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Where science meets soul in rare disease innovation.
Kyowa Kirin is a Japan-based global specialty pharmaceutical company focused on providing life-transforming value to people living with rare and underserved conditions. With deep expertise in bone and mineral disorders, hematology, oncology and genetic diseases, the company is tackling some of the most complex challenges in medicine – where the need is greatest and treatment options are few.
In a recent interview for Business Reporter’s Best of Global Business, Chairman and CEO Dr. Masashi Miyamoto and President and COO Dr. Abdul Malik shared how Kyowa Kirin is blending cutting-edge science with human empathy to reshape the rare disease landscape.
“Working in rare disease requires a special kind of commitment,” says Dr. Malik. “There are more failures than successes in drug development, and the diagnosis journey for patients can be long, painful and isolating. But that’s why we do it. You need heart, empathy and resilience. What inspires us is the rare disease community itself – their courage, their stories and their faith in us to move forward.”
For Kyowa Kirin, patients are not just recipients of care – they are partners in innovation. From shaping clinical trial designs to co-developing global care guidelines, the company actively listens to patient communities to ensure its science is relevant, responsive, and rooted in real-world needs. Collaboration with rare patient communities globally has helped to surface insights that traditional research often misses – insights that directly inform research priorities, product development and outreach strategies.
“This human-first approach is based on the company’s Kabego philosophy, which means ‘overcoming obstacles,’” explains Dr. Miyamoto. “It’s a mindset that guides everything from R&D to leadership, and reflects Kyowa Kirin’s belief that true progress comes when science and compassion move forward together.”
Kyowa Kirin invests more than 20 percent of its revenues in R&D, with a focus on antibody engineering, gene therapy and AI-driven innovation. Right now, the company is working to engineer next-generation antibodies and cell and gene therapies with the potential to help people affected by rare diseases. Previous successes in conditions such as X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) are testament to its commitment to tackling diseases that others often overlook.
Looking ahead, Kyowa Kirin is expanding its global footprint, accelerating digital transformation and incorporating sustainability and equity into its operations. But they say growth isn’t the goal – it’s the effect.
“We don’t intend to be the biggest pharma company,” says Dr. Mullick. “We don’t measure our success by our size, we measure ourselves by our impact – on society, on our communities, on our patients and on our employees. That’s how we want to be known. Like Mount Fuji – it’s not the tallest, yet it’s the most instantly recognizable. That’s the kind of company we want to be. A company with unique qualities that can’t be found anywhere else.”
In a healthcare landscape under pressure, Kyowa Kirin is proving that purpose and performance are not mutually exclusive – they are mutually reinforcing. And in doing so, it’s not just about making medicine. It’s making people smile.
discover Kyowa Kirin: Where science meets soul in rare disease innovation.