Tadaaki Taniguchi
Chief Research & Development Officer, Astellas Pharma
DRUG INFORMATION ASSOCIATION (DIA)•Boston, Massachusetts, United States
View LinkedIn ProfileExecutive Overview
With over 25 years in the pharmaceutical industry and a decade as a surgical oncologist, I am committed to accelerating the delivery of transformative medicines to patients and their families. For those living with serious diseases, science can change everything, and that belief guides my work every day. As Astellas’ Chief Research & Development Officer, I lead a global team dedicated to discovering and developing next-generation therapies with the potential to reshape expectations of medical care. Our end-to-end capabilities – from early discovery through development, manufacturing and commercialization – enable us to advance an exciting pipeline focused on novel targets and cutting-edge modalities for some of the hardest-to-treat diseases. Previously, I led Astellas’ Medical and Development organization and held senior roles at leading multinational pharmaceutical companies across the US, Japan and China. These experiences reinforce my passion for addressing unmet needs in underserved disease areas and making a profound difference in patients’ lives. My early career as a surgical oncologist remains a constant reminder of the human impact of disease and the importance of working closely with patients. Today, I strive to foster a people-centered culture at Astellas – one that empowers teams to be agile, collaborative and courageous. Embracing a growth mindset and a challenger spirit enables us to lead boldly and pioneer science that changes tomorrow for patients in need.
Career Timeline
- Jun 2025–Present· 1 yr 3 mos
- Director, BoardCurrentJun 2025–Present
- TransCelerate BioPharma Inc.CurrentJun 2023–Present· 3 yrs 3 mos
- Board of DirectorsCurrentJun 2023–Present
- Astellas PharmaCurrentJul 2022–Present· 4 yrs 2 mos
- Chief Research and Development OfficerCurrentApr 2025–Present
- Chief Medical Officer, Head of Medical and DevelopmentOct 2022–Apr 2025
- Executive Advisor and incoming Chief Medical OfficerJul 2022–Oct 2022
- Apr 2015–Aug 2022· 7 yrs 4 mos
- Senior Vice President, Head of OBU Asia StrategyDec 2021–Aug 2022
- Senior Vice President, Head of Global Medical Affairs, Oncology Business UnitNov 2019–Nov 2021
- Senior Vice President, Head of R&D Japan2019–Dec 2021
- Vice President, Head of R&D JapanApr 2015–Dec 2021
- Dec 2012–Mar 2015· 2 yrs 3 mos
- Vice President, Head of Research and Development JapanDec 2012–Mar 2015
- Mar 2006–Nov 2012· 6 yrs 8 mos
- Executive Director and Strategic Officer, China DevelopmentOct 2011–Nov 2012
- Executive Director, Japan DevelopmentMar 2006–Sep 2011
- Aug 2002–Feb 2006· 3 yrs 6 mos
- Senior Director, head of Clinical SciencesAug 2002–Feb 2006
- Mar 2000–2002· 1 yr 10 mos
- Research Director, Clinical Development InstituteMar 2000–2002
- Jun 1999–Mar 2000· 9 mos
- Clinical Research FellowJun 1999–Mar 2000
- 1996–2000· 4 yrs
- Clinical Research Fellow1996–2000
Education
Ph.D
Medicine
Imperial College LondonM.D.
Medicine
Tottori University