Bio-Chemicals

A Research Laboratory is the Root of Kyowa Hakko Bio's Operations.

Kyowa Hakko Bio traces its history back to 1937 with the establishment of the Kyowa Chemical Research Laboratories. With the objective of producing aircraft fuel by fermentation and synthesis of sugar, the laboratories began tests for commercializing the new acetone butanol fermentation process. These early activities gave birth to Kyowa Hakko Bio's long-standing R&D philosophy of "organic fusion of fermentation and synthesis technologies." Assuming that "fermentation" represents contemporary biotechnologies and that "synthesis" is equivalent to chemical technologies, it is evident that this original philosophy holds still true today. By adhering to this philosophy for over 50 years, Kyowa Hakko Bio has made numerous R&D achievements in the field of fermentation.

They include the development of streptomycin (antibiotic), L-glutamic acid (seasoning), L-lysine (feed additive), gibberellin (plant growth regulator), mitomycin C (anticancer agent) and a recombinant human granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) derivative (remedy for neutropenia).

Proceeding to the Next Generation as Leader in New Biotechnology.

There are growing expectations that new biotechnology will become a primary means of solving a host of problems -including health, food, energy, and environmental problems- in areas that represent the foundations of people's daily lives. Kyowa Hakko Bio believes the key to sustaining its growth in the future will be to combine new biotechnologies with chemical synthesis technologies to develop internationally competitive new products.

At present, more than 150 staff -about one-fifth of the Company's employees- are engaged in R&D activities.
Through the close cooperation and mutual interaction of 3 research laboratories of Group Companies, Kyowa Hakko Bio is progressing with innovative R&D in such areas as fine chemical products, health care products, agrochemicals, animal health products, and aquacultural products. The Company is also engaged in research in overseas countries, where it is focusing on the application of amino acids. In addition, Kyowa Hakko Bio participates in numerous joint projects with national and university research institutes as well as with other companies.

Maintaining Harmony with Nature for Better Tomorrow

Kyowa Hakko Bio gives serious considerations to the future of human beings and the earth.
Technologies developed in the 20th century have supported rapid rise in people's standard of living. In spite of these technological advances, many problems still remain to be resolved in future, including environment- and resource-related problems. Therefore, the technologies of the 21st century must be able to overcome these problems to preserve the abundant natural environment that is crucial for the continued existence of human beings.
Kyowa Hakko believes that the technologies of the 21st century will enable an ideal harmony between human beings and nature and will provide mankind with new types of abundance.

Being Aware of the Importance to Contribute to Society

In its R&D activities, Kyowa Hakko Bio emphasizes to establish an environment that fosters conceptual freedom and originality among its research staff. Such environment will yield significant R&D results that can be applied in a wide range of areas to meet the needs of society. The Company believes that this is the way in which it should follow.Since its foundation, Kyowa Hakko Bio has worked closely with small living things, or microorganisms. Grown internationally as a biotechnology company, Kyowa Hakko Bio intends to maintain its basic stance of "First, conceive from life."Kyowa Hakko Bio believes in the tremendous potential of biotechnology and focuses its research on various themes in fields directly related to people's lives, including health (medical care), food, energy, and the environment.