NEWS

August 29, 2023

PHC Corporation
2-38-5 Nishishimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8433, Japan

JCR Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.
3-19 Kasuga-cho, Ashiya, Hyogo 659-0021, Japan
(TSE 4552)

Tokyo and Hyogo, August 29, 2023 - The In Vitro Diagnostics Division of PHC Corporation (headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President, Representative Director: Nobuaki Nakamura, hereafter PHC IVD) and JCR Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (headquarters: Ashiya, Hyogo, Chairman and President: Shin Ashida, hereafter JCR) announce the launch of GROWJECTOR^® Duo^*1, a new product in the GROWJECTOR^® series of motorized digital Injectors. The GROWJECTOR^® Duo, jointly developed by the two companies, expands treatment options available to pediatric patients undergoing growth hormone therapy and supports long-term treatment. This product will be marketed in Japan on September 1 only by JCR.

GROWJECTOR^® Duo, which is manufactured by PHC IVD, is a motorized digital injector used exclusively to administer subcutaneous injections of the recombinant human growth hormone GROWJECT^® 6mg and 12mg^*2 which is manufactured and marketed in the Japanese market only by JCR.

GROWJECTOR^® Duo expands the portfolio of the GROWJECTOR^® series by offering user-friendly features that build on the previous model. For instance, the previous model GROWJECTOR^® L^*3, is equipped with features suited for younger children, such as a customizable character and melodies to help ease patient anxiety. The new GROWJECTOR^® Duo is designed to be simpler and handled more easily like a pen device, making it better suited for older children. Automatic infusion and recording features are designed to reduce the strain of injections making it easier for pediatric patients, their guardians, and their caregivers to operate.

PHC IVD and JCR will continue to partner to seek development of healthcare solutions that respond to the challenges of patients receiving growth hormone therapy and help improve the quality of life for patients and the quality of healthcare available.

Hiroyuki Tokunaga, Board Member of PHC Corporation and Director of PHC IVD, said, “Since the first release of the GROWJECTOR^® series in 2006, PHC IVD has strived to develop products that meet patient and healthcare provider needs. Our products have received high evaluations from our customers for their precision technology and quality. We expect that by offering solutions tailored to patient needs, we will be able to help reduce the strain of medical treatment for patients and caregivers.”

Toru Ashida, Senior Vice President and Executive Director of the Sales Division at JCR, said, “We listen carefully to feedback on our products, and pursue research and development to answer the needs of patients injecting the human growth hormone GROWJECT^®. The new GROWJECTOR^® Duo, with easier-to-use features, is designed to simplify growth hormone treatment. Together with the GROWJECTOR^® L, we will continue to meet the needs of at-home self-injection treatment by providing more value and improving information sharing between patients, parents, and caregivers.”

*1 Japanese Medical Device Nomenclature: Reusable medication/vaccine injector, Marketing certificate number: 305AABZX00019000
*2 Approved indications of GROWJECT^® subcutaneous injection 6mg/GROWJECT^® 12 mg
 - Growth Hormone Deficiency Short Stature Disorder without Epiphyseal Closure
 - Short Stature in Turner Syndrome without Epiphyseal Closure
 - Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency (limited to severe cases)
 - Short Stature Disorder due to Small-for-Gestational Age (SGA) without Epiphyseal Closure
 - Short Stature Disorder due to SHOX Abnormality without Epiphyseal Closure
    For more information on the diseases, please visit to JCR Pharma’s “Growth Hormone Treatment Information” website: jcrgh.com/index.html
*3 Japanese Medical Device Nomenclature: Reusable medication/vaccine injector, Marketing certificate number: 228AABZX00109000

* GROWJECT, GROWJECTOR, and Melon Nikki are registered trademarks or trademarks owned by JCR Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.
* The Bluetooth^® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc., and any use of such marks by PHC Corporation is under license.

About In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) Division, PHC Corporation

Established in 1969, PHC Corporation is a Japanese subsidiary of PHC Holdings Corporation (TSE 6523), a global healthcare company that develops, manufactures, sells and services solutions across diabetes management, healthcare solutions, life sciences and diagnostics. With the mission to contribute to the health of society through healthcare solutions that have a positive impact and improve the lives of people, its IVD Division has worked to improve medical services for patients by contributing to early diagnosis and effective medical care for diseases such as diabetes and asthma through development, manufacturing, and distribution of testing and analyzing devices including blood glucose monitoring systems.
www.phchd.com/global/ivd

About JCR Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd

JCR is a specialty pharma company engaged in research, development, manufacturing, and marketing of biopharmaceuticals and regenerative medicine with a focus on rare diseases. Its philosophy, “Contributing towards people’s healthcare through pharmaceutical products” drives JCR to create innovative pharmaceutical products as value-added treatment options for the under-served patient populations.
www.jcrpharm.co.jp/en/site/en/index.html

For enquiries:

[For product enquiries]
In Vitro Diagnostics Division of PHC Corporation
Phone: +81-70-1449-9486 / +81-70-1226-3325
E-mail：ivd-communications@gg.phchd.com

[For IR and media enquiries]
Investor Relations & Corporate Communications Department
PHC Holdings Corporation
Phone: +81-3-6778-5311
E-mail：phc_pr@gg.phchd.com

IR/PR Office, Administration Division, JCR Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.
Phone: +81-797-32-1995
Email: ir-info@jp.jcrpharm.com