Chugai Launches New U.S. Partnering Office To Accelerate Global Innovation And Strategic Collaborations; Expands Global Network

Chugai Pharmaceutical announced the launch of its new partnering office in South San Francisco, which will operate as a branch of Chugai Pharma USA, Inc. The Chugai Partnering US Office is scheduled to begin operations in January 2026 and represents an important step in the company’s plan to strengthen its global innovation ecosystem.

With a long-term objective of becoming a top global healthcare innovator by 2030, Chugai continues to prioritize open innovation as a core growth driver. The new U.S. partnering office will be led by Andrew Wong, an experienced business development leader with a strong background in major pharmaceutical organizations and research institutions. The office will play a key role in deepening Chugai’s collaborations with American academic institutions and start-ups while expanding its strategic external partnerships.

“We are delighted to officially launch Chugai Partnering US Office next month,” said Dr. Osamu Okuda, Chugai’s President and CEO. “By further strengthening our network with local academia and start-ups, we will advance our search for technologies from external organizations and target identification technologies that have synergies with Chugai’s drug discovery technologies. Through collaboration with our partnering functions around the world, we will globally accelerate open innovation.”

The U.S. office will work closely with Chugai’s partnering hubs across Japan, Europe, and Singapore to further accelerate global open innovation. These regional functions have already been instrumental in establishing partnerships with biotechnology companies and research bodies in their respective markets, and the new U.S. presence will further unify and strengthen this worldwide network.

In addition, the new office complements investment activities by the Chugai Venture Fund based in Boston, supporting early-stage companies and breakthrough technologies. Through this enhanced global framework, Chugai aims to expand its innovation pipeline and accelerate the development of transformative healthcare solutions.