Seikagaku engages in initiatives to address social and environmental problems in pursuit of harmony and continuous growth together with local communities. And we pursues respect for learning by engaging in global research assistance and sponsoring activities that support the development of glycoscience.

Promoting Communication with the Local Community by Making an Athletic Field Available for Use

Since 2007, Seikagaku has contributed to the nurturing of children by providing an athletic field located on the premises of the Central Laboratory and CMC Laboratory for use by Higashiyamato City Daihachi Elementary School, which is located adjacent to the laboratories, for physical education classes and outdoor activities. It is a joy to hear the cheerful voices of children playing and exercising on the field, and we will continue our efforts in building good communication to continue engaging in business activities as a member of the local community with the understanding and cooperation of local residents.

An extracurricular lesson
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An extracurricular lesson

Ibaraki-no-Kusuriten (Ibaraki Medicine Exhibition) Disseminates Correct Knowledge of Medicine

Seikagaku exhibited at Ibaraki-no-Kusuriten in October 2019, a medicine exhibition hosted by Ibaraki Prefecture each year to coincide with Medicine and Health Week. The purpose of Ibaraki-no-Kusuriten (Ibaraki Medicine Exhibition) is to inform the general public of the importance of correctly using medicines through an exhibition that introduces pharmaceuticals, medical devices, quasi-drugs, and other products produced at plants in Ibaraki Prefecture and events, such as a quiz rally to deepen understanding of medicine and a participatory simulation of prescription filling.

Since Seikagaku has a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Takahagi City, Ibaraki Prefecture, we have a display area at the exhibition each year where Takahagi Plant and Business Development & Marketing Division employees introduce visitors to Seikagaku’s business activities and the characteristics of hyaluronic acid and promote awareness of diseases addressed by Seikagaku products with the aim of promoting understanding of the role Seikagaku products play in everyday life. The exhibition serves as an opportunity for employees to experience a sense of responsibility for our products while at the same time spreading proper understanding of pharmaceuticals.

The Seikagaku display area
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The Seikagaku display area

Plant Tours for Learning about and Experiencing Manufacturing

Every year since 2012, Seikagaku Corporation has conducted tours of the Takahagi Plant for elementary school students to give children the opportunity to experience a manufacturing site up close. These tours enable students to learn about pharmaceutical manufacturing through observation of the formulation process and familiarize them with initiatives for quality control necessary for the manufacturing and stable supply of high-quality pharmaceuticals. During the tours, we also aim to stimulate interest in chemistry and experimentation by providing hands-on experience of a simple cider-making process using familiar everyday articles.

Through such interaction with host community residents, we support the development of the children who will become tomorrow’s leaders.

Children eagerly answer quiz questions
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Children eagerly answer quiz questions

Glycoforum, a Website for Comprehensive Information on Glycoscience Research

Since 1997, Seikagaku has operated “Glycoforum,” an academic website that shares information about research findings to contribute to the development of glycoscience, which is one of Seikagaku’s areas of specialization.

As a portal site for glycoscience information, the website promptly disseminates science paper information, including commentary from global leading researchers and academic conference information. The site enjoys strong support from researchers in Japan and overseas.

Glycoforum  website
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Glycoforum website

Support for the Mizutani Foundation for Glycoscience

The Mizutani Foundation for Glycoscience, a public interest incorporated foundation, was established in 1992 with an endowment from the late Masakane Mizutani, former president of Seikagaku Corporation, for the purpose of contributing to the welfare of humanity through the advancement and development of glycoscience. The foundation provides research grants to glycoscience researchers in Japan and overseas and supports conferences. In fiscal 2021, the foundation provided research grants totaling ¥74.18 million to 14 grant recipients.

Seikagaku endorses the purpose of the Foundation and has continuously supported its activities since its founding.

Promoting Early Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis Hiza Ikiiki (Sprightly Knees), a Website for Provision of Information Concerning Knee Osteoarthritis to the General Public

Some 30 million patients* in Japan are said to suffer from knee osteoarthritis, a disorder marked by knee joint strain due to aging, excessive exercise, or weight increase causing the cartilage to gradually wear away. The Hiza Ikiiki website explains basic knowledge concerning knee osteoarthritis, diagnosis, and treatment methods in an easy to understand way and gives information on nearby medical institutions that operate outpatient clinics and provide treatment for knee pain. The pamphlet Exercise Therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis is also available to download.

We will provide correct knowledge to people with knee pain and further enhance website content to enable greater numbers to promptly obtain appropriate treatment.

* “Locomotive Disorder Countermeasures to Promote Preventive Care,”
a report from the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare” issued in 2008

Hiza Ikiiki website
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Hiza Ikiiki website

Horseshoe Crab Conservation Activities of Associates of Cape Cod, Inc.

Since Seikagaku’s U.S. subsidiary Associates of Cape Cod, Inc. (ACC) manufactures and sells reagents using a substance extracted from horseshoe crab blood cells as a raw material, it continuously engages in horseshoe crab conservation activities to protect this precious natural resource. In addition to supporting the American horseshoe crab, in 2019, ACC began providing assistance for activities to maintain the population of Asian horseshoe crabs in the form of customized aquaculture equipment and training. Maintaining the population involves growing survivable juveniles produced by in vitro fertilization of sperm and eggs and releasing them into the natural environment. ACC has long engaged in this activity and accumulated related technology and expertise.

This assistance will be made available to academic institutions and private sector researchers around the world. Organizations receiving assistance are granted a license to use intellectual property relating to horseshoe crabs owned by ACC free of charge and are also provided with instructions regarding in vitro fertilization methods and training in the operation of highly efficient aquaculture equipment. The number of American horseshoe crabs that ACC has released in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts had reached about 1.2 million as of December 31, 2022.

In parallel with these conservation activities, ACC has also focused on development of gene-recombinant endotoxin-detecting reagents that can be manufactured without using blood harvested from horseshoe crabs.

PyroSmart NextGen, launched by ACC for sale in overseas markets in April 2021 and launched by Seikagaku for sale in Japan in May, was commercialized by ACC based on the results of R&D conducted for many years at Seikagaku.

Since PyroSmart NextGen follows the same cascade pathway as naturally sourced products, the same test methods and instrumentation can be used when the product is substituted for traditional naturally sourced reagents. ACC seeks to contribute to sustained environmental conservation by providing the option of choosing a gene-recombinant reagent in addition to taking measures to maintain the population of horseshoe crabs.

The Seikagaku Group will continue to actively support activities to conserve horseshoe crab populations and strive to use this resource in a sustainable manner.

Released American horseshoe crabs
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Released American horseshoe crabs
PyroSmart NextGen™
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PyroSmart NextGen™