Company Name: J-Pharma Co., Ltd.
Name of Representative: President and CEO, Masuhiro Yoshitake
Securities Code: 520A Tokyo Stock Exchange Growth Market
October 9, 2026
J-Pharma Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Masuhiro Yoshitake; hereinafter “J-Pharma” or the “Company”) today announced that on October 9, 2026, it held an Investigator Meeting for prospective investigators in Japan in preparation for Japan’s participation in the global Phase III Beacon-BTC study of nanvuranlat (development code: JPH203), a LAT1 inhibitor currently under development.
Following its selection for the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)’s Global Research and Development Support Project for the Treatment of Intractable/Rare Diseases (“GRiT”), J-Pharma is preparing to add Japan as a participating country in Part A of the Beacon-BTC study, which is currently underway in the United States.
As part of these preparations, the meeting was held to deepen prospective investigators’ understanding of the study plan and strengthen collaboration for conducting the study in Japan.
A scene from the Investigator Meeting (left) and Masuhiro Yoshitake, President and CEO of J-Pharma (right)
■ Investigator Meeting
During the meeting, J-Pharma presented the Beacon-BTC study plan and its plans for conducting the study in Japan and discussed the study objectives and potential challenges with prospective investigators. Through these discussions, J-Pharma and the prospective investigators confirmed their shared intention to work together toward a smooth start of the clinical trial in Japan.
Through collaboration with physicians involved in the treatment and clinical research of biliary tract cancer, J-Pharma will incorporate their extensive insights into clinical practice and clinical trial operations in Japan as it works to establish a framework for the smooth conduct of the study.
■ Future Plans
Following this meeting, J-Pharma will continue discussions with prospective investigators while proceeding with the necessary regulatory procedures in Japan, selecting study sites, and preparing to initiate the study, with the aim of beginning patient enrollment.
J-Pharma plans to utilize AMED support in accordance with the grant conditions once the grant award decision has been made. J-Pharma will continue to work with medical institutions in Japan and overseas to steadily advance the global development of nanvuranlat, with the aim of bringing a new treatment option to patients with biliary tract cancer.
Related Information
– Global Phase III trial (Beacon-BTC) for biliary tract cancer
https://www.j-pharma.com/en/clinical_trial/biliary_tract_cancer_p3/
– J-Pharma Selected for Funding under AMED’s Global Research and Development Support Project for the Treatment of Intractable/Rare Diseases (October 5, 2026)
https://www.j-pharma.com/en/news/3718/
About Nanvuranlat
Nanvuranlat (development code: JPH203) is a novel LAT1-selective inhibitor originally discovered by J-Pharma and is the first small-molecule compound of its kind to be clinically developed worldwide. LAT1 (L-type amino acid transporter 1) is one of the transporters involved in cellular amino acid uptake and is known to be highly expressed in many cancer cells. If approved as a pharmaceutical product, it has the potential to become a first-in-class drug with a novel mechanism of action for its target disease.
Since 2015, J-Pharma has conducted Phase I clinical studies in multiple solid tumors and identified its potential for the treatment of advanced biliary tract cancer. In 2018, J-Pharma began a Phase II clinical trial in patients with advanced biliary tract cancer, which demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) compared with placebo, along with a favorable safety profile.*
Nanvuranlat was designated as an orphan drug by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in April 2022. Furthermore, on September 25, 2024, the Investigational New Drug (IND) application for clinical studies in cancer patients was accepted by the FDA. In addition, on May 13, 2025, J-Pharma received a positive written response from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding compliance with quality standards for commercial-scale manufacturing in relation to chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC). Based on these developments, the Company initiated a global Phase III clinical trial in December 2025.
* Publication on the results of the Japan Phase II clinical study of Nanvuranlat:
Furuse et al. A Phase II Placebo-Controlled Study of the Effect and Safety of Nanvuranlat in Patients with Advanced Biliary Tract Cancers Previously Treated by Systemic Chemotherapy. Clin Cancer Res. 2024;30(18):3990-3995. https://doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-24-0461
About J-Pharma Co., Ltd.
J-Pharma Co., Ltd. aims to pursue new possibilities for SLC transporters and contribute to the hope and health of people worldwide through the development of innovative new drugs that address unmet medical needs. Guided by this mission, J-Pharma focuses on LAT1 (L-type amino acid transporter 1), an SLC transporter discovered by its founder, and advances the development of new drugs to address the needs of patients with cancer and autoimmune diseases that are not adequately met by existing treatments.
For more information, please visit:
https://www.j-pharma.com/en/
Inquiries:
J-Pharma Co., Ltd.
Planning Department
TEL: +81-3-6432-4270
https://www.j-pharma.com/en/contact/