We are pleased to announce that Rege Nephro Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kyoto, Japan; Chief Executive Officer: Akifumi Morinaka) has been selected for the FY2025 Kyoto Prefecture “Industry-Academia-Government Forest” Promotion Program (Category III: Full-Scale Business Development Course).

Selected Theme: Development of regenerative medicine for liver cirrhosis using iPS cells
For details: https://www.ki21.jp/subsidy/kobo-r7-mori/

Rege Nephro is advancing multiple cell therapy pipelines, including therapies for chronic kidney disease using iPSC-derived nephron progenitor cells (iNPCs). Leveraging this expertise, we are utilizing iPSC-derived hepatocyte (iHLC) production technology, established by Professor Osafune’s laboratory at the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, to develop regenerative medicine products for the treatment of liver cirrhosis and aim to obtain manufacturing approval.

Liver cirrhosis is characterized by chronic inflammation and hepatocyte injury, leading to extensive fibrosis and impaired liver function. It represents the terminal stage of chronic liver disease. In Japan, the number of patients with liver cirrhosis exceeds 450,000, while worldwide it is estimated at approximately 120 million. In Japan, liver cirrhosis is estimated to cause over 17,000 deaths annually, and globally, over 1.4 million deaths per year. Moreover, Liver cirrhosis carries a high risk of progression to liver cancer, which accounts for approximately 7% (5th most common cause of cancer death) in men and 5% (7th most common) in women in Japan. Currently, no curative therapy has been established, underscoring the urgent medical and social need for innovative treatment options.

To address this unmet need, Rege Nephro will leverage iHLC production technology and, with the support of Kyoto Prefecture’s Industry-Academia-Government Forest Promotion Program, will accelerate the research, clinical translation, and social implementation of regenerative medicine products for patients with liver cirrhosis.

Media Inquiries:
Mariko Iwamura　
Rege Nephro Co., Ltd.
TEL: +81-75-744-6858
E-mail: info@regenephro.co.jp