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Sysmex and Bayer Yakuhin Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Jointly Promote Open Innovation

-Start of Collaboration toward the Formation of an Ecosystem in the Life Science Field in Kobe-

Sysmex Corporation (HQ: Kobe, Japan; Chairman and CEO: Hisashi Ietsugu) and Bayer Yakuhin, Ltd. (HQ: Osaka, Japan; President and Representative Director: Heike Prinz) have agreed to jointly promote open innovation, such as by using their management resources to support venture companies. Under this agreement, the two companies will utilize each other’s lab facilities, leading-edge and sophisticated research instruments, networks and other management resources to jointly promote open innovation. Going forward, the two companies will forge close ties with Kobe City and the Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation at Kobe (FBRI), both of whom are promoting the formation of a venture ecosystem in the life science field in the Kobe Biomedical Innovation Cluster*(KBIC), a grouping of healthcare companies, highly specialized hospitals and research institutions. By building a framework for attracting, cultivating and supporting venture companies with innovative technologies and ideas, we will contribute to the formation of an ecosystem in the life science field for creating new technologies and business models.

The healthcare issues faced by individual countries have grown more diverse in recent years, due to aging populations and the expansion of preventive medicine in developed countries, and the establishment of healthcare infrastructures in emerging markets. With IT and other technological innovations making industries increasingly borderless, as a healthcare company it is important to respond to increasingly diverse healthcare needs, make proactive use of outside management resources to achieve sustainable growth, and conduct R&D activities leading to efficient and effective innovation and the creation of new business opportunities.

Sysmex Open Innovation Lab. (SOLA), located in Technopark (Nishi-ku, Kobe), Sysmex’s hub for R&D, is its open innovation lab for pursuing collaboration with researchers in Japan and overseas. Sysmex is also pursuing numerous joint research projects at global R&D centers and through its network of Group companies, centering on the development of new diagnostic applications. In these ways, the company is actively working to acquire unique diagnostic technologies through open innovation with medical and research institutions in Japan and overseas.  

Since 2012, Bayer has begun operating its incubation facilities called the "CoLaborator" at various locations around the world, and has a track record of promoting multiple joint research projects by supporting venture companies. With the aim of leveraging this expertise and translating the excellence in basic research in Japan into drug discovery, last year Bayer opened "CoLaborator Kobe", its first incubation lab in Asia, in KBIC (Chuo-ku, Kobe City). This February, Bayer signed a partnership agreement with Kobe City and FBRI to nurture and support venture companies and to establish Japan’s own venture ecosystem in KBIC.

Sysmex and Bayer Yakuhin intend to create an environment in which companies using SOLA and CoLaborator Kobe can utilize both companies’ lab facilities and research instruments. In addition, by co-hosting events and seminars to encourage the mixing of R&D personnel with people from venture companies, the two companies plan to energize exchanges in the fields of both diagnostics and drug discovery. Consequently, the companies aim to create innovative technologies and business opportunities that will provide new value for diagnostics and treatment, as well as contribute to the formation of an ecosystem in the life science field in Kobe.


About Sysmex Corporation
In line with its mission of “shaping the advancement of healthcare,” which is defined in the “Sysmex Way,” the corporate philosophy of the Sysmex Group, Sysmex works to contribute to the development of healthcare and the healthy lives of people. Sysmex provides integrated R&D, manufacturing, sales, service and support for the instruments, reagents and software needed for in vitro diagnostics of blood, urine and other samples. Sysmex provides products to healthcare institutions in more than 190 countries and regions.
In recent years, Sysmex’s business has been expanding into the life science domain. The company is using proprietary technologies to create new testing and diagnostic value in the aim of realizing healthcare that is optimized for individual patients, reducing the burden on patients and helping to increase their quality of life. To learn more about Sysmex Corporation, visit https://www.sysmex.co.jp/en/.


About Bayer Yakuhin, Ltd.
Bayer Yakuhin, Ltd., headquartered in Osaka, is a healthcare company which combines
business activities of Pharmaceuticals, Consumer Health and Animal Health (companion and
farm animal products). Pharmaceuticals business is focused on the following areas:
Cardiovascular & Neurology, Oncology & Hematology, Women's Healthcare, Ophthalmology
and Radiology. Bayer Yakuhin aims to be one of leading pharmaceutical companies, which
responds to Japanese patients’ unmet medical needs. More information is available at
www.byl.bayer.co.jp/


*About the KOBE Biomedical Innovation Cluster
The aim of the KOBE Biomedical Innovation Cluster (KBIC) is to establish a center of excellence for research and development of state-of-the-art medical technology on Port Island, Kobe, and bring together medical-related companies, which are in the growth industries of the 21st century. As a result, the objective is to create a new medical system with integrated initiatives spanning basic research, clinical application and industrialization. As of 2018, 20 years since the vision was launched, KBIC has progressed to gather approximately 350 medical-related companies and organizations.
For details, please see https://www.fbri-kobe.org/kbic/english/

 
 
 
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    but may be subject to change without prior notice.

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