Wakunaga Pharmaceutical’s Research Setup
Wakunaga Pharmaceutical conducts research in the three areas: prevention, diagnosis, and therapeutics
Our Healthcare R&D team works in prevention , the Reagents and Diagnostic Business team works indiagnostics, the Drug Discovery Research Laboratory works in thetherapeutics, while Central Research Laboratory is responsible for basic research.
Healthcare R&D Department
Since our founding, we at Wakunaga Pharmaceutical has continued to explore the possibilities of natural materials and created numerous products. Among them, the Leopin series, which contains aged garlic extract, isthe No. 1 nourishing and tonic brand* that supports maintenance of health. The Healthcare R&D Department is responsible for research and development of the Leopin series and other healthcare products that can be found in pharmacies and drug stores.
*Fuji Keizai 2022
Central Research Laboratory
Amidst our long and full history in research on natural materials, our research on garlic is highly regarded worldwide. The Central Research Laboratory focuses on garlic research and continues to conduct joint research with other research institutes in Japan and overseas. Research on aged garlic extract and its constituents has been published in more than 900 papers and academic conferences both domestically and internationally.
Furthermore, in order to develop new drugs based on new mechanisms and establish drug discovery technologies, our Central Research Laboratory conducts fundamental drug discovery research that pursues new possibilities at the genetic, protein, and molecular levels, leading to breakthroughs in innovative drugs at our Drug Discovery Research Laboratory.
Drug Discovery Research Laboratory
At the Drug Discovery Research Laboratory, we are promoting research and development in a research business venture style in which we create our own new drug candidate compounds and entrust full-scale development work from preclinical testing to parties that license technology.
In 2018, the new quinolone antimicrobial agent “Baxdela”, discovered by our company and was licensed to Melinta Therapeutics (USA) to produce, received manufacturing and marketingapproval in the USA and was sold. In addition, we also developed a new cephem antibacterial agent “Ceftolozane”, which is the main component of ZERBAXA, a compound antibiotic preparation that is effective against cystitis and urinary tract infections.
Reagents & Diagnostics Business Department
Wakunaga Pharmaceuticalbegan to work in biotechnology in the 1970s. In 1981, we achieved the world’s first production of secretin through genetic engineering and mass production of EGF (epidermal growth factor) using microorganisms. In the 1990s, we developed and commercialized research reagents and diagnostic reagents (in vitro diagnostic reagents) using genetic analysis technology and monoclonal antibody technology as our core tools. Our HLA typing reagents are used in medical settings and pharmaceutical research.
Latest Research Achievements
- 創薬 2025.05
- Ueshima T, Yamaguchi T, Takahashi M, Samuki T et al. (R)-WAC-224, a new anticancer quinolone, combined with venetoclax and azacitidine overcomes venetoclax-resistant AML through MCL-1 downregulation. Scientific Reports. 2025 15:16018
- 9. その他ヘルスケア 2025.04
- Nango H, Ohtani M et al. Effects of aged garlic extract on experimental periodontitis in mice. Biomed Rep. 2025 Apr 11;22(6):97.
- 9. その他ヘルスケア 2025.03
- Nakamoto M,Kunimura K, Ohtani M. Pharmacokinetics of sulfur-containing compounds in aged garlic extract: S-Allylcysteine, S-1-propenylcysteine, S-methylcysteine, S-allylmercaptocysteine, and others (Review). Exp Ther Med. 2025 Mar 26;29(5):102.
- 9. その他ヘルスケア 2025.03
- Miki S, Takahashi M, Suzuki J. Anti-atherosclerotic effect of aged garlic extract: Its mode of action and therapeutic benefits (Review). Exp Ther Med. 2025 Mar 26;29(5):104.
