Kyowa Hakko Bio Co. Ltd (Kyowa Hakko Bio) announces the successful integration of the former German affiliate into its operations, marking a major milestone in the company’s transformation.
As part of this transition, Kyowa Hakko Bio Italia (KHIT) is now positioned as Kyowa’s central commercial hub for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).
Building on a strong legacy in Italy, Southern Europe, and select Middle Eastern markets, the new KHIT assumes a broader regional mandate with a sharpened focus on advancing Kyowa’s Health Science growth strategy, particularly in the Cognizin Citicoline segment within the health science and dietary supplement industries.
To lead this next chapter, Mr Nicola Urso has been appointed President of KHIT, effective 1 October 2025.
A seasoned executive with nearly 25 years of experience within the organisation, he has played a pivotal role in guiding the company through a variety of business challenges in recent years.
Known for his strategic vision and operational acumen, Mr Urso will now spearhead KHIT’s strategic priorities: expanding into key markets, accelerating digital transformation and continuing
to invest in top talent to build the next generation of scientific and commercial leaders.
Under his leadership, KHIT will adopt a simplified, more agile operating model designed to accelerate decision making and deepen customer impact across the region.
“This evolution marks a new chapter in our European journey,” said Mr Urso. “With a more agile structure and a clear regional remit, KHIT is poised to deliver greater scientific value to customers across EMEA, faster and more effectively than ever before.”
As part of this transformation, KHIT will establish a dedicated Scientific Marketing Function to enhance evidence-based value propositions and strengthen partnerships across the region.
This new function, headed by Dr Eri Nakazaki, Senior Manager, Head of Scientific Marketing and Business Development, will work in close collaboration with Kyowa’s global R&D and commercial teams to translate cutting-edge scientific research into actionable claims, marketing materials and customer-facing programmes.
Mission and vision
- Mission: To improve health and well-being across EMEA by delivering trusted, science-backed ingredients and solutions with Citicoline at the core of our Health Science portfolio.
- Vision: To serve as Kyowa’s gateway to Europe and be recognised for scientific excellence, customer-centric execution and sustainable growth across the Health Science and dietary supplement sectors.
What’s Changing with the “New KHIT”
- A Unified EMEA Gateway: KHIT becomes Kyowa’s single commercial platform for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, having local GMP stock approved by health and sanitary authorities, enabling faster decision-making and consistent market execution.
- Health Science Growth: Accelerated focus on the Citicoline portfolio and adjacent opportunities in the Health Science and dietary supplement spaces.
- Science Marketing Capability: A new team focused on converting scientific insights and regulatory know-how into compelling market narratives and ready-to-launch programmes.
- Stronger Partner Readiness: Enhanced ability to co-develop and scale solutions with global food and nutrition leaders, supporting ingredient adoption, innovation and long-term category growth.
“By combining world-class science with sharper execution, Kyowa Hakko Bio Italia is set to elevate Kyowa’s presence and performance across EMEA,” added Nicola Urso.
“We’re committed to turning differentiated science into long-term value for our customers.”