Nippon Shokubai Announces Shares Acquisition of Lilac pharma (to Make It a Subsidiary)
- Management and Business
NIPPON SHOKUBAI CO., LTD. (Headquarter:Chuo-ku Osaka, President: Kazuhiro Noda, hereinafter “Nippon Shokubai”), has announced to acquire all shares of Lilac pharma Inc. (Headquarter: Kita-ku Sapporo-city Hokkaido, President: Motoki Susa, hereinafter “Lilac pharma”), to make Lilac pharma a 100% subsidiary on December 9, 2024.
In cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, lipid nanoparticles like liposomes*1 have been drawing increasing attention as an innovative material from the point of contributing to the stability and permeability of the contained active ingredients.
Lilac pharma which is a Hokkaido University-initiated startup, is developing its business based on lipid nanoparticle manufacturing technology focusing on the size of lipid nanoparticles. Their own “iLiNP®️ Microfluidic Device”*2 is different from conventional method, can continuously produce high-quality lipid nanoparticles of uniform size easily. Furthermore, since the size can be controlled widely, iLiNP®️*2 is expected to be a technology for manufacturing highly functional lipid nanoparticles and is being provided for cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
Figure: Conventional method (Batch process) vs iLiNP®️ Micro Flow Device*2
In 2017, Nippon Shokubai established the Cosmetics Business Division (at that time, the Cosmetics Business Planning Office) to promote the development of cosmetic ingredients utilizing its products and technologies, and to acquire ingredients and formulation technologies through business collaboration. Currently, Nippon Shokubai has a lineup of more than 15 cosmetic ingredients.
Also the Health & Medical business Division has established synthesis and analysis technologies for middle-molecular APIs, and is developing CDMO business for oligonucleotides and peptides.
Nippon Shokubai and Lilac pharma have successfully developed liposomes*1 for cosmetics with characteristics such as extremely high stability through joint research since 2019.
By making Lilac pharma a 100% subsidiary, Nippon Shokubai will accelerate the development efficiency of liposomes*1 and the establishment of a stable supply system, and aim to further expand its cosmetics and nanoparticle business for pharmaceuticals by utilizing the expertise in various fields.
*1: A liposome is a 20 – 200 nm spherical vesicle having at least one lipid bilayer. The liposomes can improve stability and permeability into human skin by internally sealing unstable materials.
*2: iLiNP®️ Microfluidic Device is the core technology of Lilac pharma which has obtained an exclusive patent license from Hokkaido University.
iLiNP®️ is a registered trademark of Lilac pharma
【Outline of Lilac pharma】
Name: Lilac pharma Inc.
Headquarter: Room #C, Hokkaido Collaboration Center (Collabo Hokkaido)
Kita 21, Nishi 12, Kita-Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0021,Japan
Representative: Motoki Susa
Business:
1. Research and development of pharmaceutical and cosmetic products.
2. Licensing and trading intellectual properties.
3. Investigation and consultation pertaining to the research and development of pharmaceutical and cosmetic products.
Capital: 14.1 million yen
Established: April 18th, 2016
Web site: https://global.lilacpharma.com/
Nippon Shokubai Announces Shares Acquisition of Lilac pharma (to Make It a Subsidiary)