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., engaged in research and development of pharmaceuticals, health foods and cosmetics using 5-aminolevulinic acid (“5-ALA”)*, hereby announces that a patent has recently been registered in Japan for the treatment and prevention of cancer anemia.
Patent number: 5881722
Title of invention : An a gent for treati ng and preventing cancer anemia
Assignee : S BI Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.
Filing date: October 5, 2012
Cancer anemia is a type of anemia unique to cancer patients that is known to worsen symptoms of anemia as cancer develops, with further worsening caused by the therapy of anti-cancer drugs and radiation. Although to date blood transfusion has been used as a symptomatic therapy, an effective drug has been yearned for treating and preventing cancer anemia in light of the risk of various types of infections and the issue of a finite supply of blood.
5-ALA has already been used in Japan for photodynamic diagnosis in the area of diagnosis and treatment of cancer. It was recently discovered that 5-ALA would potentially improve the quality of life (QOL) of cancer patients, being used for treating and preventing leukemia-induced anemia, which has resulted in the registration of the above-mentioned patent.
SBI Pharmaceuticals 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 produced in mitochondria. It is an important substance that serves as a functional molecule 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 lees, red wine and Asian ginseng. 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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