TOKYO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Revorf Co., Ltd. and MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies Inc. are pleased to announce that they have entered into a business collaboration agreement as of September 1st, 2020.
MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies Inc. (headquartered at: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Kouji Eguchi; hereinafter, “MEDIROM”), which operates 286 salons nationwide under Re.Ra.Ku™ brands and others, has more than 59,000 visits per month and a customer healthcare database of 1.4 million. In addition to basic attributes such as age, gender, and residential area of the customer, the health care database also has information on the customer’s diet and exercise habits, causes of stress, smoking, drinking and other lifestyle factors. All information is accumulated in a secure databank that features analytics and prescriptive healthcare applications.
Revorf Co., Ltd. (headquartered at: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Shinichi Sueta; hereinafter, the “Revorf”), carries out genetic diagnostic development, drug discovery, and bio-related data analysis through the use of bioinformatics technology (focus on RNA analysis) and Revorf’s proprietary technology.
MEDIROM and Revorf have now agreed to collaborate to create a multifaceted data bank that reveals, seeks to prevent and address disease factors resulting from lifestyle choices. The companies leverage each other’s databases and technology to conduct joint research aimed at elucidating the relationship between individuals’ gene expression and their lifestyle.
Currently, market prescriptions focus on curing already sick patients (ex-post) while preventative measures (ex-ante) remain under tapped, both commercially and intellectually. Researchers believe that only about 30% of the onset in major diseases can be attributed to congenital factors (DNA) while acquired factors (lifestyle) account for 70% of the total. RNA expression appears to be a core catalyst, affected by both congenital and acquired factors, in the expression of bodily abnormalities that ultimately lead to a state of disease.
The two companies aim to identify the causes of acquired diseases through joint research and crystalize potential solutions through lifestyle modifications and therapy.
The two companies envision the following specific methods for this joint research.
STEP1: Hashing MEDIROM’s Big Data on Lifestyle Habits
In accordance with ethical and legal guidelines under Japan’s Personal Information Protection Act, MEDIROM accrues and analysis data collectively through its: relaxation studios, “Re.Ra.Ku™”, On-Demand Lifestyle Management App “Lav™”, and wearable technology featuring the world’s first body-heat generated electricity (self-charging) activity tracker “MOTHER Tracker™”.
STEP2: Analyzing trends by matching hashed big data on lifestyle habits with RNA data using AI
Data collected is hashed and in combination with Revorf’s bioinformatics technology, sequenced through machine learning AI and RNA analysis to identify lifestyle factor, disease clusters, and practical insights.
STEP3: Identifying disease factors by matching RNA expression with lifestyle habits
Identifying factors involved in the onset of Life Habits Disease and others. Clarifying the relationship between congenital factors (genes), acquired factors (lifestyle) and post-treatment (medication and surgery).
[Our Aim for Healthy, Disease Free Future]
Supporting behavioral changes in lifestyles at medical and other settings
After the factors involved in lifestyle diseases have been identified, we can support the diagnosis and doctor’s advice in the hospital accurately. In the field of insurance, it is possible to predict disease risk in advance and benefit customers with services such as premium incentives.
Also, it allows for supporting positive behavior by advisors and presenting an increased risk of disease at offline stores that offer lifestyle-related services such as fitness gyms and relaxation studios and online from a tablet, smartphone or other device.
It will enable you to give accurate advice on stretching and eating a balanced diet in your daily life.
We can expect to see people’s behavioral changes encouraged and a dramatic reduction in the number of patients suffering from lifestyle diseases with alerts at the stage of increased disease risk being made through all life related services.
Why unravel lifestyle diseases? Background to the Business Alliance
It is said that about 60% of diseases are caused by lifestyle-related diseases, and cancer, cerebrovascular disease and heart disease, the three leading causes of death in Japan, are generally a major cause of death from lifestyle-related diseases. Therefore, it is estimated that about 30% of health care costs are generated from lifestyle diseases.
What are lifestyle-related diseases?
The term refers to a group of diseases where eating habits, exercise habits, rest, smoking, drinking and other lifestyle habits are related to the development and progression. For example, the following diseases are considered to be included in the list.
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Eating habits: Insulin-independent diabetes mellitus, Obesity, Hyperlipidemia (except familial), Hyperuricemia, Cardiovascular disease (except congenital), Colorectal cancer (except familial), Periodontal disease, etc. |
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Exercise habits: Insulin-independent diabetes mellitus, Obesity, Hyperlipidemia (except familial), Hyperuricemia, Hypertension, etc. |
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Smoking: Squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, Cardiovascular diseases (except congenital ones), Chronic bronchitis, Emphysema, Periodontal disease, etc. |
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Drinking: Alcoholic liver disease, etc. |
* Reference
Smart Life Project Secretariat (Health Division, Health Bureau, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
URL: https://www.smartlife.mhlw.go.jp/disease/
The two companies believe that it is important to clarify the etiology of lifestyle diseases and to build a body that does not develop lifestyle diseases. MEDIROM and Revorf entered into a business alliance with the idea that their joint research would enable them to uncover the causes of lifestyle-related diseases and realize “a disease-free society”.
About MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies Inc.
MEDIROM operates 286 (as of July 31, 2020) relaxation studios across the country centered around Re.Ra.Ku™, which aims to provide health care services. In 2015, MEDIROM entered the health tech business, and conducted specific health guidance and constitution improvement programs, On-demand training app “Lav™”. MEDIROM also entered the device business in 2020, and succeeded in developing the world’s first non-rechargeable smart tracker “MOTHER Tracker™”. In the future, we will expand the scope of our business to include data analysis based on the lifestyle data we have accumulated since our founding.
URL: https://medirom.co.jp/en
Overview of MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies Inc.
Company name: MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies Inc.
Headquarters: Tradepia Odaiba, 2-3-1 Daiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo
CEO/Founder: Kouji Eguchi
Establishment: July 2000
Business: Relaxation Salon Management, Related Franchise Business, Health Promotion Business and Devices Business
About Revorf Co., Ltd.
Revorf is dedicated to making people around the world smile through using bioinformatics technologies such as machine learning, etc., detecting information that still lies in the human genome, creating superior diagnostics and therapeutics, and elucidating the pathological mechanisms.
URL: https://www.revorf.com
Overview of Revorf Co., Ltd.
Company name: Revorf Co., Ltd.
Headquarters: Tosho Building 8F, 3-8-3 Nihonbashi-Honcho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
CEO/Founder: Shinichi Sueta
Establishment: November 2019
Business: Genetic Diagnostics Development/Drug Discovery Support/Bio-Related Data Analysis
