A magic ingredient that activates mitochondria, the key to rejuvenation Accelerating the development of beauty and health supplements using "MitoRubin" Over 2,800% of the total number of fans achieved! The latest promising research

Mitogenic Corporation (Location: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Keito Taniwaka; hereinafter "the Company") has closed the project "I want to develop a supplement using the results of mitochondria research related to anti-aging care," which was launched on CAMPFIRE, one of Japan's largest crowdfunding sites, in April this year. The project, "We want to develop a supplement that utilizes the results of mitochondria research related to anti-aging care," was closed with an achievement rate of more than 2,800%. The Company is a bio-venture company originating from Gakushuin University. With this achievement, we will accelerate the development of beauty and health supplements that bring together the wisdom of mitochondrial research.

The company's new product, "MitoRubin," was introduced in the "Learning with Kazu Laser. Introduced "MitoRubin" on "Kazu Laser and Learn.

From "Learn with Kazu Laser," aired on April 23 (Tuesday) from 22:00 to 23:00 on Nippon Television Network Corporation (NTV) From NTV's "Kazu Laser and Learn.

NTV's information variety program "Kazu Laser to Manabu" (April 23, 2024) (aired on April 23, 2024), "Prevent spots and wrinkles from ultraviolet rays! MitoRubin, the magic ingredient that rejuvenates the face! Professor Shigeru Yanagi of Gakushuin University introduced "MitoRubin," an ingredient we are researching and developing, under the title "MitoRubin, the magic ingredient that rejuvenates the face!

The key to rejuvenation is the "mitochondria" in our cells. Professor Yanagi has found that when cells are exposed to ultraviolet rays, the mitochondrial enzyme MITOL, which is important for mitochondrial function, is reduced, resulting in decreased mitochondrial activity, which in turn causes skin wrinkles and other skin problems.

In the same program, Professor Yanagi announced that he was the first in the world to discover a magic ingredient that increases MITOL, which is necessary to activate mitochondria, and named it "MitoRubin.

Mitochondria and Mytrobin

Based on the latest research findings on mitochondria and mitrubin in the Shigeru Yanagi Laboratory at Gakushuin University, our company is a university-launched venture company that aims to develop supplements and pharmaceuticals based on this knowledge. In April this year, the company launched a crowdfunding campaign on CAMPFIRE (https://camp-fire.jp/projects/view/750506) for the development of supplements, and achieved a total support amount of over 28 million yen in two and a half months.

Crowdfunding Achievement Rate Exceeds 2,800

With this crowdfunding achievement, we will accelerate our research and development with the aim of selling not only the first product as a return product to our supporters, but also a higher quality mytrubin-containing supplement to the general public.

Below, we will introduce how mitochondria, which are currently the focus of much attention, are involved in aging and disease, and how the magic ingredient   MitoRubin activates mitochondria.

Mitochondria and Health

Mitochondria produce an energy storage substance called ATP in our cells. Mitochondria produce ATP, which supplies energy to our cells and allows them to operate. This allows the tissues and organs throughout the body to function normally and enables living organisms to survive.

Functions of Mitochondria

On the other hand, it is known that when mitochondria fail to function properly, toxic substances called ROS (reactive oxygen species) are released. Therefore, mitochondria have been found to be deeply related to aging and various diseases.

Breaking the vicious cycle of mitochondrial inactivation due to aging

It is believed that mitochondria become inactive (less active) with aging in various animals, including humans. At the same time, it is also known that various aging phenomena occur due to mitochondrial inactivation.

Vicious Cycle of Mitochondrial Inactivation due to Aging

As mentioned above, mitochondria produce ATP and supply energy to cells. When mitochondria become inactive, they are unable to supply energy to cells sufficiently. In addition, mitochondria with reduced activity release more ROS (reactive oxygen species) than normal, damaging both mitochondria and cells and causing a vicious cycle that leads to further cellular aging.

In addition to aging, there are many other factors that negatively affect mitochondria, such as stress and ultraviolet rays. For example, as introduced in "Learning with Kazu Laser. it is known that ultraviolet rays reduce mitochondrial activity, which in turn causes wrinkles in the skin.

The MITOL-Mitochondria Relationship and Aging

To avoid this vicious cycle, mitochondria must be activated. This is precisely why mitochondria are attracting attention as the "key to rejuvenation.

Similarly, in tissues and organs other than the skin, mitochondria are thought to become less active due to aging and stress. The reason why we feel "this didn't happen when I was young" in our daily lives may be due to the decline in mitochondrial activity.

In fact, through many domestic and international studies, reduced mitochondrial activity has been reported in a wide variety of diseases.

Diseases caused by mitochondrial degradation

Mitochondrial deactivation is believed to be one of the causes of many diseases that are difficult to treat and significantly impair our quality of life (QOL), such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, sarcopenia, infertility, heart failure, and cancer.

■MITOL, an enzyme that activates mitochondria and protects the body from disease

From here, we will get a little more technical. Professor Shigeru Yanagi of Gakushuin University, who also serves on our board of directors, has long studied the enzyme MITOL, which plays an important role in mitochondrial quality control.

Role of MITOL

MITOL is a four-fold transmembrane protein found in the outer mitochondrial membrane. In recent years, there has been a flurry of research on the relationship between MITOL and disease, and it has become clear that the removal or inactivation of MITOL from cells leads to a decrease in mitochondrial quality and the development or exacerbation of a variety of diseases.

MITOL deficiency exacerbates Alzheimer's disease.

For example, in Alzheimer's disease, MITOL levels have been found to be reduced in the late stages of disease onset, and in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease that lack MITOL, amyloid-β aggregation and toxicity is altered to a more pernicious degree. This indicates that mitochondrial dysfunction is part of the mechanism by which the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease is exacerbated, suggesting that drugs that activate mitochondrial function may prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease (Takeda et al. 2021 Communications Biology).

Exacerbation of Parkinson's disease by MITOL deficiency and wrinkle formation by MITOL deficiency

In a mouse model of Parkinson's disease, MITOL deficiency has been found to exacerbate the disease (Shiiba et al. 2021 EMBO Reports). In addition, skin-specific MITOL deficiency in mice has been shown to cause deepening of skin wrinkles and other signs of skin aging.

Myocardial Aging Caused by MITOL Deficiency

In the heart, MITOL deficiency has also been found to play a significant role in myocardial aging and the development of heart failure, as MITOL deficiency has been shown to fragment mitochondria and increase Drp1, which inhibits their activation. This has also been confirmed to alter the morphology of cardiac mitochondria and even cause a decrease in heart quality (Tokuyama et al. 2022 iScience).

As described above, MITOL plays a role in protecting our bodies from disease through mitochondrial quality control.

■To ensure that MitoRubin does not end up being a "magic ingredient

MitoRubin, on which we are focusing our research and development efforts, was discovered as a substance that increases MITOL and activates mitochondria, as described above, based on many years of mitochondrial research.

We believe that the discovery of mitochondrial activator MitoRubin has great potential for the daily care of aging, the extension of healthy life expectancy in a super-aging society, and even the treatment of intractable diseases. We will not stop at "magic ingredients" and will continue our research and development day and night in order to deliver MitoRubin to those who need it as soon as possible.

Donations can be made at any time by visiting our website at https://mitogenic.jp/. We hope you will consider supporting our research and development of supplements and medicines.

About Shigeru Yanagi Laboratory at Gakushuin University and Mitogenic Co.

The laboratory of Professor Shigeru Yanagi, Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, Gakushuin University (Toshima-ku, Tokyo; President: Hisao Endo), has established a venture company, Mitogenic Co. The company aims to implement the results of mitochondrial research into society, including the treatment of various aging-related diseases and drug discovery, thereby contributing to the improvement of healthy life expectancy and quality of life in the super-aging society that will continue to accelerate in the future.

(From Gakushuin University press release https://www.univ.gakushuin.ac.jp/about/press/29858.html)

<Background of Establishment

Mitochondria are important cell organelles that produce energy necessary for our survival. However, when mitochondria deteriorate due to aging or other causes, they release harmful ROS (reactive oxygen species), which are known to induce aging and various diseases related to aging. Currently, the development of therapeutic agents targeting mitochondria is being actively researched around the world. Professor Yanagi is one of Japan's leading mitochondrial researchers. Professor Yanagi and his research team have discovered an enzyme that maintains normal mitochondrial function (MITOL), and have shown that the age-related decrease in MITOL is one of the causes of dementia, heart disease, and other diseases. In this study, Professor Yanagi and his colleagues succeeded in identifying compounds that activate MITOL and found that these compounds are effective in the treatment of various diseases related to aging. In order to implement the results of this mitochondrial research in society, the Yanagi Laboratory established a venture company, Mitogenic Inc. Gakushuin University is implementing the "Gakushuin University Social Innovation Ecosystem Promotion Project" in its mid- to long-term plan "Gakushuin U.Grand Design 2039. Based on its outstanding research capabilities, the project promotes solutions to social issues through innovative methods developed in collaboration with various stakeholders inside and outside the university. Together with Campus Create Corporation, a TLO (technology transfer organization) that has concluded an industry-academia collaboration agreement with Gakushuin University, we have supported the establishment of venture companies by discovering research seeds within the university.

(From Gakushuin University press release https://www.univ.gakushuin.ac.jp/about/press/29858.html)

Company Profile

Representative: Keito Taniwaka

Establishment: April 12, 2023

Capital: 9.65 million yen

Business: Development of pharmaceuticals and supplements

URL ： https://mitogenic.jp/