Morinaga & Co., Ltd. Challenges XPRIZE Healthspan for $100 Million Prize in Rejuvenation Competition (Targeting 10-20 Years Younger)

Morinaga & Co., Ltd. (Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and COO Shin'ya Mori) is advancing research and development of "Piceatannol*1" as a functional ingredient. We will now participate in XPRIZE Healthspan, a global competition with a $100 million prize, with Piceatannol as the focus of our research.

*1 Piceatannol is a polyphenol component found in passion fruit seeds, with multiple health functions reported when orally ingested by humans.

XPRIZE is a leading global organization that plans and operates large-scale competitions aimed at solving humanity's most important challenges. For over 30 years, through its unique mechanisms, it has promoted innovation creation accessible to everyone and generated scientifically demonstrable and widely deployable solutions. XPRIZE is accelerating the realization of a more equitable and prosperous future. Morinaga & Co., Ltd. will participate in this competition. This competition aims to rejuvenate functions that decline with aging, such as muscle strength, cognition, and immunity, and human trials are being conducted with Piceatannol as the core.

As part of our vision towards 2030, we aim to transform into a "Wellness Company" that continuously provides health for the mind, body, and environment to customers, employees, and society. Within this context, Piceatannol has been found to increase the expression of sirtuin genes*2 in humans*3, and is one of the components that influences various aspects related to aging. In this competition, where the extension of healthy lifespan and improvement of quality of life are expected, we will maximize the function of Piceatannol and address global societal challenges.

*2 Genes called "longevity genes" or "anti-aging genes," important for anti-aging and life extension.
*3 Life 14, 589 (2024)

In recent years, indicators for aging control called aging hallmarks have also been gaining attention, and interest in longevity (healthy lifespan) is growing in the United States. To realize longevity, we have also begun collaborations with various companies. We have been collaborating with ASAGI Labs Inc. on experiments for XPRIZE Healthspan. Furthermore, KOSÉ Corporation (cosmetics manufacturing and sales), dotme Inc. (brand development), and Nine Hours Inc. (sleep tech and hotel business) have also resonated with our approach for XPRIZE and are working towards establishing and expanding longevity. We will continue to increase our collaborations with industry, government, and academia aiming for longevity.