About Us

ONO PHARMA USA, INC. (OPUS) was established in 1998 as the US subsidiary of ONO PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD. (ONO), a pharmaceutical company founded in Osaka, Japan in 1717, more than 300 years ago. ONO’s strong belief in bringing innovative medicines to patients worldwide led to the establishment of a subsidiary in the U.S.

Expanding our business in the US

In 2019, we transferred the functions of the Global Clinical Development Division from Japan to OPUS in order to conduct global clinical trials. In 2021, ONO relocated the office of OPUS from New Jersey to Cambridge, Massachusetts to pursue full commercialization activities. Cambridge is the home of world-leading universities / research institutions including Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University as well as a number of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies and biopharma startups. OPUS conduct its own operations from late-stage clinical trials up to applications for approval in US and Europe. In addition to the existing implementation of clinical trials at an early stage, OPUS has been accelerating its involvement in the discovery of new drug compounds through partnerships with universities and other research institutions, as well as Licensing activities.

In drug discovery research, ONO focus on four therapeutic areas -- Oncology, Immunology, Neurology and Specialty. Specifically, in the pursuit of our business expansion in the US, we will launch some in-house developed products in unmet medical needs, including ONO-4059 (tirabrutinib). Our vision is to bring innovative medicines to contribute to patients suffering from disease.

Developing new innovative medicines through Open Innovation

Through “open innovation” with academia, research institutions, and venture companies, ONO has researched and developed innovative new medicines in various therapeutic areas. In 1968, ONO succeeded in the total chemical synthesis of prostaglandins, and brought lots of prostaglandin products to patients on a commercial basis for the first time in the world. In addition, ONO developed breakthrough new drugs, including the world’s first anti-PD-1 antibody, nivolumab, launched on the Japanese market in 2014. This reflects ONO’s commitment to global collaboration and innovation leading to improved cancer treatment for millions of patients around the world. Both achievements are superior medical breakthroughs that could not be achieved without cooperation with external parties. Here in the United States, OPUS continues to promote open innovation with a sense of speed and lead to the discovery of innovative new drugs through drug discovery collaborations and compound licensing activities with world class researchers and other biopharmaceutical companies.

ONO has established "Dedicated to the Fight against Disease and Pain" as our Mission Statement and we strive to be an experienced and innovative leader in life sciences in the global field. We commit to continuing to be passionate challengers, working with patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals to fight disease and pain.