SBI Holdings, Inc.
SBI Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.

SBI Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and CEO: Yoshitaka Kitao; “SBI Pharmaceuticals”), a subsidiary of SBI Holdings, Inc., engages in research and development of pharmaceuticals, health foods, cosmetics and medical devices for diagnosis using 5-aminolevulinic acid (“5-ALA”)*. We are pleased to inform you that we at SBI Pharmaceuticals have signed an exclusive license agreement (the “Agreement”) with Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd. (Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and CEO: Keizo Morikawa; “Cosmo Oil”). This agreement is on the patent right and the right to obtain a patent (the “Patent”) as well as technical information related to 5-ALA and its production methods for use in pharmaceuticals, quasi- pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and food products (except for use in hair growth of head and body hair).

With an eye to actively promoting overseas expansion of 5-ALA including its production, SBI Pharmaceuticals plans to transfer the position and the rights and obligations related to the Agreement to SBI Holdings, Inc.

The SBI Group has been using 5-ALA for pharmaceuticals, health foods and cosmetics. By obtaining a license for the Patent owned by Cosmo Oil, the SBI Group aims to expand its 5-ALA business through a seamless process involving 5-ALA from product development and production, to sales.

The SBI Group will continue to pursue various potential applications of 5-ALA, and focus on research and development to provide pharmaceuticals that satisfy the unmet medical needs of as many people as possible around the world.

* 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)
An amino acid created in mitochondria. It is an important substance that serves as protein material related to energy production in the form of heme and cytochromes, and its productivity is known to decrease with age. 5-ALA is contained in food such as shochu distillation remnants and red wine. It is also known as a material forming chloroplasts in plants.

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For further information, please contact:
SBI Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.: Corporate Planning Dept., Tel: +81 3 6229 0095

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