Aiming to create new drivers in the healthcare field
Could you tell me about your business?
Mr. HRI Imamura: H.U. Group Holdings Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as the “Group”) is a company established with the aim of consolidating basic research functions and creating products and services that will serve as future growth drivers. We are taking on the challenge of promoting new innovations and creating new businesses with the aim of realizing our mission of "leading innovation in life science and medical care starting from science." In addition to in-house research, we are also engaged in open innovation with various research institutes and medical institutions, including the National Cancer Center.
HRI Uozumi: The Group has three core businesses: testing and related services, clinical medications, and healthcare-related services, and has companies within the Group that are responsible for these businesses. For example, SRL, which is in charge of operations such as clinical testing and hospital support, Fuji Rebio, which develops and manufactures laboratory drugs, and Nippon Steri, which undertakes cleaning and sterilization of medical equipment and in-hospital operations. Currently, the main business is medical-related businesses, but in the future, we plan to take on the challenge of developing services with a view to the whole area of healthcare.
Please tell us about your research system.
Mr. HRI Abe: Originally, the Group has a fully equipped lab (H.U. Bioness Complex) in Akiruno City (Tokyo), but there was a problem that it was far from the city center. Therefore, we decided to further strengthen our collaboration function by establishing an office and lab in the Kashiwa-no-ha area, which is close to the city center. The Kashiwa-no-ha area includes the National Cancer Center East Hospital, the Kashiwa Campus of the University of Tokyo, and the Kashiwa Center of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, and the opening of an office in the same area makes it possible to propose to customers that "Please drop in at our office when you come to the Kashiwa-no-ha area."
H.U. Bioness Complex (Akiruno City, Tokyo)
HRI Uozumi: Our Kashiwa-no-ha office and laboratory is located in Mitsui Link Lab Kashiwa-no-ha. Office functions are mainly used for information gathering and study sessions, while lab functions are still being used for pretreatment of test specimens such as blood and urine because they are in the early stages of activity. For study sessions held regularly at the office, for example, we invite teachers from the National Cancer Center East Hospital to understand issues in life sciences, including cancer treatment and regenerative medicine, to understand trends in new technologies, and exchange opinions on creating a mechanism for communication with the surrounding areas of Kashiwa-no-ha.
In addition, since the Group has various companies under the umbrella, it can handle all directions from inspection to logistics, we hear the current sense of issues from companies based in the Kashiwa-no-ha area, and we have begun initiatives such as flexible responses to issues that can be addressed in existing businesses of the Group, taking on new R&D initiatives to provide results. Through these activities, we hope that a new "fusion" will occur in the Kashiwa-no-ha area.
If you go to Kashiwa-no-ha, "human relationships that were dots and dots lead to a line."
Why did you choose Mitsui Link Lab Kashiwa-no-ha as a new base?
Mr. HRI Abe: Originally, the Group has concluded a basic agreement with the National Cancer Research Center and Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. on "curing and overcoming cancers that contribute to the formation of life science centers." The agreement aims to develop next-generation medical technology and healthcare services with the aim of healing and overcoming cancer in the Kashiwa-no-ha area. At the time of the conclusion of the Basic Agreement (2019), Mitsui Link Lab Kashiwa-no-ha was before completion, but since it was completed successfully, we have decided to open our office and lab in the laboratory.
What kind of impressions do you have when you started your activities at Mitsui Link Lab Kashiwa-no-ha?
Mr. HRI Abe: The Kashiwa-no-ha area is a very interesting place. Mitsui Fudosan's urban planning concept (Kashiwa-no-ha Smart City) allows you to take on advanced healthcare initiatives throughout the city, and the results obtained through demonstration experiments can be applied to urban planning in other regions such as Tokyo. The Group has been promoting initiatives centered on hospitals, but in the Kashiwa-no-ha area, it is possible to work on even larger cities. In particular, considering non-illness and healthcare as keywords, we believe that being able to work on the whole city is of great significance.
HRI Uozumi: Kashiwa-no-ha Lab has many research bases for pharmaceutical companies and venture companies, so you can study just by being here. Of course, there are a lot of specialists we don't know yet, so I would like to further interact with you in the future. When I was in Kashiwa-no-ha, I was blessed with the opportunity to meet people who were previously unknown only at online meetings, and I feel that human relationships that were points and points are connected as a single line.
In the Kashiwa-no-ha area, we want to realize a society where healthy people become healthier.
Please tell us about what you want to achieve in the future at Mitsui Link Lab Kashiwa-no-ha.
Mr. HRI Abe: The Kashiwa-no-ha area is a place where the development of new modalities that require advanced technologies, such as regenerative medicine and cell medicine, is constantly progressing, and companies and research institutes with these technologies are concentrated. We also have R&D personnel in various fields, and we hope to demonstrate synergies and contribute to solving future medical issues such as aging and shortage of human resources.
The Group is also taking on the challenge of not only conventional medical care, “treating diseases and restoring a healthy body,” but also the realization of non-illness and healthcare that “healthy people become healthier.” In addition, the development of new technologies necessary for this realization and the development of human resources necessary in the Kashiwa-no-ha area can be said to be the future image we envision now.
HRI Uozumi: In the company, I would like to prepare not only a business-like study session but also a scene where you can discuss in a harmonious manner while enjoying more freely and vigorous manner, for example, with meals together. Remote work has spread in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, but sometimes you can talk because it's face-to-face, and once you get to know each other, you will be able to meet regularly after that. At first, it can be small, so I would like to build a place where it can be done in the Kashiwa-no-ha area.
