TOPICS
- We have been selected for the Tokyo Metropolitan Small and Medium Enterprise Promotion Agency’s startup intellectual property support program.
- Presenting as the Japanese representative at the world’s largest startup competition, the Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) World Finals
- We have been selected for the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) ‘Research and Development-oriented Venture Support Program’.
OUR MISSION
Realizing a society where elderly individuals
with dementia can live comfortably and securely.
In the modern era, by 2025, it is estimated that one in five elderly individuals will have dementia. While drugs to slow the progression of dementia were finally developed in 2021, a 'cure' for dementia still does not exist
We embarked on a mission to develop a diagnostic agent for MCI and the world's first radical cure for Alzheimer's.
AlzMed aims to create a society where elderly individuals with dementia can live comfortably and securely through early diagnosis and fundamental treatment.
OUR SOLUTION
The three social challenges
that AlzMed aims to address and solve.
Cause: Aβ triggers Alzheimer's disease.
However, drug development is proving to be challenging.
Memory mechanism understanding and implementation.
The discoverer of Drebrin, a substance controlling synapse formation in memory, is investigating memory mechanisms and promoting societal implementation of findings.
Blood-based diagnostics for early Alzheimer's detection.
Developing a blood-based method to measure Drebrin levels in early Alzheimer's, enabling non-invasive detection and tailored interventions based on disease progression.
Fundamental treatment for Alzheimer's disease.
Developed a drug that restores the amount of drebrin in the brain, which decreases as Alzheimer's disease progresses, to normal levels.
Realizing the fundamental treatment for Alzheimer's disease, which has been deemed impossible.
Alzmed will achieve these through cutting-edge Drebrin research.
Watch the latest video hereABOUT
The molecules that influence changes in the brain when remembering things.
Through the action of Drebrin, memories become more easily recallable.
Discovered at Gunma University in 1985 by the founder of Alzmed.
Drebrin is a molecule that plays a role in the changes in the brain when remembering things.
The action of Drebrin makes memories more easily recallable.
| 1985 - 1986 | Drebrin is discovered and named. |
|---|---|
| 1996 | Shifting from protein research to studying the mechanism of memory. Discovery of Drebrin loss in Alzheimer's disease. |
| 2003 - 2005 | Understanding the relationship between Drebrin and memory. Brain-type Drebrin, found only in synapses, regulates their formation. |
| 2014 - 2018 | Increasing Drebrin was suggested to improve memory impairment. Cell culture and mutant animals clarified Drebrin's memory role. |
| 2019 | Development of a diagnostic method to identify and quantify brain-type Drebrin. |
| 2021 | Commencement of clinical trials |
View details
The Epic 40-year Journey and Future Prospects in Drebrin ResearchThe potential of Drebrin.
There is the potential for Drebrin drug development to achieve fundamental treatment.
Conventional drugs.
Aβ drug
development.
Suppressing the progression of the disease.
- The current treatment approach using Lecanemab aims to remove the causative substance.
AlzMed's medication.
Drebrin drug development.
Eradicating the root cause of the disease.
- Our treatment approach aims to normalize areas with abnormalities, but it lacks a track record.
Comparison with therapeutic drugs from other companies.
Conventional
treatment medications.
It compensates for lost brain functions and transiently improves symptoms but does not inhibit dementia progression.
Early intervention inhibits the pathological changes in nerve cells, delaying the transition from MCI to dementia.
Almed's therapeutic medication.
Early intervention restores synaptic structure, improves symptoms, and prevents MCI progression to dementia.
SERVICE
・Diagnostic drug development business.
Utilizing changes in blood drebrin levels, we have developed a diagnostic drug for 'mild cognitive impairment'. Our goal is to create a society where the progression of dementia can be detected early.
・Therapeutic drug development business.
We are developing dementia treatments to maintain normal Drebrin levels in the brain, crucial for memory, and restore synaptic function.To create a society where dementia becomes a curable illness.
・Selling Drebrin research reagents.
OUR TEAM
Board of Directors
President and CEO.
Tomoaki Shirao, MD PhD
The discoverer of Drebrin and a globally recognized authority in memory research.
CEO Interview
Science Advisor.
Yuko Sekino, PhD
Scheduled to assume the position of director from August 2024.
Director
Shigeru Ishii
The founder of Sony Bank
Research & Development Team
-
Researcher (part-time)
Aoki S
-
Researcher (part-time) veterinarian
Nagashima S
-
Researcher (Lab Manager)
Tsutsui I, PhD
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Primary Investigator
Higa A, MaD
-
Researcher (part-time)
Mase S
-
External Researcher
Takei N, PhD
-
External Researcher
Iwakura Y, PhD
-
Primary Investigator (GM)
Koganezawa N, PhD
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External Researcher
Yamazaki H, PhD
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External Researcher
Roppongi R, PhD
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Technical Assistant
Hijiki S
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Technical Assistant
Konno T
-
clerk
Aoki A
-
clerk
Watanabe J
Board of Advisors
-
Alzheimer's Biomarker
Shoji M, MD PhD
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Molecular Biology
Mori N, PhD
-
Biochemistry
Hisanaga S, PhD
-
Quantum Medicine
Nakano T, MD PhD
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Diagnostics
Kawamura M, PhD
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General
Kano S, PhD
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Drug Discovery
Suzuki R
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CPA Office
Uehara M
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Law Office
Kojima I
Partner Universities and Companies
COMPANY
Access| Corp. Name： | AlzMed, Inc. |
|---|---|
| President： | Tomoaki SHIRAO |
| Headquarters location： | 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8485 UT, South Bdg. Entrepreneur Lab. |
| Phone | +81-3-3386-0552 |
| Founded： | 2019 |
| Staff： | 15 members, including part-time staff |
AlzMed, Inc., founded in 2019, aims to apply Tomoaki Shirao's discovery of the memory control function of the protein molecule "Drebrin" to combat Alzheimer's disease.
In its first year, AlzMed, Inc. primarily supported patenting of Drebrin research.
Since 2020, under Tomoaki Shirao's presidency, AlzMed, Inc. has been actively engaged in research and development of drugs for Alzheimer's disease at the University of Tokyo's Entrepreneur Lab.
