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The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency will begin the first experiment of the second series for the High-Quality Protein Crystal Growth Experiment (PCG)*1 using the environment on the Japanese Experiment Module "Kibo" of the International Space Station (ISS). Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and Interprotein Corporation will participate in the experiment.
Other than those companies, 18 academic organizations including universities will also join the experiment (as shown in List 1 below).
One of our objectives of the second series of the JAXA PCG is to contribute to enhancing Japan's industrial competitiveness by leveraging our world-class high quality PCG technology and knowhow in space that has been fostered. For fulfilling that objective, we established a new system*2 to facilitate application of our technology and knowhow by private companies such as an introduction of a trial-use system.
We are confident that JAXA PCG will contribute to the progress of research and development for medicine, industrial enzyme, and other areas by acquiring precise 3D protein structure data, which is the JAXA PCG target, and understanding the function of protein based on the precise structure data. We will conduct six experiments in space in total by regularly performing an experiment once every six months.
Quelle: JAXA
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Chugai to Participate in
High-Quality Protein Crystal Growth Experiment
in the International Space Station, “Kibo,” as Private Company
March 20, 2014 (Tokyo) - Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. [Head Office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Chairman & CEO: Osamu Nagayama) (hereafter, Chugai)] announced today that it will participate in the high-quality protein crystal growth experiment under microgravity environment in “Kibo,” the Japanese Experiment Module on the International Space Station conducted by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (hereafter, JAXA PCG).
JAXA PCG is the protein crystal growth experiment conducted at “Kibo” based on JAXA’s accumulated high-quality protein crystal growth technology. In the first experiment of the second series, proteins to be crystallized will be filled up into JAXA’s crystallization instrument (named as JCB-SGT) and launched by the Soyuz Spacecraft on March 26, 2014. Koichi Wakata, the Japanese astronaut who now resides at the international space station for an extended period, will support the first experiment.
Chugai applied for the Industrial R&D course of JAXA PCG for target drug discovery and its protein was selected as one of the targeted proteins for the first experiment of the second series by the “High-Quality Protein Crystal Growth Experiment Working Group” consisting of external members which evaluates candidates for targeted proteins in the view of its safety and feasibility etc. With this experiment, Chugai is aiming at revealing a precise 3D structure of the protein by the high-quality crystals grown under the space microgravity environment to help understand the functions of drug candidate protein and create revolutionary new drugs.
【Outline of the First Experiment of the Second Series on JAXA PCG】
Launch date：March 26, 2014
Launch site：Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Scheduled return date：May 14, 2014
Landing location：Kazakhstan
Return flight：By Soyuz Spacecraft
Quelle: CHUGAI Pharmaceutical Co.Ltd
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Quelle: Interprotein
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