Company Profile

Greetings

The company was established in April 2018 for two objectives. The first is to commercialize a rapid development system for high-affinity, high stable, and high productive antibodies, which was established by Akikazu Murakami CEO, also a faculty member of the Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Ryukyus. The second is to bank the natural bacteriophages latent in Okinawa, and to develop pharmaceuticals and quasi-drugs.

1. Providing high-affinity, high-stable and high-productive VHH antibodies by a rapid development method
(VHH antibody service).

To develop pharmaceuticals and test drugs, not only the production of high-performance antibodies, but also a large amount of antibody production system is required. The development of antibodies involves many steps and high costs, such as immunization of animals and establishment of antibody-producing hybridoma cell lines, which can hinder R & D.

We have the technology to rapidly develop camelid VHH antibodies by using an antibody library method (phage display method) using bacteriophage without using animals. This technology is highly stable, inexpensive, and the obtained VHH antibodies can be mass-produced compared to general antibodies.

2. Isolation of bacteriophage and development of pharmaceuticals (Natural phage service).

Bacteriophages infect bacteria and many of them have a lytic (bactericidal) effect, so they have long been used to treat infections and have been studied for over 100 years.

However, the appearance of antibiotics has made phage therapy a forgotten method in Western countries. However, in recent years, the problem of drug-resistant bacteria has become serious, and the use of bacteriophage (phage therapy) has been reviewed worldwide as one of effective measures against it, and approval of phage preparations has been rapidly promoted mainly in Europe and the United States.

Our company has the technical know-how to efficiently collect and isolate bacteriophages that have a high bactericidal ability for a wide range of bacteria from nature. We are developing phage preparations that can kill multidrug-resistant bacteria.

Basic information

Company name
RePHAGEN Co., Ltd.
Japanese notation
リファージェン株式会社
Officer

Representative Director : Akikazu Murakami

Representative Director : Akikazu Shimoji

Director : Masamichi Owari

Auditor : Yuuichi Wato(Certified public accountant)

Head office location

postal code 904-2234

Okinawa Life Science Research Center Room 120, 5-8 Suzaki, Uruma City, Okinawa Prefecture

Head office location (registered)

Uruma City, Okinawa Prefecture
Number of employees

3 (3 researchers (including 1 Doctor of Engineering, 1 Doctor of Medical Science and 1 Master of Science))

Excludes officers. (November 1, 2022)

Capital
5.5 million yen (December 1, 2019)
Business description

1. Contract research development of drugs, quasi-drugs, veterinary drugs, reagents, etc. , and joint research and patent sales of developed products.

2. Research and development, technical guidance, contract, development, manufacturing, import / export, sales and joint research for antigens and antibodies and patent sales of developed products.

3. Research and development of biocides and other fungicides using bioscience and biotechnology, including genetic engineering, cell engineering, and protein engineering, and development, manufacture and sales of products such as infectious disease response equipment and bactericides applying these.

4. Various consulting services related to the above items.

5. All business incidental to the above items.

Contact (landline)
+81-98-923-1671
Contact (FAX)
+81-98-923-1672
Legal advisor
Kotaro Harada (Kitahama Law Office Fukuoka Branch)

Corporate history

April 2018
Company established in Nishihara-cho, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa. Capital 4 million yen.
June 2018
Adopted by Okinawa Prefecture for "Intellectual and Industrial Cluster Support Network Strengthening Project (Research Seeds Business Development / Human Resource Development Support)".
July 2018
Certified as a venture from the University of the Ryukyus.
July 2018
Adopted by Okinawa Prefecture as "Okinawa Infectious Disease Research Result Utilization Promotion Project Subsidy (subsidy project planned period of 4 years)".
September 2018
Adopted by Okinawa Prefecture as "New Field Overseas Expansion Support Project Subsidy (Subsidy Project Scheduled 2 years)".
March 2019
Increased capital through third-party allotment. Capital 4.75 million yen.
June 2019
Head office relocated to Life Science Research Center in Uruma City, Okinawa Prefecture.
November 2019
Increased capital through third-party allotment. Capital 5.5 million yen.

Management philosophy

"On-Ko-Cho-Shin"

By fusing the great discoveries of our ancestors with modern technology, we create new science and technology to support manufacturing and contribute to human health and well-being and social development.

"From Okinawa to the World"

We aim to be a company full of creativity and craftsmanship from Okinawa to the world, starting from a company where workers can shine.

Location / Map