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| The Biotechnology Industry |
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| Current State |
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| Successive Entries Being Made into the Field of Cell and Tissue Culture |
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The biotechnology industry is generally classified into the following four fields: fermentation, tissue culture, cell fusion and genetic engineering. Fermentation, especially, is a field that can be said to be a Japanese specialty. There is a long history in Japan of this food technology that utilizes microorganisms, as represented by such traditional fares as miso (fermented soybean paste), natto (fermented soybeans) and sake (rice wine).
In addition to companies in the food and alcoholic beverage industries that have traditionally been involved in such biotechnology, firms from other industries such as chemical, pharmaceuticals, steel, gas and tobacco have successively entered the biotechnology market in recent years. The majority of them are involved in the field of tissue culture, which is a relatively easy area to commercialize as products. |
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Central Government Bldg. No.5 housing Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare etc. |
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The aim of such market entry is to create business opportunities, ranging from plant breeding that utilizes tissue culture technology to improve the quality of flowers, fruits and vegetables to research of grain germplasm, centering on the Japanese staple of rice, and ultimately the sale of F1 seeds (hybrid seeds) that have a large size as a market. |
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| Gene Therapy: Treatment for Cancer Thought Most Promising |
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Practical application of biotechnology in healthcare and pharmaceuticals is also steadily advancing. The major fields for its practical application are gene therapy, regenerative medicine and antibody drugs.
In gene therapy, diseases and disorders are treated by introducing a gene that contains a blueprint for repairing or revising defective genes to a patient's body. There is great expectation placed on gene therapy by those involved since, as compared with conventional treatments such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy, it treats a disease from the fundamental cause.
The most promising therapeutic target for the commercialization of gene therapy is regarded to be cancer. Takara Bio Inc., a subsidiary of Takara Holdings Inc., is in the lead in this area. MolMed S.p.A. of Italy, which has an agreement with Takara Bio for gene therapy using Takara's RetroNectin gene therapy medication, is already conducting clinical trials in Europe for the commercialization of such gene therapy. Takara Bio itself will soon be commencing clinical trials in Japan. |
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