Adriakaim

Adriakaim Inc. is a medical device company established in November 2018 by Masatoshi Kobayashi, who serves as the Representative Director. The firm spun out of Olympus, a major medical equipment company, after it decided to withdraw from the cardiovascular field. The founding members, including Kobayashi who previously led R&D and innovation departments at Olympus, acquired the technology assets to continue the development of a treatment device for acute myocardial infarction, a project that had been supported by the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center (NCVC) for a decade.

The company is focused on developing a minimally invasive therapeutic device that utilizes vagus nerve stimulation to prevent the transition from acute myocardial infarction (AMI) to chronic heart failure. This condition is a significant issue, as approximately 30% of AMI patients develop severe chronic heart failure despite current treatments. Adriakaim's core technology, which originated from the NCVC, aims to suppress the expansion of the myocardial infarction area by applying weak electrical stimuli to the vagus nerve near the patient's heart. This method is designed to activate the body's natural healing capabilities by leveraging the parasympathetic nervous system, an approach not achievable with pharmaceuticals. The target market is patients with moderate-to-severe AMI, with the goal of improving their prognosis and extending healthy life expectancy.

The company's primary product under development is a vagus nerve stimulation device, code-named ARIS. By activating the vagus nerve, the device aims to reduce the severity of heart failure following a heart attack. The business model centers on the research, development, manufacturing, and sale of this medical device. Adriakaim has completed non-clinical trials in Japan and is preparing for clinical trials. The company has secured funding through several rounds, including investments from entities like SCREEN Holdings, UTokyo IPC, and CYBERDYNE, to accelerate domestic clinical trials and global expansion. These partnerships are also expected to create synergies, such as integrating biosignal control technology to develop next-generation feedback neurostimulation devices.

Keywords: medical device, vagus nerve stimulation, acute myocardial infarction, chronic heart failure, cardiovascular disease, neurostimulation, therapeutic device, medtech, cardiology, spin-out, Olympus, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Masatoshi Kobayashi, minimally invasive treatment, parasympathetic nervous system, ARIS device, clinical trials, healthcare innovation, heart attack treatment, biosignal technology