As Japan faces the challenges of a rapidly ageing population, homegrown biotech pioneers are redefining the boundaries of preventative medicine and precision oncology.
At Genequest Inc. in Tokyo, Takahashi Shoko, Director and Founder, is building one of Asia’s largest DNA databases. By offering accessible saliva-based testing, Takahashi aims to shift healthcare from a "one-size-fits-all" model to personalised prevention, allowing individuals to improve their health and lifestyle while identifying genetic risks for diseases such as cancer and diabetes.
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Meanwhile, at the Institute of Science Tokyo in Yokohama, Yamayoshi Asako, Professor, Life Science and Technology, is "hijacking" exosomes, the body’s natural cellular messengers, to deliver drugs directly to tumours. This "Exhijack-Oligo" method could bypass the side effects of traditional chemotherapy by using the patient's own cells as "taxis." According to Professor Hamamoto Yasuo, this breakthrough significantly reduces manufacturing costs and time while offering a vital lifeline for severe conditions like gastric cancer.
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