Announcement of a lecture at the Tohoku University Forum 2026 “Hagi Evening (The Challenge of the First University for International Research Excellence)”

We are pleased to announce that our Chairman and CEO, Professor Toshio Miyata, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, gave a lecture at the Tohoku University Forum 2026 “Hagi Evening (The Challenge of the First University for International Research Excellence)” (hosted by Tohoku University), held on February 27, 2026, at Maru Building Hall (Marunouchi Building 7th and 8th floors). (Leaflet attached.)

Tohoku University has been recognized as the first Japanese university to be recognized as an “University for International Research Excellence ” under a national policy aimed at becoming one of the world’s most prestigious research universities. This forum was held to deepen understanding of the university’s future challenges and vision, as well as its research and social implementation efforts aimed at realizing a long-lived society, following this historic first step.

Lecture 1: Teiji Tominaga, President, Tohoku University
“The First International University of Excellence (UREX1): Our Current Status and Further Challenges”

Lecture 2: Toshio Miyata, Professor, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University
“Realizing Longevity Society: Development of the Senolytic Drug”

Lecture 3: Shuhei Nomura, Professor, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University
“Generating Evidence and Guiding Policy: Data-Based Global Health Practices and Prospects”

In his lecture titled “Realizing a Longevity Society from Tohoku: Development of A Longevity Medicine,” Professor Miyata expressed his desire to transform longevity medicine with Tohoku University’s cutting-edge science and technology. Aging is closely related to vital activities and has a significant impact on lifestyles and economic activities. It is well known that closing the approximately 10-year gap between average life expectancy and healthy life expectancy is a major medical challenge. Meanwhile, longevity medicine to date has focused primarily on diet, exercise therapy, supplements, and health foods. While longevity clinics have been established internationally, most target the wealthy. If our company’s PAI-1 inhibitor RS5614, an oral senolytic drug¹⁾, becomes commercially viable, it could significantly contribute to longevity medicine in terms of affordability, ease of administration (oral administration), and safety compared to expensive treatments such as stem cell therapy. Professor Miyata stated that Tohoku University, as an internationally recognized research university, is committed to providing anti-aging and longevity medicine to the general public, not just the wealthy. Currently, RS5614 is being developed as a treatment for cancers such as malignant melanoma, but we plan to work with Tohoku University to apply it to aging and longevity, which are indeed a major medical issue.

¹⁾Senolytic drug
Senolytic drug is a drug that suppresses aging-related diseases without promoting carcinogenesis. The word is a combination of senescence and lytics.