The Pharmaceutical Research Laboratories began in 1962 as the Basic Research Laboratories, positioned to probe new business ventures from the roots of basic research. Those laboratories generated vital fruits in many fields, helping expand Toray exploits into new business realms. The focus subsequently shifted to life science, and in 1999 the name Pharmaceutical Research Laboratories was adopted to better clarify the mission in pharmaceuticals.

Under the Toray doctrine of realizing "innovative pharmaceuticals," the Laboratories has developed Feron* (a natural interferon-β preparation for chronic hepatitis type B and C) and Dorner* (the worldfs first orally active prostacyclin (PGI₂) derivative for peripheral vascular disease). Both of them have become major industry breakthroughs.

The Laboratories is advancing combined clinical test of Feron* with antiviral drugs to improve efficacy for C hepatitis and testing its safe application for patients of liver fibrosis. For Dorner*, the search is ongoing for new applicable diseases to take great advantage of its broad-based pharmacological activity, forging new values and uses.

To create innovative pharmaceuticals, with the strengths in advanced synthetic organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry as integrated science based on deep understanding of organism, genetic protein and cellular engineering and other technologies, the Laboratories also forges fundamental technologies for research and development, pharmacology drug formation, metabolism, toxicology and other areas. Keenly focused and potent R&D activities have been advanced to challenge the pivotal domains of urinary disorders, immunological diseases, and renal failure / diabetes.

Research is currently being advanced against new target molecules for diabetes treatment harvested from genome research, along with the development of medicines to treat the chronic itching that plagues patients undergoing dialysis or suffering from atopic dermatitis, new pollaskisuria remedies free from the side-effects that lead to declines in QOL found in conventional drugs and other new chemical compounds based on Toray's original chemical and pharmacology technology that address the latest treatment needs.

To obtain the highly advanced specialized knowledge and technology, the Laboratories promotes energetic partnerships and collaboration with pharmaceutical companies, universities and research institutes both in Japan and abroad, while also cooperating with the Toray New Frontiers Research Laboratories in jointly designing and developing new genome and proteome drugs.

Thanks to the outstanding environment at these Laboratories, the researchers here are able to mobilize their finely honed skills and extensive experience to forward the mission to realize "innovative pharmaceuticals" that anticipate the needs of the next generation.