Rohto Pharmaceutical and the University of Tokyo Announce the Establishment of the "Food Well-being Integrated Science Collaborative Research Program"

Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, President: Hidetoshi Segi) (hereinafter, Rohto Pharmaceutical) announces the establishment of the "Food Well-being Integrated Science Collaborative Research Program" (commonly known as "Food Well-being Program") within the Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Tokyo, effective April 1, 2026.

■Background and Aim
Our company, originating from the sale of gastrointestinal medicines, has long supported people's health in the internal medicine business domain since its founding. In recent years, we have also focused on creating health value through food, advocating for a "pharmaceutical company that does not rely on medicine," and are engaged in providing new value by combining materials, science, and a consumer perspective.

In daily health maintenance and disease prevention, "food" has become increasingly important. In addition to developing internal medicines, supplements, and functional foods, our company is promoting unique and safe research and development to meet diversifying consumer needs, including exploring new materials and researching TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine). Moving forward, we will further strengthen our contribution to health through food and advance initiatives to address a wider range of health issues.

This program will build upon the lipid metabolism research and skeletal muscle function research that Professor Emeritus Ryuichiro Sato has undertaken, aiming to elucidate food and biological functions with a view to contributing to a healthy and long-lived society. Furthermore, in addition to existing lipid metabolism research, we will focus on research related to ectopic fat, which has been gaining attention recently, to explore new approaches to health issues. Concurrently, we will deepen industry-academia collaboration to disseminate scientifically-backed health values to society.

Through the establishment of this program, our company will further strengthen its research foundation in the food business and aim to realize "food-based well-being" that supports people's healthy lives, from daily health maintenance to pre-disease, mild illness, and even post-treatment care.

■Comment from Professor Emeritus Ryuichiro Sato
In Japan, which has entered a super-aging society, interest in healthy life expectancy is increasing. Well-being refers to living a rich and fulfilling life filled with happiness and satisfaction by extending healthy life expectancy. "Food" is expected to make a significant contribution to achieving well-being. Repeated overeating and unbalanced diets in daily life increase the risk of lifestyle diseases. It is clear that diseases shorten healthy life expectancy, so it is important to encourage a balanced diet in appropriate amounts. Furthermore, recent research results suggest that trace components in food contribute to health maintenance. We will clearly demonstrate the scientific evidence for the functions of these components and aim to realize national well-being through industry-academia collaboration.

【Professor Emeritus Sato's Brief Biography】
1985: Completed doctoral program at the University of Tokyo Graduate School
1986: Assistant, Teikyo University Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
1990: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
1994: Lecturer, Teikyo University Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
1995: Assistant Professor, Osaka University Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
1999: Assistant Professor, University of Tokyo Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences
2004: Professor, University of Tokyo Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences
2019: Received the Medal with Purple Ribbon
2022: Specially Appointed Professor, University of Tokyo Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences