• Using the infectious SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2), we are evaluating and developing new therapeutic drug candidates as well as evaluating disinfectants. Further analyses such as mechanism of action and resistance may be applicable. Other pathogens, including influenza virus and drug-resistant bacteria, will be examined upon request and discussion. Through joint and collaborative research with domestic and overseas pharmaceutical companies and related companies, we have experience of their clinical application including basic research.

We support development and evaluation of various inhibitors and disinfectants for variants of SARS-CoV-2 as well as wild type.

• GNE myopathy, a type of distal myopathy, is a rare disease and a designated intractable disease in which muscles atrophy and degenerate starting from areas distant from the trunk, gradually depriving the body of freedom. Patients with this disease have mutations in the gene for an enzyme called GNE and cannot synthesize sialic acid, including aceneuramic acid. At the Department of Neuromuscular Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, a model mouse was created, and preventive effects were obtained through oral administration of aceneuramic acid.
• In response to this, the field of neurology conducted the world's first physician-initiated Phase I clinical trial in 2010-2011, establishing safety. After physician-initiated Phase II/III trials, extension trials, and efficacy confirmation trials, Nobel Pharma obtained manufacturing and marketing approval for the product named Acenobel® in March 2024. In the future, it is expected that the know-how gained from this seed in creating registries and protocols will be utilized to advance the development of treatments targeting other sialic acid supplements, viral vectors, and oxidative stress.

Autism spectrum markers:
Measuring histone modifications in sperm may be able to predict the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in the next generation.

It is known that the highest risks with regard to the development of developmental disorders in children are ageing and premature birth in both parents, and it has been repeatedly epidemiologically reported that the risk is higher in ageing fathers than in ageing mothers among the parents. Conventionally, sperm are only examined under a microscope to check sperm count, morphology and motility, but not at the molecular level. The present invention is an innovative method that focuses on epigenetic molecular markers.

• While birthrates are falling rapidly, developmental disorders are on the rise
• Focus on plastic epigenetic molecules as a successional effect of paternal ageing.
• Sperm testing can be performed non-invasively.
• Suitable as a quality check for sperm donors etc.

The combination of sperm histone modifications and relevant epigenetic factors (DNA methylation, microRNAs) in combination with the sperm panel test will enable highly accurate sperm quality testing.

• Strong points
• Anemia is a very prevalent disease. Nevertheless, an effective therapy is yet to be discovered. Erythropoietin is effective only for those with renal dysfunction. We have found that inhibition of an enzyme for epigenetic regulation results in a prominent increase of erythropoiesis, pointing to a new target for anemia therapy. We have also generated a new, cell-based assay system for the enzymatic activity and carried out small molecule screening.
• Collaboration with industry partners
• We are seeking a collaboration to accelerate the development of new anemia drugs based on these findings. Together we will advance the development of the candidate molecules currently identified as well as conduct further screening of larger chemical space for better candidates and/or for drug repositioning.

• 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.

• We succeeded in generating highly developed cultured C2C12 myotubes by manipulating intracellular Ca2+ transients with electric pulse stimulation (EPS), that are endowed with similar properties to in vivo skeletal muscle in terms of (1) excitation-induced contractile activity as a result of de novo sarcomere formation, (2) higher energy expenditure (as assessed by AMPK activation), and (3) improved insulin responsiveness (as assessed by exofacial myc-GLUT4 translocation assay).

Taking advantage of our “in vitro Exercise Model", our innovation will be an excellent alternative for the animal experimentation that can be applicable for a wide array of skeletal muscle research including drug screen.

• 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.