Contribution to People's Needs for Healthcare and Health

In addition to supporting companies related to life science and healthcare and investing in and nurturing promising venture firms in these fields, the SBI Group operates the Biotechnology, Healthcare & Medical Informatics Business. It is contributing to the improvement of people's health and beauty mainly through the development and sale of pharmaceuticals, health foods, and cosmetics using 5-Aminolevulinic Acid (5-ALA).

The SBI Group focuses on 5-Aminolevulinic Acid (5-ALA), which is a type of amino acid generally produced by many different living creatures on our planet, including both plants and animals. Inside a living being, 5-ALA transforms into protoporphyrin IX through chemical reactions and plays important functions for vital activities. For example, heme, which is a component of the red pigment (hemoglobin) in the blood, is a combination of protoporphyrin IX and iron ion. Heme plays a role in the delivery of oxygen from the lungs throughout the entire body. In addition, 5-ALA plays a central role in the production of energy from food and oxygen in mitochondria, the energy factory of the cell. Without 5-ALA, we would not be able to gain energy or even move.

In addition, Protoporphyrin IX often accumulates in cancer cells. It is known to glow cancer cells with fluorescent reaction and is also known to destroy cancer cells by producing active oxygen, when irradiated with laser light of a specific wavelength. An intraoperative diagnostic agent used to assist surgeries applying these properties of 5-ALA has already been launched into the market. A photodynamic therapy applying these properties is also being developed. In this way, while being a natural substance, 5-ALA fulfills an array of functions depending on the amount of 5-ALA and the substances it is combined with. Since 5-ALA has the potential to fulfill diverse medical and healthcare needs, the SBI Group has commercialized it with high hopes.

SBI Pharmaceuticals studies, develops, manufactures, and sells pharmaceutical products using 5-ALA, including orally administered diagnostic agents for cancers. The company's activities also include the development of medical equipment, health foods, cosmetics, and animal feed using 5-ALA. SBI ALApromo sells foods with functional claims, supplements, cosmetics, and other products containing 5-ALA, with focus on the fact that the body's ability to produce 5-ALA declines with age.

*More information about 5-ALA is available on the following webpages.
About 5-ALA - SBI Pharma
What is 5-ALA? - SBI ALApromo (Japanese only)

Japan's current health insurance system was established in 1961 as a universal health insurance system, which provides all people with equal access to healthcare services. This system has been praised globally. However, changing social conditions such as the shortage of healthcare resources due to the declining birthrate and the aging of the population and the popularization of advanced medical technologies have led society to demand new services which enable individuals to receive healthcare services in greater comfort and with peace of mind to maintain good health into the future.

In response to these circumstances, the SBI Group has launched the Health Savings Account (bank account service for healthcare） as a service complementing the current health insurance system. The Health Savings Account is a package of features including a dedicated savings account for depositing money to prepare for future medical needs, a service providing advanced payment for the medical expenses on behalf of the account holder, and a dedicated health insurance. This service helps customers prepare financially for their future medical needs. As the first project in this business, SBI Insurance, Ogaki Kyoritsu Bank, Ltd. and Japan Medical Business Corporation began to offer this service in November 2021.
Moving forward, the SBI Group will try to expand the Health Savings Account to multiple prefectures, so that it will be the new standard to follow when engaging with health and healthcare.