Yamaha Motor Establishes New Company in the Medical and Healthcare Field Specializing in Antibodies

- Operating in the U.S. and Japan aiming to strengthen new business fields -

IWATA, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (Tokyo: 7272) announced today that the Company has established Tuning Fork Bio Inc. in Delaware, USA (CEO: Yuichi HIKICHI), which will analyze the antibodies in blood to better visualize people’s health conditions through its antibody profiling business. The main target markets for this new company are the U.S. and Japan. Using Tuning Fork Bio’s antibody analysis technology and expertise, antibodies--a type of protein--that manifest for specific diseases are selected and compared with a patient’s own antibodies in order to analyze their current health condition, i.e., antibody profiling. This information will bring benefits to health checkups conducted by medical institutions, help in selecting the best drugs for patients, and aid in new drug research by pharmaceutical companies.

Tuning Fork Bio will launch its business in collaboration with the Translational Research Center (hereinafter, “TR Center”) at Fukushima Medical University. The TR Center has developed protein microarrays utilizing technology that transfers proteins onto glass slides at high densities (more than 10,000 types). By measuring the binding state of proteins (antigens) on the microarray with the antibodies in the blood, it is possible to comprehensively search for the antibodies an individual has in their body. Exceeding 20,000 types in total, the number of protein samples the TR Center has prepared is among the highest in the world (according to Yamaha Motor research), and includes not only human proteins but also proteins from viruses and bacteria.

Tuning Fork Bio analyzes protein microarray data using proprietary bioinformatics technology to select antibodies suitable for use as indicators, i.e., biomarkers, for assessing health conditions, diagnoses, etc., and constructs systems applicable for performing diagnoses.

By comparing an individual’s antibodies with data when sick and data when healthy, we can make health risks easier to perceive. Tuning Fork Bio aims to offer diagnostic services aiding more positive life planning for people by helping prevent the onset of sickness and facilitating the selection of medications that best fit each individual’s conditions.

https://youtu.be/062D8kpAP0M