Division of Medicinal Chemistry

Message from the Chair of the Division of Medicinal Chemistry

Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
Yoshio Hayashi (Tokyo University
of Pharmacy and Life Sciences)

It is my great honor to assume the role of the 18th Chair of the Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Society of Japan (PSJ), as of April 2025. I am both humbled and honored to take on this responsibility for a division with over 30 years of tradition and achievement. Succeeding Dr. Kazuma Aoki, I am determined to contribute to the advancement of medicinal chemistry in Japan, striving to live up to the legacy of my distinguished predecessors. I sincerely ask for your continued support.

Established in 1991, the Division of Medicinal Chemistry was the first of its kind within the PSJ and has since played a central role in promoting scientific progress in the field of medicinal chemistry in Japan. Today, the division comprises 26 corporate members from pharmaceutical companies and approximately 1,500 individual members, providing a well-balanced platform for academia–industry collaboration. The division is administered by over 30 executive committee members (Permanent Advisors) equally selected from both sectors, ensuring diverse perspectives and efficient governance.

Our division carries out a wide range of activities, including the annual Medicinal Chemistry Symposium (MCS), publication of the official bulletin MEDCHEM NEWS, the “Sōyaku Konwakai” (Dialogue Meeting on Drug Discovery) for students and early-career researchers, educational outreach through the Drug Discovery Human Resource Development Program, and global engagement through the Asian Federation for Medicinal Chemistry (AFMC) and its flagship symposium AIMECS. We also work closely with domestic and international academic societies, including the German Pharmaceutical Society.

In recent years, the “Drug Discovery New Frontier Initiative,” led by corporate members and involving academic researchers, has become a valuable forum for proposing innovative ideas and shaping the future direction of medicinal chemistry. One key outcome of this initiative is an informal roundtable between students and industry scientists, now in its sixth year and well-established as a staple of our activities. Moreover, the pamphlet Sōyaku Kagaku no Susume (An Invitation to Medicinal Chemistry), produced for undergraduate and graduate students, has been highly praised as a valuable guide to the field and a helpful tool for career planning.

The global COVID-19 pandemic that emerged in early 2020 underscored the threat of infectious diseases and reaffirmed the vital role of drug discovery. Thanks to the rapid development of novel therapeutics such as mRNA vaccines, humanity has begun to overcome this unprecedented crisis. Our division, too, has resumed in-person symposia and other activities, marking a renewed chapter of growth driven by the tangible power of medicinal chemistry in safeguarding global health.

The landscape of drug discovery is undergoing rapid transformation. Alongside small molecules, diverse modalities such as medium-sized peptide drugs, nucleic acid and antibody therapeutics, PROTACs, RNA-targeting drugs, and regenerative medicines are advancing toward clinical use. Meanwhile, AI and digital technologies are reshaping how research is conducted. Medicinal chemistry remains a foundational discipline across all phases of drug discovery—from molecular design to mechanism elucidation, structure optimization, and translational research—and its significance is only expected to grow.

Going forward, the division will continue to respond flexibly to these changes by providing active forums for discussion and collaboration, while enhancing efforts to support the education and development of the next generation of Japanese researchers and students. We also aim to strengthen our function as a bridge between academia and industry, as well as between Japan and the global scientific community, thereby advancing Japan-led drug discovery and contributing to global well-being.

Our vision is for the Division of Medicinal Chemistry to remain a place “where people gather, knowledge is exchanged, and new seeds of innovation are sown.” Together with my colleagues on the executive committee, I will strive to uphold and further this mission. I warmly invite all those who share our goals to actively participate in our activities, and I sincerely appreciate your continued support and engagement.

April 2025
Yoshio Hayashi
Chair, Division of Medicinal Chemistry
Pharmaceutical Society of Japan

Mission

Division Head: Yoshio Hayashi (Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences)

Division of Medicinal Chemistry at The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan runs several activities to encourage new pharmaceuticals. Our efforts include promoting scientific exchanges between our members and academics around the world that advance both basic and applied research. These efforts strengthen networks in medicinal chemistry to advance research in drug development and the industry as a whole.

History

1880 Pharmaceutical Society of Japan founded
1982 First Medicinal Chemistry Symposium
1984 First Frontier Seminar for Novel Medicinal Science (So-Yaku Seminar)
1990 Division of Medicinal Chemistry founded
1992 First Interactive Seminar on Novel Medicinal Chemistry (So-Yaku Konwa Kai)
2012 Educational Program started

Members (2025)

Total Membership 1,604
Corporate members 28

Board Members 40 Industry 20 Academia 20

Organizing Symposia

Medicinal Chemistry Symposium
The annual meeting of the Division of Medicinal Chemistry.

Three-day seminar, generally in the Tokyo or Osaka area, occasionally in other cities
Around 600 attendees
Invited lectures & plenary lectures
General presentations, including oral and poster presentations
Award lecture: Breakthrough Award of the Division of Medicinal Chemistry, PSJ
Oral presentations by the recipients of the Award for Excellent General Presentation in the Medicinal Chemistry Symposium

Interactive Seminar on Novel Medicinal Chemistry for Young Researchers (So-Yaku Konwa Kai)

Two-day seminar outside Tokyo or Osaka for graduate students in each local area and young researchers from academia and industry.

Around 100 attendees, all staying at the same hotel
Invited lectures & plenary lectures
Poster presentations

Supporting Symposia

Interactive Seminar on Novel Medicinal Sciences (So-Yaku Seminar)
Three-day symposium sponsored by the PSJ, managed primarily by the members of the Division of Medicinal Chemistry.

Contents:

Venue: a resort area
Attendees: around 200, all staying at the same hotel
Invited lectures & plenary lectures
Special Lecture by the CEO of a pharmaceutical company
Group discussion

International Symposium on Medicinal Sciences
A half-day symposium sponsored by the PSJ as a program of the annual meeting of PSJ, managed primarily by the members of the Division of Medicinal Chemistry.

Contents:

Around 200 attendees
Invited lectures & plenary lectures
Invited poster presentations

Educational Program

A nationwide on-site university lecture program by pharmaceutical industry researchers and managers to educate graduate and undergraduate students about the role of medicinal chemistry in drug development. Managed by professors acting as regional delegates, including a professor from each university.

Contents:

Success stories in drug discovery
Basic medicinal chemistry
New technologies for drug discovery
Intellectual property, etc.

Awards

Breakthrough Award of the Division of Medicinal Chemistry, PSJ
Award for the achievement of innovative and breakthrough researches in medicinal chemistry or drug discovery (1 or 2 per year). Includes the invitation to lecture at the Medicinal Chemistry Symposium.

Award for Excellent General Presentation in the Medicinal Chemistry Symposium (5 – 6 awards per year). Includes the invitation to make an oral presentation at the next Medicinal Chemistry Symposium, as well as publication of an article in the MEDCHEM NEWS.

Publications

MEDCHEM NEWS
Four issues per year, with 50 – 60 pages, written primarily in Japanese

Contents:

Topics in medicinal chemistry and drug discoveries
R&D in the pharmaceutical and bio-venture industries
Essays from prominent scientists
Round table discussion of some topics

International Collaborations

AFMC (Asian Federation of Medicinal Chemistry)
FIP (International Pharmaceutical Federation)
PSWC (Pharmaceutical Sciences World Congress)
AAPS (American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists)
DPhG (Deutsche Pharmazeutische Gesellschaft)
PSK (Pharmaceutical Society of Korea)

Admissions

The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan Division of Medicinal Chemistry serves to cultivate the community of medicinal chemistry scientists and advance the industry through academic research for drug development.

Anyone with experience in medicinal chemistry is encouraged to join!

Benefits of Joining

1) Subscription to the quarterly MEDCHEM NEWS
2) Invitations to present at the Medicinal Chemistry Symposium
3) Access to all abstracts of the Medicinal Chemistry Symposium
4) Eligibility to participate in symposia and seminars organized by subcommittees
5) Eligibility to nominate or be nominated for awards by the Division
※”MEDCHEM NEWS” is open access on J-STAGE and digital books, and members of the Division of Medicinal Chemistry of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan can view the latest issue published within one year.

Annual membership fee	Regular Member	Student Member	Student Junior Member	Senior Junior Member	Lifetime MemberA	Lifetime MemberB	Junior and High School Student Member
Members of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan (tax-exempt)	2,000 yen	1,000 yen	0yen	1,000yen	25,000yen	10,000yen	0yen
Non-members of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan (tax-exempt)	4,000 yen	2,000 yen	–	2,000yen	25,000yen	10,000yen	–

*1) Members of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan who select Senior Membership or Lifetime Membership A or B will also become Senior Members and Lifetime Membership A or B of the Division of Medicinal Chemistry.
*2) Those who meet the regulations of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan and become Lifetime Members of the Division of Medicinal Chemistry will also become Lifetime Members (membership fee exempt) of the Division of Medicinal Chemistry.
*3) Those who wish to join the Student Junior Membership or Junior and Senior High School Student Membership of the Division of Medicinal Chemistry should also select whether to join the Division of Medicinal Chemistry on the website when applying to the Pharmaceutical Society.
*4) Senior Members, Lifetime Members, Junior Student Members, and Junior and Senior High School Student Members will only receive the online version of MEDCHEM NEWS.
*5) In order to view the online version of MEDCHEM NEWS, we will not send you a copy of MEDCHEM NEWS in booklet form, but we will issue you a membership card by mail that contains the password required to view it (for general members and student members, it will be mailed along with the MEDCHEM NEWS booklet).

[Overseas residents]
Regarding current members living overseas, the fees are as follows.

Annual membership fee	Regular Member Student Member
Members of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan (tax-exempt)	1,000 yen
Non-members of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan (tax-exempt)	2,000 yen

Overseas non-members of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan who wish to receive MEDCHEM NEWS by mail will be charged the following fees.

Regular mail (1-3 months depending on the region): 1,500 yen

How to Apply

※For corporate memberships, see “Contact Us” below.

New members

Applicants are asked to pay the membership fee for the first year and mail the application form. The society will confirm your membership by sending by post your membership number.

If you are a member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, you can apply online at https://www.pharm.or.jp/kaiin/henko.

1) Payment for first year
Inside Japan: The fee is paid by postal transfer. Regardless of when the application is made, the full fee (February 2-January 31) must be paid and is not pro rata.

Postal transfer number: 00160-0-8404　
Please mark the subject as “new member”

Outside Japan: Please contact Administrative Affairs (kaiin@pharm.or.jp).

2) Membership application
Download and complete the membership application at http://www.pharm.or.jp/kaiin/nyukai.xls. The completed application should be mailed, e-mailed or faxed.

Address: Membership Desk, General Affairs Office, The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
2-12-15 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0002, Japan
E-mail: kaiin@pharm.or.jp
Fax: +81-(0)3-3498-1835

Notes

All annual memberships are from February 2 – January 31 regardless of the application date. Please be sure to note the year of the application.
If you apply in the middle of the year, you will be mailed back issues of MEDCHEM NEWS related to that year.
Membership will automatically continue unless members submit documentation to cancel their membership.

Contact Us

2-12-15 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0002
The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan General Affairs Office, Membership Desk
Tel; 03-3406-3322 Fax; 03-3498-1835 E-mail; kaiin@pharm.or.jp