Yamaha Motor sets up new company to better analyse antibodies in blood
Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. has established Tuning Fork Bio Inc. in Delaware, USA, which will analyze the antibodies in blood to better visualize people’s health conditions through its antibody profiling business. The main target markets for this new company are the U.S. and Japan.
Using Tuning Fork Bio’s antibody analysis technology and expertise, antibodies that manifest for specific diseases are selected and compared with a patient’s own antibodies in order to analyze their current health condition, i.e., antibody profiling. This information will bring benefits to health check-ups conducted by medical institutions, help in selecting the best drugs for patients, and aid in new drug research by pharmaceutical companies.
Tuning Fork Bio will launch its business in collaboration with the Translational Research Center at Fukushima Medical University. The Translational Research Center has developed protein microarrays utilizing technology that transfers proteins onto glass slides at high densities (more than 10,000 types). By measuring the binding state of proteins (antigens) on the microarray with the antibodies in the blood, it is possible to comprehensively search for the antibodies an individual has in their body. Exceeding 20,000 types in total, the number of protein samples the Translational Research Center has prepared is among the highest in the world and includes not only human proteins but also proteins from viruses and bacteria.
Tuning Fork Bio analyzes protein microarray data using proprietary bioinformatics technology to select antibodies suitable for use as biomarkers for assessing health conditions, diagnoses, etc., and constructs systems applicable for performing diagnoses.
By comparing an individual’s antibodies with data when sick and data when healthy, health risks can be easier to perceive. Tuning Fork Bio aims to offer diagnostic services aiding more positive life planning for people by helping prevent the onset of sickness and facilitating the selection of medications that best fit each individual’s conditions.
