LION bioscience AG Rapidly Grows Market Share in Japan with Exclusive Distributor CTCLS
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. & HEIDELBERG, Germany--(BW HealthWire)--July 1, 2002--LION bioscience (Neuer Markt: LIO, WKN 504 350, Nasdaq: LEON) announced today that the company has obtained significant market penetration in Japan with LION's Life Science Informatics(TM) solutions through its exclusive distributor in Japan, CTC Laboratory Systems Corporation (CTCLS). Itochu Techno-Science Corporation (CTC), the parent company of CTCLS, is a leading distributor and system integrator of state-of-the-art computer systems and software in Japan. CTC has strong partnerships with approximately 120 leading IT companies around the world including, e.g., SUN, Oracle and Cisco.
CTCLS has already signed on more than 20 customers including leading Japanese pharmaceutical companies and academic institutes for LION's information and knowledge management solutions for the life science industry. The industrial customers are among Japan's top 20 pharmaceutical companies. They include: Dainippon Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Fujisawa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Pharma Corporation, Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Sumitomo Pharmaceutical Companies Ltd., Shionogi & Co. Ltd., Takeda Chemical Industries Ltd., Tanabe Seiyaku Co., Ltd., Yamanouchi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, and Zoegene Corporation. Furthermore, leading Japanese research institutions such as RIKEN (the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research), the National Cancer Center and the National Institute of Technology and Evaluation benefit from LION's cutting-edge solutions and technology to improve their research activities.
After the United States, Japan represents one of the biggest markets for the life science sector worldwide. Japan is a very attractive market for western companies as its pharmaceutical market is larger than that of the UK, France and Germany combined. "We are delighted to be the exclusive distributor of LION's Life Science Informatics(TM) products for our home market in Japan," said Koichi Sumino, President of CTCLS. "LION's high-end technologies and products provide us with an excellent opportunity to serve the growing Japanese life science industry's strong demand for advanced research bio-IT products."
LION's Chief Business Officer Dr. Daniel Keesman said, "We started the marketing of our advanced life science IT solutions in Europe and then expanded to North America. Our agreement with CTCLS now expands our reach into each of the commercially relevant life science markets worldwide. The sale of our Life Science Informatics(TM) products to key customers in Japan represents a significant step in our strategy to become the global leader in providing integrated life science IT solutions." |
