Toward a World Without Disease .
BMS’s top two leaders Discuss,
BMS’s Challenges and Vision for the Future .

This year marks our 26th year since founding, and we have also entered a new phase under a renewed management structure. We see ourselves as a “26‑year‑old startup.” While building on everything we have accumulated so far, we are once again creating the company from the ground up. With that level of speed and willingness to take on challenges, we are actively driving major changes across the business.

It truly feels like a new beginning. In particular, I am focused on accelerating our global expansion. Rather than simply selling technology, our goal is to create a “platform” that can reach patients around the world. At BMS, our employees take initiative in a positive sense. When they have something they want to pursue, they define their own clear goals and work persistently to achieve them. We aim to be an organization where such highly professional individuals come together.

In fact, even the discovery of a candidate treatment for COVID‑19 was not something I was instructed to do by a supervisor at the time—it was a project I initiated on my own. Around early 2020, when COVID‑19 began to spread rapidly across the world, many academic papers argued that the main reason mesenchymal stem cells were effective against COVID‑19 was their anti‑inflammatory effects.

However, I kept wondering, “Is that really the only reason? If a different mechanism exists, could it lead to a major breakthrough?” Driven by a desire to explore this entirely new possibility, we ultimately arrived at the discovery of a candidate substance. Looking back, I believe the fact that I was able to make such a discovery just over a year after joining the company reflects BMS’s culture of valuing challenge and initiative.

Exactly. I, too, had a strong desire to bring our outstanding technology to the global stage, and I proactively approached multiple major overseas companies—resulting in the establishment of a joint venture. The fact that these achievements led to Onishi and me being entrusted with leading roles as President and Vice President in such a short period shows that at BMS, tenure and age are not what matter most.

Our vision is an ambitious one, but our ultimate goal is to realize a society where people do not become ill in the first place. According to a survey conducted by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, an estimated total of approximately 12 million people received medical care on a single designated day during the three‑day period from October 17 to 19, 2023. This number is nearly equivalent to Japan’s entire population—a striking reflection of today’s reality.

※Reference: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, “2023 Patient Survey” https://www.mhlw.go.jp/toukei/saikin/hw/kanja/23/index.html

To change this reality, it is not enough to treat disease after it develops. We must intervene earlier—at the pre‑disease stage known as mibyo. This refers to an ambiguous condition in which symptoms may be present despite no abnormalities appearing in tests, or conversely, abnormalities are detected without noticeable symptoms. If we can address this stage through “regenerative medicine with minimal side effects,” we believe it is possible to dramatically reduce the number of people seeking medical care and raise overall quality of life across society.

With this in mind, we are currently conducting a range of clinical studies with multiple medical institutions that have shown interest in our technology, with the goal of helping patients who are suffering. Each time we hear that something we developed has been used by patients and that their physical condition has improved significantly, we feel from the bottom of our hearts that we chose the right work. Large‑scale experiments at major corporations certainly have their appeal, but there is also something uniquely rewarding about being able to hear patients’ voices directly through physicians in our environment.

My own father suffered from a refractory illness, and when he collapsed in 2024, he was helped through a treatment conducted under a clinical study in which our company was involved. Seeing a family member improve firsthand reaffirmed my conviction in the hope embodied by our technology. Realizing “longevity‑focused healthcare” that allows people to live while maintaining a high quality of life is no longer just a dream—it is a responsibility we must continue to pursue.

If I had to put it into one phrase, it would be “people who have passion and resolve, and who can act on their own initiative.” Those who simply want to work for a “company with future potential” may not be the best fit for us. What matters is having a strong desire to understand how one’s skills and actions can truly help patients, combined with a sense of speed and ownership. For individuals with that mindset, this is an environment that offers unparalleled fulfillment. What do you think, Chen?

I agree, and in particular, I want to work with people who have a high level of perspective. Looking beyond Japan to the world, and having the flexibility to embrace diverse values, is essential to building BMS’s future together. Rather than focusing only on the task at hand, we want to work with people who can take a broader view of the business as a whole—and ultimately of global healthcare—and who are willing to walk that path with us.

That’s an important point. For example, if someone simply wants to “do research,” that can be achieved at a university. But for those who aspire to “treat disease” or truly “contribute to society,” BMS offers a stage where those ambitions can be realized. This has been our core philosophy since the day I joined the company, and it remains unchanged today and into the future.

In addition, BMS provides an environment where people can take on major challenges in pursuit of their goals. During my time in sales, I experienced setbacks, including losing large deals due to a lack of experience. Even so, the company continued to place trust in me and encouraged me—again and again—to take on the next challenge. That is why now it is our turn: I hope we can be the ones who support our colleagues’ challenges and push them forward.

Exactly. I often tell our employees, “I’ll take responsibility, so see your ideas through to the end.” As management, we are fully prepared to bear that responsibility. That is why I want to work alongside people who are willing to stake themselves on what they want to do—and see it through with persistence and determination.

Commitment and effort are essential, but if you truly have the passion to “change the world” or “protect your family and those you care about,” BMS will be the ideal stage for you. Let us take on challenges together that will astonish the world.