Board of Directors
Hugh Rosen, M.D., Ph.D.
Hugh Rosen, M.D., Ph.D., joins ActivX as President and Chairman with a 30+ year career in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and academic sectors. Hugh’s career has been one of significant achievements. Following training in medicine in Cape Town, he received his D.Phil. as a Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 Scholar at the University of Oxford. He then spent 11 years at Merck Research Laboratories before becoming a Professor at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) in 2002. At TSRI, his research focus has been on chemical and biological approaches to the molecular mechanisms regulating lymphocyte trafficking. As part of this research, he co-invented ozanimod with the Edward Roberts lab and was a scientific founder of Receptos, which was acquired by Celgene in 2015 for $7.3 Billion. Hugh is also a scientific founder of BlackThorn Therapeutics which recently closed a $40M Series A. He serves as an independent Board member at Regulus Therapeutics and will also remain on the faculty of TSRI.
Yoh Ito
Senior Corporate Officer of Kyorin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and Kyorin Holdings, Inc.
Mr. Yoh Ito, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of ActivX, is also the Senior Corporate Officer of Kyorin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and Kyorin Holdings, Inc. He joined Kyorin in 2003 and previously held the position of Senior Manager of Strategies & Business Development Headquarters. Prior to Kyorin, Mr. Ito was Managing Director of Capital Arts, Inc. He received his MBA from Cornell University and graduated from the University of Tokyo.
Koichiro Hagihara, Ph.D.
Executive Director of Kyorin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and Kyorin Holdings, Inc.
Dr. Koichiro Hagihara joined Kyorin Pharmaceutical, Ltd. in 2008 and is currently Executive Director of Kyorin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and Kyorin Holdings, Inc. Prior to joining Kyorin, Dr. Hagihara was a researcher at Nisshin-Kyorin from 1998 – 2008 and was Director of Research Laboratories in Nisshin-Kyorin Pharmaceutical from 2006-2008. Prior to Nisshin-Kyorin, he worked for Nisshin Flour Milling from 1983-1998. Dr. Hagihara received his Ph.D. from Osaka University School of Medicine in 1995 and his BS from Kyoto University, Faculty of Agriculture (Food Science and Technology).
Koji Murakami, Ph.D.
Senior Cooperate Officer of Kyorin Pharmaceutical, Ltd.
Dr. Koji Murakami joined Kyorin Pharmaceutical, Ltd. in 1987 and is currently senior cooperate officer of Kyorin Pharmaceutical, Ltd. He was a researcher at Kyorin’s Discovery Research Laboratories from 1987- 2010 and was Director of Kyorin’s Discovery Research Laboratories from 2011-2015. He is currently a Director of Kyorin’s WATARASE Research Center. Dr. Murakami obtained his BS, and Ph.D. in 2000 from Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Science.
Makoto Yanai, Ph.D.
Corporate Officer of Kyorin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
Dr. Makoto Yanai joined Kyorin Pharmaceutical, Ltd. in 2008 and is currently Corporate Officer of Kyorin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. He worked for Kyorin Europe GmbH from 2012-2016 as Managing Director. Prior to joining Kyorin, Dr. Yanai was a researcher at Nisshin-Kyorin from 1998 – 2008. Prior to Nisshin-Kyorin, he worked for Nisshin Flour Milling from 1985-1998. Dr. Yanai received his Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo, Faculty of Agriculture in 2000 and his BS from the University of Tokyo, Faculty of Agriculture (Agricultural Chemistry), and studied at Stanford University, Department of Chemistry for two years.
