Aiming to create new drivers in the healthcare field
Could you tell me about your business?
Mr. Imamura, HRI: The Company was established with the aim of creating products and services that will serve as drivers of future growth by consolidating the basic research functions of H.U. Group Holdings, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as the “Group”). We are taking on the challenge of promoting new innovation and creating new businesses with the aim of realizing our mission of "leading innovation in life sciences and medical care starting from science." In addition to our own research, we are also engaged in open innovation with various research institutions and medical institutions, including the National Cancer Center.
Mr. HRI Uozumi: The Group has three core businesses: testing and related services, clinical laboratory drugs, and healthcare-related services, and has companies within the Group that are responsible for these businesses. For example, ESRL, who is in charge of operations such as clinical testing and hospital support, Fuji Rebio, which develops and manufactures clinical testing drugs, and Nippon Steri, which undertakes cleaning and sterilization of medical equipment and in-hospital operations. Currently, we mainly focus on medical-related businesses, but in the future we plan to take on the challenge of developing services with a view to the entire healthcare area.
Please tell us about your research structure.
Mr. Abe, HRI: 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 functions by establishing offices and labs in the Kashiwa-no-ha area, which is close to the city center. The Kashiwa-no-ha area is home to the National Cancer Center Hospital East, the University of Tokyo Kashiwa Campus, and the Kashiwa Center of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology.
H.U. Bioness Complex (Akiruno City, Tokyo)
Mr. HRI Uozumi: Our Kashiwa-no-ha office and lab is located in the Kashiwa-no-ha of Mitsui Link Lab. The office functions are mainly used for information gathering and study sessions, while the lab functions are still in the early stages of activities and are used for pretreatment of blood and urine test samples. For study sessions that are regularly held at the office, for example, we invite teachers from the National Cancer Center Hospital East Hospital to understand issues in the life science field, including cancer treatment and regenerative medicine, trends in new technologies, and exchange opinions with the surrounding areas of Kashiwa-no-ha.
In addition, since the Group has various companies under the umbrella and can handle all directions, from inspection to logistics, we have heard the current sense of issues from companies based in the Kashiwa-no-ha area, and we have begun initiatives such as Kashiwa-no-ha Lab as a point of contact for flexibly responding to issues that can be addressed in existing businesses of the Group, and taking on new R & D 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 points and points will lead to a single line."
Why did you choose Mitsui Link Lab Kashiwa-no-ha as a new base?
Mr. Abe, HRI: Originally, the Group has concluded a basic agreement with the National Cancer Center and Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. on "Healing and Overcoming Cancer Contributing to the Formation of Life Science Bases." 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 successfully completed, it was decided to open our office and lab within the laboratory.
What kind of impressions do you have when you started your activities at Mitsui Link Lab Kashiwa-no-ha?
Mr. Abe, HRI: The Kashiwa-no-ha area is a very interesting place. With Mitsui Fudosan's concept of urban development (Kashiwa-no-ha Smart City), it is possible to take on advanced healthcare initiatives throughout the city, and the results obtained through demonstration experiments can be applied to urban development 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. Especially when considering non-illness and healthcare as keywords, we believe that being able to tackle the entire city is of great significance.
Mr. HRI Uozumi: Kashiwa-no-ha Lab has a large number of research bases for pharmaceutical and venture companies, so you can study just in this area. Of course, there are many specialists that we don't know yet, so I would like to further promote exchanges with you in the future. When I was in Kashiwa-no-ha, I was blessed with the opportunity to meet people who had previously only known at online meetings, and I realized that the human relationships that were points and points were connected as a single line.
We want to realize a society where “healthy people are healthier” in the Kashiwa-no-ha area
Please tell us about what you want to achieve in the future at Mitsui Link Lab Kashiwa-no-ha.
Mr. Abe, HRI: 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 institutions with these technologies are concentrated. We also have R&D personnel in various fields, and we hope to contribute to solving future medical issues such as aging and shortage of human resources while exerting synergies.
The Group is also taking on the challenge of realizing non-illness and health care, as well as the conventional medical treatment of "treatment of illness and regaining a healthy body", as well as "healthy people become healthier." The future vision we envision is to develop new technologies needed to realize them and to develop the necessary human resources in the Kashiwa-no-ha area.
Mr. HRI Uozumi: In-house, I would like to prepare not only business-like study sessions, but also situations where people can talk more freely and vigorously, for example, while having fun together with meals. Remote work has spread in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are times when you can talk because you are in person, and once you get acquainted, you will be able to meet regularly thereafter. At first, it is small and good, so I would like to build a place where it can be done in the Kashiwa-no-ha area.
