FRONTEO and the University of Oklahoma begin Joint Research into Drug Discovery in the Oncology Field

This joint research will be conducted with the laboratory of Dr. Naoko Takebe, Professor of Hematology and Oncology at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, one of the leading medical research institutions in the U.S. By combining the Drug Discovery AI Factory (DDAIF) ⁴, an AI drug discovery support service that utilizes the specialized AI KIBIT developed in-house by FRONTEO, which has strengths in natural language processing technology (patented in Japan, the U.S. and Europe), with the University of Oklahoma's high clinical research capabilities, wet lab functions, and globally recognized medical knowledge, the two parties aim to efficiently identify promising drug discovery targets in disease areas with high unmet medical needs⁵.

The University of Oklahoma is a central part of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) network in cancer research and clinical trials. As an NCI-designated cancer center, OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center contributes to cutting-edge drug development. Professor Takebe is a board-certified hematology and medical oncology physician by the American Board of Internal Medicine, and is one of the leading experts in clinical trials in all areas of cancer, including pancreatic cancer. She currently serves as Associate Director of Clinical Research, Chief of the Solid Tumor Medical Section, and Chair of the Investigator-Initiated Clinical Trials Program at OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center, and will lead the clinical validation of this collaborative study.

In this collaborative research, FRONTEO will utilize DDAIF to extract candidate target molecules for drug discovery and generate hypotheses regarding disease mechanisms. Professor Takebe will provide expertise and will verify biological effectiveness in vitro⁶ and in vivo⁷.

■Naoko Takebe, MD, PhD, Professor of Hematology and Oncology,
　University of Oklahoma College of Medicine 

Graduated from Hirosaki University School of Medicine. After internship at the Yokosuka U.S. Naval Hospital and initial training in internal medicine at Keio University, she moved to the United States. She is a board-certified physician in internal medicine, hematology, and oncology in the United States. After working as Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and bone marrow transplantation at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, she served as Senior Investigator of the Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Since 2024, Professor of Hematology-Oncology, Section Chief of Solid Tumor Oncology, Associate Director of Clinical Research, Nancy Johnston Records Chair in Oncology. Member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Association for Cancer Research, Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer, American Society of Gene and Cellular Therapy, American Society of Hematology, and American College of Physicians.

Challenges in Drug Discovery and Significance of this Joint Research

In pharmaceutical research and development, the diversification and complexity of target diseases has led to the need to discover novel target molecules and mechanisms that are difficult to explore using conventional research methods. In addition, there are species-specific differences between efficacy and safety in wet research (biological validation) using cells and animals and in clinical (human) trials. This has been a factor that has hindered the improvement of the success rate of drug discovery. In this joint research, we will combine the hypothesis generation function of the AI drug discovery support service DDAIF with the advanced medical and pharmaceutical knowledge and experimental techniques of the University of Oklahoma to build a more precisely planned research scheme from dry research (data analysis) to non-clinical trials (cells and animals) and extrapolation⁸ to clinical trials (humans), aiming to create innovative drugs that meet unmet medical needs.

 FRONTEO will contribute to the research and development of innovative drugs and treatments, the advancement of medical and pharmaceutical research, the development of the pharmaceutical industry, and the improvement of medical care and patients' quality of life (QOL) through the sophistication and social implementation of AI drug discovery support solutions that utilize the company's proprietary specialized AI "KIBIT" and unique natural language processing technology.

1. In pharmaceutical research and development, the process of identifying the molecules/genes that a drug will act on.
2. Repurposing an existing drug for a different disease.
3. Press release dated June 25, 2025: FRONTEO enters the U.S. market in earnest, signing strategic partnership agreement with Q Partners, a U.S. company with strengths in life sciences and technology, https://www.fronteo.com/pr/20250625
4. FRONTEO's drug discovery experts, who are well versed in AI and drug discovery, use KIBIT's natural language processing technology and unique analysis methods to search for target molecules and indications and provide hypotheses that support them. AI drug discovery support service.
5. Demand for new drugs and treatments for diseases for which no effective treatment has been found.
6. "In a test tube" refers to a non-clinical trial (pre-clinical trial) in which the action of a drug and changes in cells and tissues are confirmed in an artificial environment created in a test tube or incubator.
7. "In a living body" refers to a non-clinical trial (pre-clinical trial) in which a drug is administered to a living body using laboratory animals such as mice to confirm its effects and impact.
8. To estimate the application of known data, etc. outside its scope. In drug discovery, this refers to applying the results of animal experiments to humans.

 About FRONTEO Drug Discovery AI Factory (DDAIF)  

 https://lifescience.fronteousa.com/products/drug-discovery-ai-factory/ 

The FRONTEO Drug Discovery AI Factory (DDAIF) is an AI drug discovery support service that combines KIBIT, an AI specialized in natural language processing (patented in Japan and the U.S.), with the knowledge of FRONTEO's drug discovery researchers and AI engineers. The service strongly supports researchers' decision-making in drug development by analyzing disease-related gene networks and building hypotheses about candidate targets.
This service has already been introduced at several major pharmaceutical companies and is accumulating a proven track record.

*FRONTEO has obtained a total of 21 patents in Japan, Korea, the U.S., and Europe for the technology used in the Drug Discovery AI Factory.

About FRONTEO  https://www.fronteo.com/en/

FRONTEO provides its proprietary specialized AI KIBIT to support expert judgment across domains confronting social challenges. Its unique natural language processing technology (patented in Japan, the U.S., and Europe) enables fast, high‑precision analysis without reliance on training data volume or computational power. Additionally, patented technology that maps (visualizes structure) analyzed information allows KIBIT to directly influence expert insights, and in recent years, KIBIT has been applied in hypothesis generation and target discovery for drug development.

To achieve the philosophy of "providing solutions that do not overlook risks and opportunities buried in records and realizing fairness in the information society," FRONTEO is promoting the social implementation of KIBIT's unique technology and AI solutions in the following areas: life science AI, risk management (business intelligence and compliance support, economic security, and legal tech AI), and DX (business intelligence and professional support).

Founded in August 2003, FRONTEO was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Mothers Market (now the Growth Market) on June 26, 2007. The company has offices in Japan, the U.S., and South Korea, and holds a Type 1 Marketing License for Medical Devices as well as registration for the sale of controlled medical devices. As of March 31, 2025, FRONTEO’s capital stands at 899,176,000 yen.

*The technology used in Drug Discovery AI Factory is protected by 21 patents held by FRONTEO in Japan, South Korea, the U.S., and Europe.
**FRONTEO, KIBIT, and Drug Discovery AI Factory are trademarks or registered trademarks of FRONTEO in Japan, Europe, the U.S., and South Korea.