Kao Corporation (President and CEO: Yoshihiro Hasebe) will start offering sebum RNA contract analysis services that use independently developed sebum RNA monitoring technology from June 2024.^*1 Through Health Care Systems Corporation (President: Yosuke Takimoto), they will commence sebum RNA contract analysis services that use sebum RNA monitoring technology they developed in-house.

• On ****, 2019, Kao Corporation released a news about individual stocks.
  Discovered that human RNA exists in sebum. Developed independent analysis technology, "RNA Monitoring"
  Inoue, T., Kuwano, T., Uehara, Y., Yano, M., Oya, N., Takada, N., Tanaka, S., Ueda, Y., Hachiya, A., Takahashi, Y., Ota, N., Murase, T. Non-invasive human skin transcriptome analysis using mRNA in skin surface lipids. Commun. Biol.5, 215 (2022).

Kao Corporation has developed a technology for comprehensive analysis of sebum RNA monitoring by extracting RNA from sebum collected from the skin using an oil blotting film. This technology can detect the expression information of about 10,000 types of sebum RNA without damaging the skin. By utilizing this RNA information, it has been reported that it is possible to estimate the condition of the skin and body, and to grasp the condition of diseases at the molecular level, such as atopic dermatitis in infants and Parkinson's disease.^*2 Therefore, the utilization of sebum RNA monitoring technology for various research purposes is expected.
Therefore, Kao will commence operations for sebum RNA contract analysis services in collaboration with Health Care Systems, a venture company from Nagoya University that handles inspection services focusing on the theme of pre-disease.

• * 2 On October 16, 2020, in a Kao Corporation press release, changes in sebum RNA molecules were confirmed in infants and young children with atopic dermatitis.
  On August 16, 2021, in a Kao Corporation press release, the "biological age" was calculated using information on sebum RNA changes that occur with aging.
  On September 21, 2021, in a Kao Corporation press release, it was discovered that Parkinson's disease patients have specific information in sebum RNA.

Contract analysis using sebum RNA monitoring technology is a service mainly aimed at research institutions, in which sebum RNA is collected from samples (facial sebum) and comprehensively analyzed using NGS (next-generation sequencing). It is expected to be widely used in various fields because it can be easily collected non-invasively, with less physical and psychological burden on subjects than traditional methods, which is the biggest advantage.
Healthcare Systems undertakes the contract inspection and Kao analyzes the samples sent.

Kao Corporation believes that the widespread use of sebum RNA monitoring technology will deepen research in various fields, including dermatology, health science, and medicine. Furthermore, by advancing the precise and objective understanding of people's skin and body conditions, we hope that consumers will eventually be able to select products and services that are suitable for them. We will continue to consider how Kao's proprietary technologies, including sebum RNA monitoring technology, can be applied to research and product development in various fields in the future.

Headquarters:
1-14-18 Hakkin, Showa-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi 466-0058, Japan.
Business content:
Mailing inspection business, research and development of biomarkers, clinical trials and commissioned research of functional foods.

• Healthcare systems corporation website.

• Press release download PDF file.