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Joint patent for Fursultiamine, as a potential activity-motivation enhancer acquired by the University of Tsukuba and Takeda Consumer Healthcare Company Limited

  • December 25, 2018

Takeda Consumer Healthcare Company Limited hereby announce that we have acquired a patent for Fursultiamine (thiamine tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) *, a vitamin B1 derivative, for use as an activity-motivation enhancer.
[Title of Invention] Activity-motivation enhancer
[Patent number] JP 6420797
[Patentee] University of Tsukuba, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited

This patent claims that the activity-motivation enhancer Fursultiamine can be used for the "(1) prevention/improvement of frailty, (2) prevention/improvement of obesity/metabolic syndrome, and (3) mood elevation."

The ability of Fursultiamine to enhance activity-motivation was elaborated in a paper titled "Thiamine tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide promotes voluntary activity through dopaminergic activation in the medial prefrontal cortex," which was jointly authored by the University of Tsukuba and us (posted in Science Reports Journal on July 11, 2018). This suggests a new possibility that Fursultiamine improves motivation for activities, enhances voluntary physical activity, and helps in maintaining and improving physical and mental fitness.

We will continue to conduct research on Fursultiamine.

*Fursultiamine is a vitamin B1 derivative developed by Takeda. Unlike ordinary vitamin B1, it has a superior absorption rate, transfers well into tissues, and produces increased amounts of active vitamin B1 in a form suitable for working in our body.
(A derivative, an organic-chemistry term, is a compound that is obtained after the structure of an organic compound (vitamin B1 here) is partially altered)

■　Takeda Consumer Healthcare Company Limited
Our company began operations on April 1, 2017 as a business company responsible for consumer healthcare business in the Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Group. We will further contribute to better health of people in order to fulfill their desire to extend “healthy life-span” through our brand products including Alinamin, Benza, and Takeda herbal laxatives, in the fields of “self-care” and “self-medication”.