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Dr. Hirano from Screening Business Unit will give an oral presentation at the symposium of the 99th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Pharmacological Society
2026.03.09
Dr. Hirano from the Screening Business Unit, will deliver an oral presentation at The 99th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Pharmacological Society, to be held in Kawauchi Campus, Tohoku University, Japan.
If you plan to attend the conference, we encourage you to join the session and hear the presentation.
Conference Name:The 99th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Pharmacological Society
Public Symposium: Advancing Ion Channel Therapeutics for Refractory and Progressive Diseases
Date & Time: March 18 (Wed), 2026, 8:30-10:00 (JST)
Location: Kawauchi Campus, Tohoku University, Japan
Title: Frontiers in Screening Technologies and Strategies Supporting Ion Channel–Targeted Drug Discovery
Presentation Summary
Ion channels remain an essential class of drug targets, with numerous discovery programs actively underway. Recent advances in Automated Patch Clamp technology, along with improvements in ion-sensing sensor proteins and small molecules, have made high-throughput screening (HTS) feasible for functions and targets that were previously difficult to assess. In addition, structure‑based drug discovery, AI‑driven compound design, and biophysical approaches utilizing membrane proteins are enabling more efficient and rapid ion channel drug discovery with greater probability of success. The diversification of therapeutic modalities—such as targeted protein degraders, RNA-targeted small molecules, and nucleic acid therapeutics—is further expanding opportunities for addressing targets once considered highly challenging. In this presentation, we will introduce the latest screening technologies and strategies in ion channel–focused drug discovery, and highlight Axcelead’s ongoing efforts as a drug discovery solutions provider in implementing these innovative approaches.
Axcelead DDP’s Soulution
Axcelead is a drug discovery solution provider with a strong track record of numerous ion channel drug discovery projects, supported by robust assay development capabilities that cover a wide range of ion channel targets. In addition to our high‑quality, pharma‑origin original compound library of over 1.2 million compounds, we also leverage a proprietary AI foundation model built using over 2 million activity and ADMET data points inherited from Takeda and Teijin. By fully utilizing these unique assets, we are dedicated to supporting the success of our clients’ drug discovery projects.
Mitsuru Hirano Ph.D., Screening Business Unit, Director
Ph.D. in Engineering from the Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University.
Experience includes research at the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research Institute and the Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Würzburg.
Joined Axcelead Drug Discovery Partners in 2018. Currently responsible for leading a group within the Screening Business Unit focused on in vitro assay development, compound evaluation, and high-throughput screening. Project experience spans a broad range of drug discovery targets, including ion channels, GPCRs, transporters, phenotypic assays, targeted protein degraders, and RNA-targeted modalities (small molecules and nucleic acids).