Executives

Directors

Title

Name

Bio

CEO

Masafumi Kuroishi

He is the former Executive Partner of Watervein Partners. He has been Outside Director of KinoPharma since 2006 and was appointed CEO in December 2010.
He has experience in investing and incubating a number of biotech successful startups in Japan.
Ex-JST/START program promoter. He holds an MBA.

Director
Head of Research and Development

Hiroshi Onogi

After working as a researcher of CREST and NEDO, he became a Specially-appointed Research Associate of Kurokawa Laboratory at The Institute of Medical Sciences, Tokai University in 2003.
He founded KinoPharma and was appointed COO in 2005. Since then, as the Leader of Drug Discovery Program, he has been engaged in activities, ranging from platform technologies to development.

Director
Head of Clinical Development

Katsuhiko Sato

After engaging in discovery research at Chugai Pharmaceutical, he moved to the clinical development department, where he achieved approval of an osteoporosis drug, and was appointed General Manager of the department in 2008. His experience also covers the establishment of a clinical development organization at Chugai Joint Venture in South Korea. He holds a Ph.D.

Director
(in charge of business strategy)

Masahiro Tomoyasu

He had been engaged in drug discovery at Chugai Pharmaceutical. He changed his careers to venture capital and served as the Deputy General Manager of Life Science at Mitsubishi UFJ Capital. He served as a director of KinoPharma from 2016. He concurrently serves as a director of Kringle Pharma. He holds a PhD.

Outside Director

Yoshiaki Someya

He has been engaged in clinical development at Chugai Pharmaceutical. He was appointed as the Director of Clinical Development of Chugai Pharmaceutical in 2005. He was appointed President of Chugai Pharma Science (Beijing) in 2011 and has been served as an outside director of KinoPharma since January 2018.

Executive Officer

Title

Name

Bio

Executive Officer
Head of Business
Development and Planning

Masaki Inami

Joined KinoPharma in 2024. Prior to joining Kino, he worked for Japan Tobacco (JT), Mitsubishi Pharma, Akros Pharma and Torii Pharma, where he gained extensive experience in the pharmaceutical business, including biological research, clinical and business development. He contributed for launch of new drugs such as Riona and Corectim, as well as numerous in-licensing and partnership deals.

Executive Officer
CFO

Masanori Nakamura

Joined KinoPharma in 2021. Previously worked for Resona Bank and Resona Capital, one of Japan's leading financial groups. After Resona Group, he served as CFO of a cancer immunotherapy biotech and led the company to profitability.

Audit & Supervisory Board Members

Title

Name

Bio

Full-time Auditor

Hiroshi Yoinara

After serving as General Manager of R&D Planning at Japan Tobacco Inc. and as General Manager of the Product Assurance Center, he was appointed General Manager of the Quality Assurance and Environmental Management at Fuji Flavor Co. (a subsidiary of Japan Tobacco Inc.). He was appointed as a full-time auditor of KinoPharma in April 2025.

Outside Auditor

Kakuji Mitani

After working at Momo-o, Matsuo & Namba, he studied at Columbia Law School in the USA. After working at Weil, Gotshal & Manges in NY, he became a partner of Momo-o, Matsuo & Namba. He established SPARKLE LEAGAL in April 2021 (current). He was appointed as an auditor of KinoPharma in January 2018. Attorneys at Law.

Outside Auditor

Ruri Nojiri

At KPMG AZSA LLC, she was engaged in statutory audit of financial institutions. Following this, she was engaged in M&A consulting at MUFG Bank, Ltd and internal audit at MUFG Group. She then established Nojiri Ruri CPA Office, and in February 2023, she was appointed as an external auditor of a medical device development company, and in March 2024, she was appointed as an auditor of Ame Kaze Taiyo INC.（current position). In March 2025, she was appointed as an auditor of KinoPharma. Certified Public Accountant.