK and ROMVIMZA as well as new first-inclass medicines created by the Ono Group to patients around the world, especially in the U.S. and Europe, accelerating our global growth strategy.

Looking at the pharmaceutical market as a whole, more than half of the global market is occupied by North America and Europe, particularly the U.S., which is a vast market not only due to the large patient population, but also as a hub for cutting-edge treatments and clinical development. Within our Group as well, we recognize that establishing a solid footing in these regions is essential for our growth as a Global Specialty Pharma. By leveraging Deciphera’s development and sales base in the U.S. and Europe, we will establish a strong presence in these rapidly growing markets. This acquisition is only the first step toward our evolution into the Global Specialty Pharma we aim to become. Looking ahead, we are open to partnerships and acquisitions with partners like Deciphera, both within and outside the Company, and will collaborate openly with suitable partners as members of our team.

In our research and development strategies, we are strengthening both in-house drug discovery and in-licensing, and are focused on expanding our pipeline in the four priority areas: oncology, immunology, neurology and specialty fields. Currently, a diverse array of in-house projects are underway, which we expect to become seeds for future growth.

First, as a third pillar following Deciphera’s QINLOCK and ROMVIMZA, our in-house central nervous system primary lymphoma candidate tirabrutinib is scheduled for application in the U.S. in FY2025 and launch in FY2026. To get our global expansion on track, it is essential to have multiple product lines in the target regions and a structure that can meet the diverse needs of patients and healthcare sites. With the group integration of Deciphera as a starting point, I am confident that having these three drugs will allow our Group’s global expansion to steadily progress.

Furthermore, we aim for continual applications and launches of new products without interruption. Among our recent in-house products, we are working intensively on the success of several global development products, including ONO-4578 (an EP4 antagonist being developed for gastric cancer in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan and for colon and rectal cancer in Japan, the U.S. and Europe), ONO-4685 (a PD-1×CD3 bispecific antibody in development for T-cell lymphoma) and ONO-2808 (for multiple system atrophy). Additionally sapablursen, a blood disorder treatment in-licensed from Ionis, is an important drug candidate for our future global expansion, addressing areas with high medical needs despite a limited patient population. Our Company has high expectations for both the positioning and profile of sapablursen. Moreover, we have several drug candidates with unique mechanisms of action, such as ONO-1110 and ONO-2020, currently in clinical trials as seeds for future growth. If these projects progress with clinical signals, they could become pillars supporting the next stage of growth after OPDIVO.

From now on, while seeking synergy with in-licensed drug candidates, we will utilize our development structure in Japan and overseas to establish a system for delivering new drugs even more rapidly. Currently, we are truly in the phase of “searching for what comes after OPDIVO,” facing the pains of new creation. In other words, we are in a phase of accumulating strength for the next leap forward. Without rushing, step by step, we will foster new pillars that will carry the future.

There are three main aspects to the significance of bringing Deciphera into our Group. First, further expansion of the pipeline and product lineup, mainly in the field of oncology. Second, acquiring development and sales platforms centered on the U.S. and Europe. Third, strengthening the research and development capabilities of our Group by adding Deciphera’s drug discovery strengths.

For this acquisition, we used “technology,” “people,” and “culture” as our evaluation criteria. I personally visited Deciphera many times to judge with my own eyes what kind of capabilities and culture they possess. What resonated with me was their corporate culture of taking on challenges with innovative drug discovery technologies, always putting patients first—a major commonality with Ono.

At the same time, I would like to value the significant differences between the two companies. Ono’s strength lies in first-in-class drug discovery. It is our research capability to grasp the essence of diseases and create entirely new mechanisms of action. Meanwhile, Deciphera has a culture of successfully developing drugs using its unique technology. While respecting each other’s strengths, we will fulfill our shared mission of continuously delivering innovative medicines to patients worldwide. I hope you will pay attention to the synergy created by the integration of the two companies.

We are currently progressing with Post Merger Integration (PMI) together with Deciphera; for its success, it is important to respect their culture and to help each employee maintain pride in their work for the company. At the same time, it is also important, even as our Group expands and our people diversify, to carry on the spirit of challenge that Ono has long cherished.

With Deciphera now part of our Company, which aspires to become a Global Specialty Pharma, building a unified organization that transcends differences in nationality and location has become an even more important objective than ever before. In an environment where diverse human resources work together, a culture of recognizing differences and respecting one another is fundamental. Just as we respect the culture at Deciphera, Ono also seeks to foster an environment that balances our own identity with respect for others, so that the integration of the two companies leads to success.

As one milestone in our PMI, we integrated our Group’s U.S. and European development and sales bases into Deciphera in July 2025. We are committed to further accelerating globalization, with Deciphera—which has already established a strong footing in the U.S. and Europe—at the core.

Our Company is now in the midst of a major transformation. The driving force behind this is undoubtedly the resolve and actions of each employee seeking to create new value.

For global expansion, it is essential to respect the cultures and values of each region and to build organizations where diverse human resources can thrive. What we aim for is not simply a top-down model, but an organizational culture that values bottom-up input and enthusiasm from the field. Through our revised personnel evaluation system in 2023 and the global HR system introduced in 2024, we are committed to simple and fair operations, creating an environment in which every employee can fully realize their potential. For Deciphera as well, we will continue to consider various HR measures and initiatives based on business strategies and environmental changes.

As the saying goes, “The best long-term plan is to foster people”; cultivating human resources is the most critical factor for long-term growth.

Ono’s strengths lie in our patient-centered values, our spirit of innovation and challenge, and our corporate culture where diverse human resources support, complement and elevate each other as a team. Going forward, we aspire to remain a company where the growth of each employee and the organization synergistically drive ongoing contributions to society.

It is beyond doubt that passionate and motivated human resources are the wellspring of our Company’s growth. Human resources are truly the greatest asset shaping the future of our Company. We will continue to focus on human resources development, striving to achieve sustainable growth.

At Ono, many people are drawn together by our corporate philosophy: “Dedicated to the Fight against Disease and Pain,” and are committed to putting it into practice. We bear the mission of contributing to patients’ lives and wellbeing through highly public-oriented medicines, valuing not only expertise and experience, but also sincerity, respect for others, and the courage to embrace challenges.

Because there are limits to what can be achieved alone, our greatest driving force is the power of collaboration— working as a team with colleagues of diverse values and skills, challenging issues together and raising each other up. Throughout our history of unprecedented challenges, starting with the development of OPDIVO, we have built up intangible assets such as trust with healthcare professionals and patients, as well as valuable know-how. Even now, our pursuit of the unknown continues, as we strive to discover new drugs and evolve into a Global Specialty Pharma that delivers innovative treatments to patients worldwide.

Currently, Ono is on a new trajectory of growth. To further accelerate this, deepening corporate culture—by fostering collaboration across divisions and borders, recognizing challenges and sharing results—is essential. At the heart of everything is “people,” and I believe that creating an environment where each individual can thrive leads to the sustainable enhancement of corporate value.

As President, I will remain steadfast in our “patient-centered” direction, leading our transformation and striving to realize sustainable growth. Our journey of transformation has only just begun, but together with all of you, we will continue to take steady steps forward. I sincerely ask for your continued support and encouragement.