OLYMPUS TECHNOZONE Vol.48 2001-01
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A True Business Chance Comes to the Medical Field
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| Fully automatic
DNA diagnostic analyzer. |
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When I talk to people in this field, they often
ask me what is new about it and in what ways it is leading the
world. In fact, we don't really know if our project is at the cutting
edge from a global point of view. It is hard for us to have confidence
in what we're doing.
In regards to DNA, many types of technologies
have been developed including chemical synthesis of DNA, sequencing
of DNA base pairs and DNA amplification technology. None of these
technologies are perfect and leaves room for improvement. I think
Olympus has done very good so far.
There are always obstacles in developing new technologies. It is important to
try to overcome that difficulty and bring something new. True, it is great if
we could bring forth a genius-like idea, but the analysis method presently used
by Olympus is unique and you are heading into the right direction.
One more thing. In this area of genome science,
the idea of DNA computing is emerging. I feel that this will grow
in the future, and that we need to provide applications for it.
I think it is interesting as it relates to
simulation. A body contains tens of thousands of gene products
acting in a variety of formats. It is very dangerous to keep on
pursuing a single reaction without conducting a simulation. A venture
in U.S. is using computer simulation to research what will happen
when a medicine is given to an individual.
Dr. Masaru Tomita (Professor, Environmental
Information Department, Keio University) is involved in this.
Although the concept is good, we still have
too little information on living things to conduct such simulations.
What are your requirements to companies?
I have nothing to say to companies successfully
competing on foreign soils. As is the case with Olympus, these
companies have always won the competition based on their technological
strength. Progress is made only through competition. There is a
huge disparity between companies that have struggled in those competitions
and companies that haven't.
There have always been opportunities in the bioscience field and there always
will be.
Olympus has a relatively long history in the
bioscience field. The entire company focused on making diagnostic
medicines amidst the boom that came about fifteen years ago.
Compared to the first bioscience boom, this
one is far more realistic.
Olympus has been involved in DNA research for
five to six years.
It is clear by looking at the investment of
the private sector into stocks etc. When converted to a yen base,
Celera raked more than 100 billion yen from private investors.
The figure is truly amazing. Most stance of Japanese companies
are something like: "We'd better do something not to fall
behind the global trend" whereas U.S. companies are staking
the fate of the company on it.
That is true. Investment as a whole is limited.
This results from the decision-making ability
of the leaders.
Olympus is in a good position. It has excellent opticsal technology. The other
day I looked at my own intestine through an endoscope. It was truly amazing.
An endoscope for looking inside pancreatic ducts has also been developed.
Thank you very much. The understanding of the
importance of DNA research has deepened significantly nowadays.
We can anticipate major investments.
Yes, this time, the trend is for real.
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