The companies are taking advantage to changes in Japan's Pharmaceutical Affairs law, which come through in April and will for the first time allow Japanese companies to subcontract the complete manufacturing of their products. Previously, by law some elements of manufacturing had to be conducted in-house.

The two companies said the collaboration would draw on Bushu's expertise in manufacturing preparations and Nihiayakuhin's technologies in bulk production and analysis. The service will offer comprehensive support ranging from developing manufacturing methods and manufacturing GLP/GMP-complying bulk materials and investigational agents, to safety tests and commercialisation, said the firms.

The partners expect that the service will lead to improvement in customer service for drug development and production in terms of speed, quality and cost.