News
News
Sysmex to Establish New Japanese Base within IMP on Kobe Port Island to Develop Companion Diagnostics Drugs toward the Realization of Personalized Medicine
Sysmex Corporation (HQ: Kobe, Japan; Chairman and CEO: Hisashi Ietsugu) will set up a new Japanese base on Port Island (Chuo-ku, Kobe), the site of the Kobe Biomedical Innovation Cluster, to develop companion diagnostic drugs1 for the realization of personalized medicine, and to conduct lab assay services.
In the field of cancer treatment, expectations are growing about the realization of personalized medicine that could provide treatments optimized for individual patients, improving patient quality of life and curtailing medical expenses. Also critical to the development of molecularly targeted drugs2 is the development of companion diagnostic drugs, which are used in selecting patients for administration of anti-cancer agents and for monitoring therapeutic results.
To expand its in vitro diagnostic technology platform toward the realization of personalized medicine, in 2013 Sysmex added Inostics (now Sysmex Inostics), which possesses digital PCR technology3, to its Group. Sysmex is also strengthening its initiatives in other areas, such as in the acquisition of biomarkers through open innovation in collaboration with research organizations, universities and medical institutions.
Sysmex now plans to open a new Japanese base within the ITOCHU Medical Plaza (IMP), located at Port Island in Chuo-ku, Kobe, and the site of the Kobe Biomedical Innovation Cluster, to develop companion diagnostic drugs toward the realization of personalized medicine.
Sysmex plans to set up a lab within IMP to handle Sysmex Inostics’ high-sensitive cancer gene detection technology and to obtain CAP (the College of American Pathologists)4 accreditation and other third-party certifications.
Working with Sysmex Inostics, which has bases in Germany and the United States and is working globally toward the development of companion diagnostic drugs, the new lab will enable the development of companion diagnostic drugs compliant with Japanese regulations, and conduct lab assay services promoting the broad-based development of Sysmex’s lab assay business.
Sysmex has applied for and received authorization for the development of companion diagnostic drugs at this lab as part of the Kansai Innovation International Strategic Comprehensive Special Zone, and we intend to promote the development of related businesses with the support of the city of Kobe and other entities. In addition to Sysmex Inostics’ technologies, Sysmex plans to apply its own technologies toward the development of companion diagnostic drugs and expand the lab assay business through lab assay services and other activities.
Going forward, Sysmex will continue working to develop and promote high-value testing that will contribute to improvements in QOL for patients, the standardization of medical services and the development of personalized medicine.
| Overview of the Lab | ||
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・Activities: |
Development of companion diagnostic drugs and provision of lab assay services | |
| ・Lab area: | Approximately 360 m2 | |
| ・Office space: | Approximately 130 m2 | |
| ・Start of operations: | December 2014 (expected) | |
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1 Companion diagnostic drugs: |
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| Drugs for clinical testing used to predict the efficacy and side effects of drugs before using them for treatment, or for monitoring the effects of treatment, particularly test drugs developed at the same time as drugs for treatment. | |
| 2 Molecularly targeted drug: | |
| A drug created to target only certain types of molecules (genes or proteins). Most such drugs are developed and marketed in the field of cancer and are used to control genetic expression or activity of the protein responsible for tumorigenic transformation. | |
| 3 Digital PCR technology: | |
| A high-sensitive genetic detection technology that is expected to find applications to detect minute quantities of mutated cancer genes released into the blood. | |
| 4 College of American Pathologists: | |
| An association serving as a highly authoritative accreditation organization for certifying the quality of testing facilities throughout the world. | |
- Information contained in the news release is current as of the date of the announcement,
but may be subject to change without prior notice.