Graduate School and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Osaka

Research

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Faculty Members

Drug Innovation Center Lead Exploration Unit

Kitao YukiSpecially Appointed Assosiate Professor

[Education]
1994 Faculty of Pharamaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University
1996 Graduate School of Pharamaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University
2023 Ph.D (Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine)

[Work Experience]
1996 Japan Tobacco Inc. Pharmaceutical Division
2025 Shionogi & Co.,Ltd.
2026 Lead Exploration Units, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Science, Osaka University

Research theme

Drug discovery support based on academic seeds

In order to develop academia seeds into drug candidates, following supports using the knowledge and technology cultivated at pharmaceutical companies are provided:
1. Investigate the latest information on drug discovery targets and provide advice and proposals.
2. Evaluate hit compounds from the perspective of medicinal chemistry and ADME-T, and optimize their structures for drug candidates.
3. Provide advice and proposals for joint research and out-licensing with pharmaceutical companies.

Representative achievements

Discovery of a phosphodiesterase 7A inhibitor of high isozyme selectivity exhibiting in vivo anti-osteoporotic effects.
Kondo, Kentaro; Otake, Kazuki ; Kaya, Tetsudo; Miwa, Shohei; Ueyama, Yoshifumi; Haruta, Tsunemitsu; Nishihata, Jun; Nakagawa, Takashi; Azuma, Nobuhide; Takagi, Kayoko; Urashima, Toshiki; Kitao, Yuki; Shiozaki, Makoto
ACS Med. Chem. Lett. 2025, 16(1) 167–173.

URL:https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmedchemlett.4c00570

Design and synthesis of novel fluorene derivatives as inhibitors of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase.
Inoue, Masafumi; Nagamori, Hironobu; Morita, Toru; Kobayashi, Satoru; Suzawa, Koichi; Kitao, Yuki; Saito, Tomoyuki; Kawahara, Iichiro; Orita, Takuya; Akai, Shota; Adachi, Tsuyoshi; Motomura, Takahisa
Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett., 2024, 109, 129839.

URL:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bmcl.2024.129839

The discovery of 3,3-dimethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoxaline-1-carboxamides as AMPD2 inhibitors with a novel mechanism of action.
Kitao, Yuki; Saito, Tadataka; Watanabe, Satoshi; Ohe, Yasuhiro; Takahashi, Koichi; Akaki, Tatsuo; Adachi, Tsuyoshi; Doi, Satoki; Yamanaka, Kenji; Murai, Yasutaka; Oba, Makoto; Suzuki, Takayoshi
Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett., 2023, 80, 129110.

URL:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bmcl.2022.129110

Discovery of Selective Transforming Growth Factor β Type II Receptor Inhibitors as Antifibrosis Agents.
Miwa, Shohei; Yokota, Masahiro; Ueyama, Yoshifumi; Maeda, Katsuya; Ogoshi, Yosuke ; Seki, Noriyoshi; Ogawa, Naoki; Nishihata, Jun; Nomura, Akihiro; Adachi, Tsuyoshi; Kitao, Yuki; Nozawa, Keisuke; Ishikawa, Tomohiro; Ukaji, Yutaka ; Shiozaki, Makoto
ACS Med. Chem. Lett. 2021, 12 (5), 745–751.

URL:https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmedchemlett.0c00679