Asahi Kasei Corporation

A prototype li-ion battery was developed by Akira Yoshino in 1985.

Then a commercial li-ion battery was developed by a Sony and Asahi Kasei team in 1991.

Since then, there haven't really been any breakthroughs in rechargeable batteries.

However, because lithium is finite and not renewable, we will need to find different methods of making these batteries that almost all our electronic devices rely on.

GSK's strategic investment highlights a broader industry trend towards enhancing biomanufacturing infrastructure to meet future therapeutic needs.

Switching gears, Asahi Kasei's pretelnavir, known commercially as Hovielpre, has received FDA approval for treating drug-resistant herpes simplex virus lesions in immunocompromised patients.

Pretelnavir stands out as a helicase primase inhibitor, offering a novel mechanism by targeting the viral replication process differently from traditional therapies.

This approval marks a significant step forward in addressing unmet medical needs in vulnerable patient populations at higher risk of severe viral infections.

Today, we delve into a series of compelling stories that highlight the dynamic nature of the industry, marked by strategic acquisitions, groundbreaking research, and significant regulatory milestones.

Starting with Asahi Kasei's acquisition of Bayer spin-out iCuris for a substantial nine hundred twenty million dollars, this investment has culminated in the FDA approval of a novel herpes treatment for immunocompromised patients.

This development underscores the growing importance of mergers and acquisitions as a pathway to access innovative therapies and addresses critical unmet medical needs.

The approval is a testament to the strategic value of such acquisitions, enabling companies to enhance their therapeutic portfolios and contribute to the advancement of patient care.

The label covers immunocompromised adults.

Acuris developed Hovilpre and is now part of Asahi Kasei, whose U.S. commercial presence was built around kidney transplantation.

That's a natural starting point in transplant care.

Approval came today, but Hovilpre isn't available yet.

It said October 5 that personal information of about 10.78 million registered members was leaked following a cyberattack on its app.

Pharmaceutical company Asahi Kasei Therapeutics Corporation, a subsidiary of chemical giant Asahi Kasei Corporation, said October 6 that personal information of about 510,000 individuals working in the medical field, including their names, the medical institutions they belong to and their positions, may have been leaked.

In some cases, the intent of the attacks has clearly been malicious.

At GMO Research & AI Inc., an online survey company under GMO Internet Group Inc., up to 950,000 pieces of personal information were leaked, and members' reward points were confirmed to have been exchanged fraudulently.