Aiming to create new drivers in the healthcare field
Could you tell me about your business?
HRI Imamura: The Company was established with the aim of creating products and services that will serve as drivers for future growth by consolidating the basic research functions of H.U. Group Holdings, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as the Group) and create products and services that will lead to future growth. With the aim of realizing the mission of "leading innovation in life sciences and medical care starting from science," we are taking on the challenge of promoting new innovations and creating new businesses. 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's three core businesses are testing and related services, clinical diagnostic drugs, and healthcare-related services. The Group has a company in charge of these businesses. For example, SREL, which is in charge of clinical testing and hospital support, Fuji Rebio, which develops and manufactures clinical diagnostic agents, and Nippon Stelli, which undertakes the cleaning and sterilization of medical equipment, and Nippon Stelli, which undertakes in-hospital operations. Currently, our main focus is on healthcare-related businesses, but in the future we plan to challenge service development with a view to the entire area of healthcare.
Could you tell us about your research structure?
HRI Abe: Originally, the Group had a well-equipped laboratory (HU. Bioness Complex) in Akiruno City (Tokyo), but there was a problem that it was far from the city center. Therefore, we decided to set up an office and lab in the Kashiwa-no-ha area, which is close to the city center, to further strengthen collaboration functions. The Kashiwa-no-ha area is home to the National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa Campus of the University of Tokyo, Kashiwa Campus, and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST).
H.U. Bioness Complex (Akiruno City, Tokyo)
HRI Uozumi: Our Kashiwa-no-ha Office and Lab is located in Mitsui Link Lab Kashiwa-no-ha. The office functions are mainly used for information gathering and study sessions, while the laboratory function is still in the early stages of activities, such as blood and urine, as it is still in the early stages of activities. For example, we invite professors from the National Cancer Center Hospital East Hospital to discuss issues in the life science field, including cancer treatment and regenerative medicine, grasp trends in new technologies, and exchange opinions on creating a system for communication with the surrounding area 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 issues from companies based in the Kashiwa-no-ha area, and have begun initiatives such as the Kashiwa-no-ha Lab will serve as a point of contact to flexibly respond to issues that can be handled by our existing businesses. We hope that these activities will lead to a new "fusion" in the Kashiwa-no-ha area through these activities.
If you go to Kashiwa-no-ha, "the human relationship that was a point-to-point relationship leads to a single line."
Why did you choose "Mitsui Link Lab Kashiwa-no-ha" as a new base?
HRI Abe: Originally, the Group has concluded a basic agreement with the National Cancer Center and Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. regarding the healing and overcoming cancers that contribute to the formation of a life science base. The agreement aims to develop next-generation medical technology and healthcare services in the Kashiwa-no-ha area with the aim of healing and overcoming cancer. At the time when the basic agreement was concluded (2019), Mitsui Link Lab Kashiwa-no-ha was not completed, but since it was successfully completed, we 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?
HRI Abe: The Kashiwa-no-ha area is a very interesting place. Mitsui Fudosan's urban development concept (Kashiwanoha Smart City), which allows you to challenge advanced healthcare-related initiatives throughout the city, and the results obtained from the demonstration experiments here can be applied to urban development in other regions such as Tokyo. The Group has also been promoting initiatives centered on hospitals, but the Kashiwa-no-ha area can be tackled even larger urban areas. Especially when we consider non-illness and healthcare as keywords, we believe that being able to work on the entire city is of great significance.
HRI Uozumi: Kashiwa-no-ha Lab has many research bases for pharmaceutical companies and venture companies, and just staying in this area will help you to study. Of course, there are many specialists that we do not know yet, so we would like to promote further interaction with you in the future. When you are in Kashiwa-no-ha, you will have the opportunity to meet people who had previously known only at online conferences, and I feel that human relationships, which were point-to-point human relationships, are connected as a single line.
We want to realize a society where healthy people become healthier in the Kashiwa-no-ha area
Please tell us about the future you want to achieve in the future at Mitsui Link Lab Kashiwa-no-ha.
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 therapy, is constantly progressing, and companies and research institutes that possess these technologies are concentrated. We also have R&D human resources in a variety of fields, and we hope to contribute to solving future medical issues, such as aging population and shortage of human resources while demonstrating synergies.
In addition to the conventional medical care of "treatment of disease and regaining a healthy body," the Group is also taking on the challenge of realizing non-illness and healthcare that will make healthy people healthy." The development of new technologies necessary to achieve this goal and promote the development of necessary human resources in the Kashiwa-no-ha area.
HRI Uozumi: In-house, I would like to prepare not only business-like study sessions, but also scenes where you can have more free and vigorous discussions, for example, meals, etc. together. Remote work became popular in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are times when I get acquainted with each other, and once you get to know each other, you will be able to meet regularly thereafter. At first it is small and small, so we would like to build a place where we can do it in the Kashiwa-no-ha area.
