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Konica Minolta, Inc. (Konica Minolta) today announces agreement with the University of Tokyo (UTokyo) and the National Cancer Center Japan (NCC) to research and develop the next generation Todai OncoPanel (TOP), a world-leading oncogenic panel test. This research collaboration enables Konica Minolta, which has primarily been expanding its gene diagnosis business in the United States, to fully enter into the field to advance the cancer genome medical system in Japan.
The research collaboration combines the knowledge of Ambry Genetics Corporation (AG), a Konica Minolta company, and its global gene diagnostic technology, with the TOP technology, to reinforce the informatics foundation technology of the TOP and develop a breakthrough, next-generation, comprehensive gene panel test with advanced functionality. The TOP has a large number of targets of oncogenic somatic gene mutations in the DNA panel and fusion gene detection analysis in the RNA panel. AG is the world leader in germ cell mutation detection technology and was among the first to commercialise RNA testing to assess germline mutations.
Professor Hiroyuki Aburatani, from the UTokyo Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, will serve as the head of research and development, along with Professor, Hiroyuki Mano, current Head of Cell Informatics, NCC, who will participate in this research to further develop the RNA analysis function. The Todai OncoPanel was primarily developed by Professor Aburatani and Professor Mano.
Konica Minolta will advance quality control of medical examinations and development of highly accurate pairing examination methods[1]. In addition, Konica Minolta aims to provide a complete domestic gene analysis service by setting up a commercial laboratory in Japan in order to carry out the panel test developed through this joint research and development. This laboratory will enable the panel developed through this research to be implemented in Japan; provide clinicians in Japan a complete gene analysis service; and will expand the cancer genome information repository[2] from the Center for Cancer Genomics and Advanced Therapeutics (C-CAT) in Japan.
Through this exciting new collaboration, Konica Minolta, UTokyo and NCC will contribute to the elucidation of heritable mutations unique to the Japanese population; the development of innovative cancer treatment and diagnostic methods; the creation of new drugs; the improvement of quality of life (QOL) for patients; and will contribute to the need to limit increases in medical expenses.
Konica Minolta: Precision Medicine
Konica Minolta globally enhances development of new services to realise Precision Medicine by leveraging the group's state-of-the-art “visualisation technology”. Precision medicine focuses on determining the composition of an individual at the molecular level – genes and proteins – and precisely stratifiing them. Through this analysis, precision medicine offers treatment policies based on a precise early diagnosis. Ultimately precision medicine offers the prospect of delivering personalised medication and treatment which can reduce the burden on patients' bodies and reduce medical expenses.
As headquarters of Konica Minolta’s precision medicine business, Konica Minolta Precision Medicine, Inc. (KMPM), based in Aliso Viejo, CA, was founded in 2018 on the belief that groundbreaking medical breakthroughs are possible by concentrating efforts on the health expression map, the undiscovered territory between an individual’s genetics and biological impacts, and quantifiably measuring health over time. KMPM includes Ambry Genetics Corporation and Invicro LLC and its health intelligence and visualisation platform that brings together the most novel and diverse set of data from genes, proteins, cells and tissues with sophisticated analytics and world-leading scientific and medical expertise, enabling more prescriptive, proactive and preventive care.
For further information, visit: KonicaMinoltaPrecisionMedicine.com
Todai OncoPanel
The Todai OncoPanel (TOP)[3], which consists of DNA and RNA hybridisation capture-based next-generation sequencing panels, was established in October 2018 in response to the need for an optimal platform for cancer sequencing as tumor molecular profiling is becoming a standard of care for patients with cancer. A novel method for target enrichment, named the junction capture method, was developed for the RNA panel to accurately and cost-effectively detect 677 fusion genes as well as aberrantly spliced transcripts. The TOP RNA panel can also measure the expression profiles of an additional 125 genes. The TOP DNA panel was developed to detect single nucleotide variants and insertions/deletions for 478 genes, to calculate tumor mutation burden and microsatellite instability status, and to infer chromosomal copy number.
[1] Paring Examination: Examination method in cancer gene panel inspection, for not only genes in cancer tissue but also genes in normal cells such as blood cells are sequence analysis simultaneously. Refinement of detection of gene mutations specific to cancer tissue, and identification and evaluation of mutations that cause hereditary tumors become possible.
[2] Cancer genome information repository: Database of cancer genome information owned and managed by C-CAT. By receiving and storing clinical information at the same time, it is expected to become a system for securing and managing the quality of cancer genomic medicine. Also, a function that enables research and development of new medical care using stored data is to be developed.
[3] Todai is the Japanese abbreviation for The University of Tokyo
About Konica Minolta, Inc.
Konica Minolta, Inc. is a global technology company that provides innovative solutions to businesses and society. With its strengths in the combination of its core technologies in advanced imaging, optics, sensing, materials and nano-processing, Konica Minolta is committed to creating new values supporting customers to address challenges in their operations and work processes. Advancing its expertise in digital technologies, the company has been going through business transformation into a digital company, with insights into implicit challenges across the board as ‘One Konica Minolta’ in the era of Internet of the Things (IoT). Konica Minolta is also active in open innovation through various collaborations and alliances with academic, industrial and entrepreneurial partners.Headquartered in Tokyo, Konica Minolta has its Group companies in 50 countries with over 44,300 employees and offers products and services in 150 countries around the world.
About Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe
Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe GmbH, based in Langenhagen, Germany, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Konica Minolta Inc., Tokyo, Japan. With its unique expertise in imaging, data processing and data-based decision making, Konica Minolta creates relevant solutions for its customers - small and medium-sized businesses, large enterprises and public sector - and solves issues faced by society.
As a digital workplace solution provider, Konica Minolta helps its clients to identify and unlock the potential digitalisation holds and reach the next level in the digital maturity of their organisation by rethinking the workplace. In support of an ‘Intelligent connected workplace’, Konica Minolta offers cloud, IT, managed print and video solution services for remote working, collaboration, workflow management and automation and security. The company’s success in driving transformation is also confirmed by IDC, since the ‘IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Print Transformation 2023 Vendor Assessment’ has named Konica Minolta a “Leader” in print transformation. Konica Minolta has been a Microsoft Global Managed Partner since 2021.
Konica Minolta's Igniting Print Possibilities offering helps printers, converters and brand owners maximise workflow automation to increase efficiency. The company delivers consultancy in all communication matters as well as top-of-the-line production, packaging as well as label printers. Its finishing devices create print products that stand out and create added value. Konica Minolta has established itself as the production printing market leader for more than a decade in Europe (InfoSource).
For an increasing number of organisations, success today is more than the narrow definition of financial prosperity – it also includes protecting the environment and having a positive impact on their workforce as well as the societies they are embedded in. With its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Konica Minolta has pledged to consistently pursue its sustainability and social responsibility goals.
The company has been repeatedly recognised for its rich history of social contribution as well as for working towards achieving the SDGs throughout its business and supply chain. Konica Minolta received a GOLD Level Recognition Medal in the EcoVadis sustainability ratings for 2024.
For its remote services, Konica Minolta was awarded the prestigious ‘Buyers Lab (BLI) 2023-2024 Pacesetter Award in Remote Service for the Western European market’ from Keypoint Intelligence.
Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe is represented by subsidiaries and distributors in more than 80 countries in Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa. With more than 8,800 employees (as of April 2024), Konica Minolta Europe earned net sales of over EUR 2.13 billion in financial year 2023/2024.
Worldwide, the company has over 40,000 employees and is operating in over 150 countries.
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