ImmuniT Research inc.


Solve the world's remaining health problems through quantifying the power of immunity.

Approximately 470 million years ago, the most evolved immune cell known as the "T cell", having different sensors in each cell, recognizes and destroys even virus-infected autologous cells, was born.

We, as ImmuniT Research, have the founding principle that is to thoroughly elucidate and understand the phenomenon of anti-tumor immunity and to propose methods to guide it correctly, and have developed a technology to quantify and monitor immunity in the course of our research on tumor immunity.

Based on this technology, we will build an immune data platform that will enable companies and researchers to accelerate the development of diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive methods.

Immunity data platform

Pipeline

  • Code name
    Cells
    Target diseases
    Product
    Phase
    Research
    Development
    Sale
  • IMTR001
    CD62L low
    Cancer
    diagnostic agent, therapeutic drug
    Research
    Development
    License out
  • IMTR002
    Th7R
    Cancer
    diagnostic agent, therapeutic drug
    Research
    Development
    License out
  • IMTR003
    Th7R
    Covid-19
    diagnostic agent
    Research
    Development
  • IMTR004
    (unrevealed...)
    (unrevealed...)
    diagnostic agent
    Research
Code name

IMTR001Development of diagnostic methods to pre-predict the efficacy of PD-1 antibodies in cancer therapy.

We have developed a highly specific and sensitive method to predict the effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors (Nivolumab) by examining lymphocytes in the blood.

The method has several advantages: It does not use cancer tissue, is relatively inexpensive, analyzed quickly and are already used in clinical trials.

Patent No. 6664684
Joint research with Professor Hiroshi Kagami of Saitama Medical University.

Code name

IMTR002Biomarkers for predicting response to cancer therapy. (Th7R)

The study on a new immune cell (Th7R), CCR4-CCR6 + CD4+ T cells, discovered it is possible to predict the effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors, PD-1 inhibitors or PD-L1 inhibitors, more easily and with higher sensitivity and specificity than ever before using blood.

Patent No. 7175068
Joint research with Professor Hiroshi Kagami of Saitama Medical University.

Code name

IMTR003COVID-19 Biomarker for predicting symptoms of pneumonia.

The measurement of the number of immune cells in the blood was found to be effective in predicting the severity of pneumonia in COVID-19.

Patent pending
Joint research with Professor Hiroshi Kagami of Saitama Medical University.

Team

Chief Executive OfficerMasafumi Yasukochi

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Chief Scientific OfficerAkio Ametani

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Sales ManagerShigeki Kobayashi

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CFODaisuke Tajima

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Science AdvisorHiroshi Kagamu

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Outside DirectorKeima Ueno

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External AuditorFumimaro Kumagai

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AdvisorSachio Senmoto

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Co-creation

The Immunity Data Platform is being developed with the aim of uncovering "humanity's dormant immune-enhancing assets" from around the world that can eradicate diseases and make humanity healthier by strengthening the "power of immunity". We look forward to co-creating with companies and researchers who wish to provide immune-regulating services and products.

  • Drug discovery & development support

    Our platform can support you in various stages of drug development, including target discovery, validation, compound verification, and clinical trial optimization.

  • Data sharing

    If you provide FCS data, WSP data, and medical data, we will build your own immune profiling system leveraging our database and proprietary algorithms.

  • Consumer

    By quantifying and monitoring the immune status of individuals, we promote health management services that include advice on how to improve daily life against future disease risks.

Areas we partner

We have built up a unique knowledge library and in-depth expertise in various immune cells, mainly T cells. We are looking for partners who can help us solve various health problems by utilizing our Immunity data platform.

  • Medical treatment

  • Drug discovery

  • Diagnostic pharmaceutical

  • Cell therapy

  • Health care

News

2024.04.02

Announcement of research presentation on the function of Th7R cells related to cancer immunity at AACR by Professor Kagamu of Saitama Medical University

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2023.10.13

Notice of decision of no grounds for refusal of patent on automated cell population identification technology system

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2023.07.27

New Location

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Masafumi Yasukochi
Chief Executive Officer
PROFILE

After working in the development and marketing of health care related products such as supplements at Otsuka Pharmaceutical, he participated in the establishment of the Intellectual Property Department at Saitama Medical University as Deputy General Manager.
He has experience in developing intellectual property strategies for life sciences and has licensed many inventions to pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies.
In 2017, he established ImmuniT Research as a university-launched venture to implement the technology for predicting the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors discovered by Professor Kagami at Saitama Medical University.

HISTORY

Graduated from Department of Physics, Kobe University and Graduate School of Sports Medicine, University of Tsukuba
Concurrently serving as an outside director of Unisys Co., Ltd. and a visiting lecturer at Toho University School of Medicine.

Akio Ametani
Chief Scientific Officer
PROFILE

After obtaining PhD from the University of Tokyo in 1988, he has been engaged in immunology research in Japan and the United States as a postdoctoral fellow at UCLA in 1988, an assistant professor at the University of Tokyo in 1990, an assistant professor in 1991, a research scientist at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology in 1998, and an associate member at the Torrey Pines Molecular Science Institute in 2002.
He has a broad network of contacts in the life science field both in Japan and abroad.

HISTORY

Obtained PhD. in Agriculture, The University of Tokyo
Concurrently serving as Specially Appointed Professor, Kobe University

Shigeki Kobayashi
Sales Manager
PROFILE

Received the World Wide Top Sales award for FCM sales performance at Beckman Coulter Inc.
He has been involved in the FCM industry for nearly 30 years. After that, he launched the flow cytometer business at several companies including Sysmex Corporation.
He then worked for a start-up venture company in the field of cultured meat research, where he was in charge of internal and external liaison.
He joined ImmuniT Research with his extensive experience in sales of research equipment ranging from genes to cells in the life science industry, his knowledge of equipment and reagents from basic research to clinical testing, and his wide network of customers and their business channels.

HISTORY

Completed biotechnology course at Tokyo Medical College

Daisuke Tajima
CFO
PROFILE

Right after graduating university, he joined KPMG AZSA LLC as an auditor. Gained MBA in the USA after KPMG AZSA and worked on PMO and overseas expansion projects at Deloitte Tohmatsu Consulting. He has extensive experience in domestic and international M&A financial advisory work at KPMG FAS and Kaede Financial Advisory. After successful turnaround, financing, and operational experience as a CFO at computer vision AI startups, Cybercore Inc., and M&A experience/back-office experience at Kudan Inc., he started TJ Global Advisory Inc.

HISTORY

Japanese certified public accountant
Thunderbird School of Global Management MBA

Hiroshi Kagamu
Science Advisor
PROFILE

Graduated from Niigata University School of Medicine in 1988, and was at Cleveland Clinic, USA from 1995 to 1998. After returning to Japan, he discovered that cancer antigen-specific CD62L(low) CD4 T cells are involved in cancer immunity at Niigata University.
In 2015, he became a professor at Saitama Medical University and based on his previous basic research findings, he presented a method to pre-predict the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors by measuring the number of CD62L(low) CD4 T cells in the blood of lung cancer patients. Subsequently, by introducing immunoprofiling techniques, he finely classified CD62L(low) CD4 T cells and found that two T cell subsets among them were working in cancer immunity, and named those cells Th7R cells.

HISTORY

Professor, Department of Respiratory Medicine, International Medical
Center, Saitama Medical School

Keima Ueno
Outside Director
PROFILE

After completing the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies at the University of Tokyo, he worked in the Investment Banking Division of Morgan Stanley Securities, where he was engaged in M&A and fundraising advisory services. Later, he worked for Boston Consulting Group in management strategy consulting in the media, consumer goods, and financial sectors, etc. From 2019, he became the Representative Director of Dojin Group, Inc. He has been involved in a wide range of business development in the biotech and life science industries, while also serving as an outside director for several venture companies.

HISTORY

Serving as CEO of the Dojin Group, Inc.
Holding MBA from Harvard University

Fumimaro Kumagai
External Auditor
PROFILE

After graduating from the University of Tokyo Faculty of Law, he worked for a public think tank and Barclays Securities Japan Ltd. before joining Sato Sogo Law Office. He provides a wide range of legal services including M&A, TOB, crisis management, and other general corporate legal services in Japan and abroad, as well as legal support for startups including fundraising, alliances with large companies, IPO, M&A and other exits, regulatory investigation of new businesses, intellectual property strategy, labor relations, and litigation, and open innovation for large companies. He also provides a wide range of legal support for open innovation for large companies. He also serves as an outside corporate auditor of GMO CLICK Securities, Inc. and as an outside director and audit committee member of GMO Ad Partners, Inc. and is involved in the management of companies in various business categories.

HISTORY

Attorney at Law

Sachio Senmoto
Advisor
PROFILE

Graduated from Department of Electronic Engineering at Kyoto University and hold Ph.D. at Electronics Engineering from the University of Florida. After working for Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Public Corporation (now NTT), he co-founded Daini-Denden (now KDDI) with Kazuo Inamori and others. Later, he launched eAccess and eMobile, and served as President and Representative Director, Chairman and CEO of both companies. He has also served on the board of directors of Silicon Valley Excellent Company and Reuters News Agency, and has been a professor at Keio University Graduate School, a visiting professor at the University of California, Berkeley and Carnegie Mellon University, and a visiting fellow at Stanford University.

HISTORY

Chairman Emeritus of Renova Corporation

ImmuniT Research Inc.

1-1-13, Shimbashi Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0004, Japan,
Urban Net Uchisaiwaicho Building 3F

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