Rege Nephro Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Representative Director: Toshihiro Ishikiriyama, hereinafter “RegeNephro”)　has signed　a joint research contract with Kirin Holdings Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Nakano-ku, Tokyo, President: Yoshinori Isozaki, hereinafter “Kirin”)

This joint research and development agreement aims to develop the manufacturing process of non-clinical and clinical trial samples for cell therapy using renal progenitor cells, and Kirin will bear part of the research cost and researchers will be dispatched.

RegeNephro is a venture company established in September 2019 based on the research results of Prof. Kenji Osafune of the Research Institute for Proliferation and Differentiation, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University (CiRA). With the discovery of renal progenitor cells for the first time in the world, Professor Osafune has succeeded in establishing technologies for highly efficient production of renal progenitor cells from iPS cells, expansion culture technology for these cells, and cryopreservation technology.

With the aging of society, the number of patients suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasing, and the number of CKD patients is 13% of the adult population in Japan, which is about 13 million. Except for kidney transplantation, which suffers from a serious donor shortage problem, there are almost no effective drugs or treatment techniques for the treatment of CKD at this time, and only symptomatic treatment is available. As CKD worsens, artificial dialysis becomes necessary, but the number of patients undergoing artificial dialysis is increasing year by year, and the medical cost exceeds 1.5 trillion yen annually. There is an urgent social need to develop technology to improve the symptoms of CKD and reduce the number of patients undergoing hemodialysis.

The iPS cell-derived renal progenitor cells invented by Professor Osafune have shown the effect of improving renal damage in animal experiments.

RegeNephro will continue to work on the practical application of cell medicines containing iPS cell-derived renal progenitor cells as the active ingredient, and aim to obtain approval for CKD as an indication.
RegeNephro believes that the signing of the joint research agreement with Kirin will accelerate the development of the manufacturing process for cell therapy using iPS cell-derived renal progenitor cells. With the mission of improving the quality of life (QOL) of patients suffering from renal diseases and contributing to society, RegeNephro will promote its business.

＜Outline of RegeNephro＞

Representative Director: Toshihiro Ishikiriyama
Address: MIC blds. Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto
Business activities: R&D, production and sales of therapeutic drugs for renal diseases
Established: September 2019
URL: https://regenephro.co.jp

＜Outline of Kirin＞

Kirin Holdings Co., Ltd.
Representative Director and President: Yoshinori Isozaki
Address: 10-2 Nakano 4-chome, Nakano-ku, Tokyo
Business description: Group business strategy formulation and business management
Established: February 1907
URL: https://www.kirinholdings.co.jp/

＜Inquiries regarding this matter＞

Katsuhisa Yamaguchi (CFO/General Manager of Finance and Administration Division)
TEL: 075-708-3275
E-mail: info@regenephro.co.jp