Tsubakimoto Chain cooperates with Kyoto University’s one-stop bioresource project, and the establishment of KBBM Co., Ltd. in a “industry-academia” partnership

2018/03/20

Japan’s first-ever industry-academia alliance for the development of innovative medicine in Japan

Kyoto University, SRL Inc., Tsubakimoto Chain Co., Sysmex Corporation, Asklep Inc., Shimadzu Corporation, Fujitsu Ltd., and Screen Holdings Co., Ltd. have decided to build a new industry-academia collaboration model that makes use of its members’ research and business bases, to contribute toward the development of innovative medicine in Japan. Of these, Kyoto University will undertake one-stop bioresource projects via the Clinical Bioresource Center that was established inside its University Hospital, while the seven companies will establish KBBM Co., Ltd., to promote the project. Both sides will tackle new industry-academia alliances to deliver more effective, safe drugs and treatment methods, more quickly to patients. The new company was named “KBBM” (Kyoto Bridge for Breakthrough Medicine) with the hope of building a bridge for innovative medicine from Kyoto.

As part of its contribution toward improving the efficiency of sample storage used by research institutes tasked with drug discovery and DNA research, Tsubakimoto Chain is dedicated to developing and providing life science support equipment, including the world's first ultra-low-temperature automatic storage device capable of handling temperatures of -150°C. In addition to investment (100 million yen) in the project, Tsubakimoto Chain will put its wide-ranging experience and achievements to use in contributing to the realization of innovative and efficient medical treatments in collaboration with Kyoto University through the development and delivery of a sample storage system that provides reliable storage for high-quality biosamples.

More information about Tsubaki's life science support equipment

About Kyoto Bridge for Breakthrough Medicine, (KBBM Co., Ltd.)

Location of the head office	Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture (inside Kyoto University’s Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences Building)
President & CEO	Hiromitsu Tazawa
Capital	¥301.5 million
Capital reserve	3¥301.5 million
Date established	March 1, 2018
Line of business	Consignment, management and support of clinical research, clinical studies, and other operations Consignment of tests relating to chemical analysis research of drugs, quasi-drugs, and clinical diagnostics Search of drug creation targets and biomarkers, and other operations