Founders
Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was founded by the following individuals:
Advisor, International Business DevelopmentFounding CEO and Co-Founder
Sachiko
Kuno, Ph.D. joined Dr. Ryuji Ueno in the mid-1980s
to establish R-Tech Ueno Ltd. in Japan to commercialize prostones, a class of functional fatty acids
whose therapeutic potential was first identified
by Dr. Ueno. Their joint efforts resulted in the
successful launch of Rescula® eye drops, the
first bioactive lipid ever used to treat glaucoma.
Leveraging R-Tech's success in Japan, Dr. Kuno and Dr. Ueno founded Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. as R-Tech Ueno (USA), Inc. in 1996 to pursue research and development efforts in the Americas.
Dr. Kuno's expertise ranges from project management for research and development entities to the guidance of Investigational New Drug Application/New Drug Application submissions through the FDA.
Dr. Kuno holds a Ph.D. in industrial biochemistry from Kyoto University. She has conducted post-doctoral research at the Technical University of Munich, Germany, and has completed certificate coursework in international business management at Georgetown University in Washington, DC.
Dr. Kuno is a founder of the company. Until recently, she was the Chair of the Board of Directors since September 2006, and President of the company since July 2004. As of June 1, 2007, Dr. Kuno will continue in her capacity as founder but as a part-time employee.
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientific Officer
Founder
Chairman of the Board
Ryuji Ueno is an internationally recognized expert in the pharmacology, physiology and biochemistry of naturally occurring (endogenous) fatty acids and their related compounds.
In the 1980s, Dr. Ueno started pharmaceutical development based on his research with prostones, a class of functional fatty acids whose tremendous therapeutic potential Dr. Ueno first identified. This class of lipids is the subject of over 650 patents worldwide, which are now held by the Sucampo Group. Joined by Dr. Sachiko Kuno in the mid-1980s, after 10 years of biomedical research, Dr. Ueno founded the first Sucampo Group member R-Tech Ueno, Ltd. in Japan, a company dedicated to the research and production of his proprietary compounds.
Following R-Tech Ueno, Ltd's successful development and the commercial launch of RESCULA® eye drops for glaucoma, Dr. Ueno and Dr. Kuno founded Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. as R-Tech Ueno (USA), Inc. in 1996 to pursue research and development efforts in the Americas.
As a leading expert in his field, Dr. Ueno has authored more than 100 articles in notable scientific journals. Dr. Ueno received his M.D. and a Ph.D. in medical chemistry from Keio University in Japan. Additionally, he holds a Ph.D. in pharmacology from Osaka University.