Finding a Regional Partner in Japan

Our client was a European publicly-listed company developing an anticancer treatment that had just entered an international Phase 3 study.

Case Details

Client Profile: European, publicly traded, Phase 3 anti-cancer therapy

Client Need: Partner in Japan

Result: Over $100M partnering deal with Japanese specialty oncology company and additionally a regional license agreement with a partner in Canada.

The Challenge

The client was conducting a Phase 3 clinical study in Europe and North America and had identified the opportunity to expand the program into Japan with the possibility of an accelerated regulatory pathway.  The company decided it needed to find a partner with expertise and resources for development in Japan.

The client, in addition to having limited partnering experience, did not have contacts and expertise for finding partners in Japan.

Even though the program was in Phase 3 development, the proof-of-concept data was limited, making the pitch story more complex.

What Did Shadow Lake Group Do?

  • Shadow Lake Group established a rigorous formal process to identify partners in Japan.
  • Client and Shadow Lake Group collaborated as an integrated team to execute on the partnering plan.
  • More than 100 Japanese companies were contacted, and dozens of in-person meetings were held in Japan.

Result

  • Multiple offers were received by the client, resulting in the selection of a specialty oncology company as the best partner in a deal worth over $100M
  • The success in Japan also led to closing another regional license agreement with the oncology-focused company in Canada

Factors to Success

Commitment and focus by both our client and Shadow Lake to drive results
Understanding the cultural nuances and importance of face-to-face meetings to build relationships
Establishing a competitive process to drive urgency and value