GrowthDX as an Engine for Accelerating Patient-Centric Value Creation

The pharmaceutical research environment is undergoing a period of significant change as generative AI and AI agent technologies continue to evolve. Since 2021, Kyowa Kirin has been advancing DX as a core management foundation.

According to Mitsuru Kameyama, Chief Digital Transformation Officer (CDXO), the true essence of DX lies in data-driven decision-making, collaboration across functions and regions, and the transformation of individual and organizational behaviors. In this article, we introduce the current state of DX at Kyowa Kirin and how it is supporting patient-centric value creation.

Mitsuru Kameyama (Kameyama)　At Kyowa Kirin, we established our digital vision in 2021 and have since been driving transformation by leveraging data and digital technologies.

What is important is that, for Kyowa Kirin, DX is not simply a matter of introducing IT. Rather, we position DX as a core management foundation that enables the sustainable realization of patient-centric value creation. Receiving DX Certification from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) on June 1, 2026 was an important milestone, demonstrating our continued commitment to advancing DX as a management priority based on this philosophy.
Through DX, we seek to enhance the quality and speed of decision-making and deliver life-changing value to the world. To this end, we advance DX in close alignment with our management strategy by linking it to three strategic focus areas: Pipeline Expansion, Transformation of Ways of Working, and Patient-Centric Value Creation.

Kameyama　R&D is at the core of Kyowa Kirin’s value creation and one of the areas where DX delivers the most direct impact.

In recent years, advances in AI agent technologies have created significant opportunities for transformation in pharmaceutical research. To embrace these opportunities, we initiated the development of AI Research Agents specialized in research activities. In the research domain, the ability to integratively utilize vast volumes of scientific literature and internal data to generate high-confidence research hypotheses is critical. We initiated the development of AI Research Agents to address this challenge.

To support the development of AI Research Agents, we established a co-working model in collaboration between the research division and the IT function. Through cross-functional teams that complemented each other’s expertise, we were able to successfully develop and implement AI Research Agents internally in a short timeframe. This approach not only accelerated implementation but also enabled customization tailored to our specific research needs, which was one of the key advantages of in-house development.

In addition, we have promoted the introduction and active use of conversational AI and research support AI. As a result, we have significantly improved work efficiency and are now able to devote more time to analyzing and considering research results. AI agent technologies are expected to expand beyond research into areas such as business development and strategic planning, and we plan to continue broadening their application going forward.

Kameyama　For pharmaceutical companies, the ultimate challenge is not simply to pursue productivity, but to balance productivity with quality. Our DX initiatives have therefore focused on addressing this fundamental challenge. A representative example is ATOM, a company-wide cross-functional project. The name ATOM stands for AI, Transformation, Orchestration, and Momentum.

Through ATOM, we brought together teams from Sales, Compliance and Risk Assessment, and Regulatory Affairs to tackle operational transformation using AI, starting from on-site challenges. By targeting key processes such as reviews of presentation slides used in healthcare professional lectures, disease awareness material creation and review, and invitation checks, we codified previously implicit decision criteria and embedded them into AI. Through this approach, we have been standardizing operations while simultaneously improving quality.

A defining feature of ATOM is its use of AI not merely as an efficiency tool, but as a catalyst for reexamining and redefining organizational standards and values. The “non-ambiguity” of AI triggered open, cross-functional discussions that might not otherwise have taken place. As a result, relationships across functions have evolved from an “applicant versus reviewer” structure to a one-team approach focused on shared agreement.

As a result, psychological safety and consistency in decision-making have improved, alongside emerging benefits such as reduced workload and cost optimization. Through ATOM, I have come to realize that DX can drive not only operational efficiency, but also collaboration and cultural evolution across the organization.

Kameyama　At Kyowa Kirin, we regard the patient voices and experiential knowledge accumulated through our business activities as critical management assets. Going forward, by structuring and analyzing these insights through digital technologies, we aim to deepen our understanding of patients’ true needs and unmet challenges, and connect them to R&D and value-delivery processes.

Importantly, this initiative extends beyond strategy to embed a patient-first perspective into daily operations across the organization. By leveraging patient-driven insights in operational decision-making and business processes, we seek to create an environment where each employee can clearly see the connection between their work and the value delivered to patients.
While some initiatives remain at the conceptual stage, we will progressively build the necessary foundations to further enhance patient-centric value creation.

Kameyama　Kyowa Kirin is committed to its mission of creating life-changing value through its daily activities. Across all stages, from research and development to manufacturing, supply chain, and engagement with patients and healthcare professionals, we are required to deliver value with consistently high levels of quality and reliability.

At the same time, increasing complexity in medical needs, rapid technological advancement, and the expansion of our global operations are revealing the limitations of conventional organizational structures and ways of working in terms of speed and flexibility. To address unmet medical needs, it is essential to respond to these changes and convert them into tangible value for patients as quickly as possible.

Against this backdrop, DX serves as a core management foundation that enhances the speed and quality of management and enables the sustainable realization of patient-centric value creation. Digital technologies are tools; their true essence lies in data-driven decision-making, collaboration across functions and regions, and the transformation of individual and organizational behaviors.

Kameyama　Through these initiatives, greater visibility of processes and workflows is strengthening collaboration across functions and regions, enhancing execution at an organizational level. In addition, the growing adoption of data-driven discussions and decisions is establishing a foundation for more strategic allocation of limited management resources. As seen in R&D and ATOM, on-site improvements and experimentation are leading to cross-functional collaboration and company-wide standardization, enabling DX to evolve into a sustainable organizational capability.

Underlying these efforts are the KABEGOE Principles. Under principles such as Make a Difference, Be Brave and Agile, and Be Curious and Keep Learning, we foster a culture that encourages continuous learning, experimentation, and improvement. Through this culture, DX is becoming embedded in Kyowa Kirin’s management rather than remaining a temporary initiative, evolving into a core capability that supports our mission and future growth.