The Genetic engineering research business started in 1979, when we began sales of the first domestically produced restriction enzymes. Since then, we have expanded the business by bringing new genetic engineering technologies to other Asian countries and reinforcing sales in Europe and the United States.
Research reagents
Real-time PCR system
Clontech fluorescent proteins
Research Reagents and Scientific Instruments
R&D in biotechnology at public institutions, such as national universities, and at private enterprises, such as pharmaceutical companies, is proceeding in a variety of areas, including the functional analysis of genes and the unraveling of biological phenomena and the mechanisms of disease at the molecular level in living organisms. The role of our Genetic engineering research segment is to support these research activities.
The general flow of biotechnology research starts with the extraction and amplification of genes from biological samples, proceeds to the sequencing and functional analysis of those genes and then moves on to the expression (generation) of the proteins and then functional analysis in cells. As there is only a small amount of genetic material in a living organism, it is necessary to extract and amplify the genes. The PCR (polymerase chain reaction) method is a widely used method of gene amplification. In 1988, Takara Bio became the first company in Japan to introduce a U.S. company’s gene amplification system that uses the PCR method, and in 1993 we obtained a license for the PCR method and began producing and marketing PCR reagents. We continue to develop products that meet market needs, such as PCR enzymes that provide high fidelity along with superior elongation and reliability as well as reverse transcriptases that provide superior elongation for cloning and gene expression analysis.
Furthermore, in 2000 we developed our own technology for gene amplification, the ICAN (Isothermal and Chimeric primer-initiated Amplification of Nucleic acids) method. While the PCR method requires cyclical changes in reaction temperature, the ICAN method is a highly efficient isothermal gene-amplification method in which genes can be amplified at a constant temperature. The ICAN method makes it possible to amplify genes in a short amount of time without the need for complex equipment, and therefore makes it possible to detect genes of bacterial pathogens easily at medical sites or in the field.
In September 2005, we acquired Clontech, a U.S. company. Takara Bio is strong in the field of genetic engineering, including enzymes for genetic engineering and PCR-related technologies, while Clontech is strong in the field of molecular biology, including systems for the functional analysis of genes using fluorescent proteins. Adding Clontech products to our existing products has greatly expanded and enhanced our lineup of research reagents. By introducing and selling products from other European and U.S. manufacturers, we aim to broaden our business domain to cover all areas of biotechnology, thereby building a solid position in the biotechnology research support industry.
We aim to expand our sales in the future by focusing our efforts on developing new products and new services in the field of genetic engineering, including real-time PCR technology.a market that is expected to grow.and in the field of cellular engineering, including induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells).
Dragon Genomics Center
Contract Research Services
Takara Bio operates a contract research services business in which it conducts analysis and performs research for academia and companies on a contracted basis. We began providing genome analysis services in 1994, and since opening Asia’s largest genome analysis center in 2000, we have received several major genome analysis contracts. The Dragon Genomics Center.the core of our contract research services business.is offering comprehensive research services, handling not only genome sequencing analysis but also high-speed sequence analysis using next-generation technology, gene expression analysis using DNA chips, small RNA analysis and protein expression.
Takara Biotechnology (Dalian) Co., Ltd.
Overseas Operations
In 1993, we established Takara Biotechnology (Dalian) Co., Ltd., in China as a manufacturing base for research reagents. Manufacturing research reagents in China is a source of competitive strength. We have continued to expand globally, establishing Takara Bio Europe S.A.S. in France and Takara Korea Biomedical Inc. in Korea as sales bases for research reagents in 1995.
Acquiring Clontech in 2005 expanded and enhanced our product lineup and lifted overseas sales to 41.8% of total Group sales. We are also working to become even more cost-competitive and boost earnings by having Clontech’s products that were made in the United States produced at Takara Biotechnology (Dalian) instead and by creating a global distribution framework.
Takara Bio is aiming to increase sales overseas, especially in European and U.S. markets, as it works to build a solid position in the global market.
