• Dr. Katsunori Nonogaki has developed the novel ultrasound irradiation device, which can improve the autonomic nervous system activity and peripheral circulation. In addition, the ultrasoud device can improve hypertension and hyperglycemia within 20 min in subjects with drug-resistant hypertension and diabetes. Our initial device was approved in Japan (226AIBZX00028000). This device will be avaliable for the treatment of 1) muscle pain, 2) the autonomic neural dysfunction and stress-related disorders, 3) hypertention, and 4) diabetes. Moreover, the device will be usefull for your healthy life and aging care.

Our aims are to export the device internationally. We seek the investment and international business partners.

• Primary aldosteronism is a leading cause of secondary hypertension accounting for approximately 10 % of hypertensive patients; 4 million patients potentially exist in Japan. We aim to optimize the method of ablating aldosterone producing adenoma using newly developed bipolar radiofrequency ablation system with 300-400kHz high-frequency current and electric power of 40W (Celon Prosurge Applicator), and establish a less invasive interventional radiological treatment of primary aldosteronism.

Collaboration with medical equipment manufacture and universities are expected to develop new devices enabling ablation of aldosterone producing adenoma. Flexible guide-wire-type ablation system and rapid aldosterone assay system should be co-developed to tread aldosterone producing microadenoma which is difficult to detect due to its small diameter of less than 5mm.

• Metabolic syndrome is an important view point, when we consider the preventive medicine. Hypertension is one of the most important points to prevent the cardiovascular events. However, there is no method to measure the baroreflex sensitivity of the artery in the patients with hypertension. Tohoku University had invented the new method to evaluate the baroreflex sensitivity of the heart and artery (JP Patent No.4789203).

By the use of this machine, the baroreflex sensitivity of an artery in the patients can easily be measured noninvasively. It enables to predict the occurrence of hypertension and evaluate the therapy of hypertension easily, while allowing prevention of the cardiovascular events.

• There are serious unmet medical needs in kidney diseases. Since fibrosis is a common terminal pathology of various kidney diseases and closely related to renal failure, anti-fibrotic therapies are plausible strategies for kidney diseases. Kidney fibrosis progresses with the emergence of myofibroblasts which produce extracellular matrix. We demonstrated that myofibroblasts originate from renal interstitial fibroblasts, which produce the erythroid growth factor erythropoietin, and that the transformation is reversible. To elucidate mechanisms of kidney fibrosis, we have established a cell line derived from myofibroblasts of mouse kidneys. It has been demonstrated that epigenetic interventions restore the cells (Replic cells) to their original fibroblastic features.

Replic cells provide useful and precise strategies to identify anti-fibrotic drugs.

• All the living organisms generate energy from molecular oxygen to maintain their own lives. Once the concentration of oxygen falls down, life activity gets severely hampered and it could sometimes cause death. Typical examples that are related to local hypoxia are ischemic heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.
• We focus on the function of prolyl hydroxylase (PHD) as a sensor to detect the hypoxia, and we are developing drugs to treat ischemic injury by controlling hypoxia.

Currently, we have several compounds that inhibit the PHD. We want to commercialize in conjunction with pharmaceutical companies in Japan and overseas, advancing our non-clinical studies for clinical development.