Corporate
Profile

[Company strength]
Drugs have already been developed to retard the development of dementia, but not to cure it. We conducted an open test on 44 AD patients and a randomized double-blind test on 328 patients with slight AD and MCI. The purpose of these tests was to verify the effectiveness of scallop-derived Pls on patients with cognitive impairment. We were able to acquire data strongly indicating improvement of memory functions in slight AD patients. We announced the data at the 1st International Plasmalogen Symposium. Our paper was introduced in EBioMedicine (March 2017), which is supported by Lancet.


[Business description]
Our company extracts biologically active substances from various food materials and develops supplements and other high-value-added products. Health consciousness is growing, and we want to help more people to be healthy through food. An overseas report pointed out that the concentration of plasmalogens (Pls) is lower in the blood of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. We conducted an extensive search of the natural world for Pls having a composition close to that of human Pls. We found that the composition of scallop Pls is close to that of humans. We developed a technology for extracting high-purity Pls from scallops more easily and in large volumes, and started marketing our products in June 2015.


[Industry]
Academic and R&D organization


[Representative's message]
Our research has verified the effectiveness of Pls for AD treatment and prevention in human as well as animal tests. This research was introduced in the world's leading medical journal. This brought our company great attention from overseas academic societies. Our preliminary study also clarified the lower concentration of Pls in the blood of patients with metabolic syndrome, depression, and Parkinson's disease, as well as AD patients. This data indicates the growing potential for Pls to be effective against these diseases. We hope we will be able to develop joint Pls supplement business with many companies in different categories through J-GoodTech.


[Company structure for market development/overseas expansion]
Pls are mainly sold as supplements at hospitals and by Web sales. We are now studying the development of an automatic measuring machine for Pls. Synergetic effects will remarkably accelerate Pls sales if this machine is widely diffused and hospitals begin to use Pls for patients with cognitive impairment to aid their recovery. Recovery from dementia is a global issue to be tackled. We are considering cultivating markets in Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries as well as China.


[Awards and media coverage]
[Media]
The Health Industry News (April 5, 2017); Japan Medical Society (JMS) (April 2017); Kyushu Iji Shinpo (March 2017); TBS, "NEXT DOOR Plus" (February 8, 2015); Nihon Keizai Shimbun; Mainichi Shimbun.


[Authorization/Certification]
Factory certification: Fuji Factory of B&S Corporation (GMP factory certification by Japan Health and Nutrition Food Association, certificate No. 196-B-02).


[Intellectual property]
Published patents: Ether Phospholipid and Manufacturing Method (Japanese Patent No. JP2016108466, Overseas Patent No. WO2016092878); Plasmalogen Quantification Method (Japanese Patent No. JP 2016111929, etc.).