SBI Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & President: Yoshitaka Kitao; hereinafter “SBI Pharma”), a subsidiary of SBI Holdings, Inc. which conducts research and development of pharmaceuticals, etc., utilizing 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)(*1) and TAGCyx Biotechnologies Inc. (Head office: Meguro-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Chizuko Koseki; hereinafter “TAGCyx”) hereby announces that a progress has been made in the research and development collaboration to develop innovative products in the field of cancer treatment carried out by the two companies.

SBI Pharma and TAGCyx have entered into the research and development collaboration agreement and are pursuing the joint research and development of a new anti-cancer drug (hereinafter “the Development”), as announced on November 25, 2020.

The two companies have now completed the screening and initial investigation stages of the cancer cell specific targeting- DNA aptamers to realize the Development concept and have agreed to proceed to the next stage of the project to validate and confirm anti-cancer efficacy (in vitro studies).

The two companies will further accelerate the Development to achieve breakthrough cancer therapies by applying SBI Pharma’s 5-ALA-related technology and TAGCyx’s Xenoligo®, selective and innovative DNA aptamer(s).

(*1) 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA): An amino acid produced in mitochondria. It is a vital 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 foods such as shochu lees and red wine. It is also known as a material forming chloroplasts in plants.

For further information, please contact:
SBI Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.　E-Mail: info_ala@sbigroup.co.jp
TAGCyx Biotechnologies, Inc.　E-Mail: info@tagcyx.com

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