The IVD Division contributes to the advancement of
medical care by providing high-precision medical
equipment and diagnostic reagents.
Hiroyuki Tokunaga
Director and Member of Board,
Director of In Vitro Diagnostics Division, PHC Corporation
Message
The IVD Division of PHC Corporation developed Japanʼs first clinical diagnostic reagents in 1962 and the industryʼs first electrochemical blood glucose monitoring (BGM) system in 1991.
Currently, we offer various products such as BGM systems, Point Of Care Testing (POCT) devices, biochemical analyzers, diagnostic reagents, and motorized drug injection devices.
Based on the mission of PHC Group, we have defined the mission of our division as “We contribute to the advancement of medical care as one of the leading global healthcare companies by providing high-precision, highly reliable, high-value-added medical equipment and diagnostic reagents.”
We will accelerate further growth of our IVD business centered on POCT.
Main Customers
- Hospitals/clinics
- Medical device manufacturers
- Pharmaceutical companies
Overview
The IVD Division was formerly the healthcare business of Matsushita Kotobuki Electronics, established in 1969.
Since launching the industryʼs first electrochemical BGM system in 1991, we have developed and manufactured a variety of healthcare products including motorized drug injection devices and POCT devices. Leveraging our strength in manufacturing excellence, we provide a variety of medical devices that support the early detection and effective treatment of disease.
Through a business restructuring within PHC Group, the IVD Division was integrated with the Diagnostic Reagents and Instrument Division of LSI Medience Corporation on November 1, 2023.
We will continue to maximize our manufacturing capabilities to promote further improvement of the quality and cost of our products while addressing the unmet needs of our customers in the development of diagnostic equipment and reagents.
Strengths
- Product design that reflects market needs
We carefully consider how to improve products and reflect the results in the product design. Through the study on how we can support accurate diagnosis and treatment and contribute to maximal efficacy, we offer high value-added products unique to our company.
- Efficient product development process
We seek to improve the efficiency of the product development process by adopting two concepts: concurrent engineering, in which multiple processes proceed simultaneously, and front-loading, in which items and processes normally evaluated at a later stage are brought forward as far as possible, so that any issues can be identified and addressed early.
- Our Japanese heritage of manufacturing excellence
Our manufacturing expertise and culture of continuous improvements, which have continued since the days of Matsushita Kotobuki Electronics, are the foundation of our high-quality, high-precision manufacturing technology. For instance, the disk rotation technology we developed when the company designed and manufactured optical disk drivers is now applied to centrifugation and measurement technology for specimens in our healthcare products.
What’s new
In November 2023, the Diagnostic Reagents & Instruments Business of LSI Medience was integrated with PHC IVD through an absorption-type split. By combining the culture of manufacturing of BGM systems and other products, which is one of the strengths of the Diagnostics Division, with new technologies, knowledge, and know-how in the development and manufacture of in vitro diagnostics and medical devices, we have been able to provide high-performance, high-quality products to a wide range of customers both in Japan and internationally. In addition, we will further accelerate the development and manufacture of products to meet customers' unmet needs by creating synergy across PHC Group companies, through enhancing diagnostic reagents manufacturing plants, research facilities, and sales offices and promoting collaboration and talent exchanges. The IVD Division will continue to contribute to advancing healthcare by providing medicines and devices that support early detection and effective treatment of diseases. (As of Nov. 2023)
At the kick-off meeting of the new diagnostic reagents division
Employee Voice
Synergies and innovations emerge from the space where separate businesses coexist.
The Hokkaido office where I work is home to seven people from the Sapporo sales office of the Diagnostic Reagent Division and three people from the Hokkaido sales office of the Biomedical Division. The office has an open atmosphere, with shared desks, creating an interaction across divisions and opportunities to exchange information.
The product lineup and information network of the IVD Division specialize in clinical testing, and the Biomedical Division has a wide range of customers and information networks.
I feel that the synergy and innovation created through the interaction of businesses and employees, who otherwise may have had no opportunity to interact with each other, allowed us to accelerate our mutual strengths and allow personal growth. We will continue to share various information and strive to create new role models and business value together as “One PHC.”
IVD Division,
Domestic Sales Department,
East Japan Sales Department
Sapporo Sales Office ManagerNobuhiko Nishizawa
Main Products/Services
We develop diabetes care products centered on BGM systems, continuous glucose monitoring systems, reagents, equipment used for real-time testing in medical settings, and motorized drug injection devices.
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Compact Immunoassay Analyzer
(PATHFAST)
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Automatic Blood Coagulation Analyzing System
（CN10）
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Reagents for General-Purpose Automated Analyzers
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Blood Glucose Monitoring (BGM) Systems
Supplied to: ARKRAY Co., Ltd.
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BGM Systems for Hospitals/Clinics
Supplied to: SANWA KAGAKU KENKYUSHO CO., LTD.
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Blood Sampling Device/Dedicated Blood Sampling Needle
Supplied to: Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho Co., Ltd.
-
POC Biochemical Analyzer
(measures HbA1c, lipids and CRP)
Supplied to: Roche Diagnostics
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Motorized Drug Injection Devices
Supplied to: JCR Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.
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Exhaled Nitric Oxide Measuring Devices*
Supplied to: NIOX Group PLC
- *“Exhaled nitric oxide measuring device” has been approved by the U.S. FDA
PHC IVD（IVD Division）
The IVD Division is focusing on the POCT market. POCT is expected to grow in the mid- to high-single digit range due to factors such as the increasing demand for comprehensive medical care (or primary care), which provides consultation services for all kinds of medical needs, and demand for faster testing and diagnosis. By region, high growth rates are expected particularly in the United States and other markets outside Japan.
Currently, our primary focus is on motorized drug delivery devices, mobile immunoanalyzers, and diagnostic reagents.
Motorized drug injection devices are designed to automatically administer the correct amount of drug, allow users to check the administration history, and support treatment at home. Since they are electronically operated, they can be used with high-viscosity formulations and have a wider range of applications than spring-type products.
The immunoanalyzer uses an all-in-one reagent cartridge, can examine multiple items in parallel, and has features such as a compact immunochemiluminescence system, contributing to rapid sample analyses in hospitals and clinics.
By combining the technology we have cultivated to date with the technologies of PHC and LSI Medience, the IVD Division strives to develop next-generation cardiac biomarker measurement devices as well as devices and reagents that meet unmet needs, and seeks to achieve significant growth in this field.