Kyushu University

Dr. Mizui is Founder and President of Eisai Innovations, Inc. and Former Global Business Development and Strategy Head in Eisai’s Oncology Business Group Brings Nearly 30 Years of Experience in Drug Discovery and Strategic Business Development KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., Sept. 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SEED Therapeutics Inc. (“SEED”), a biotechnology company focused on harnessing and engineering Molecular Glues for targeted protein degradation (TPD) of disease-causing proteins, has appointed Dr. Yoshiharu Mizui from Eisai Co., Ltd. (“Eisai”) to its Board of Directors. Dr. Mizui is Founder and President of Eisai Innovation, Inc., the corporate venture capital arm of Eisai, specializing in investing in biotech startup companies. He also holds leadership roles in Eisai Research and Development as Head of Academic & Industry Alliance, and Head of Collaboration & Incubation. With nearly 30 years of experience in drug discovery, strategy, and business development across multiple therapeutic areas, Dr. Mizui brings a wealth of knowledge to SEED’s Board. Before founding Eisai Innovation, Inc. in 2019, Dr. Mizui was Global Head of Strategy and Business Development in Eisai’s Oncology Business Group and was previously Director of H3 Biomedicine, Inc., and Head of Lead Discovery Biology. He received his BS and PhD in Agricultural Chemistry from Kyushu University. Dr. Mizui’s appointment follows Eisai’s entering into a Strategic Research Collaboration with SEED (with potential value of $1.5 billion) and leading the first $24 million close of SEED’s Series A Financing announced last month. (Click here for related press release.) “Dr. Mizui brings invaluable drug discovery and development insights to the SEED Board and Management as we drive forward on our mission of leveraging SEED’s TPD technology and platform to enhance the quality of life for patients worldwide,” said Dr. Lan Huang, SEED’s Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO. “His joining at SEED comes at a pivotal time as we advance our high-profile programs into the clinic. Dr. Mizui’s research leadership in the oncology field, including with RBM39 degraders, will be instrumental as SEED advances its priority clinical programs in oncology, as well as in neurodegeneration.” “SEED Therapeutics team has deep knowledge of ubiquitin proteasome system and molecular glue discovery technologies to discover and develop TPD drug candidates. I am pleased and honored to serve on the SEED Board of Directors and support them in their amazing journey to deliver impactful medicines to patients and their families,” said Dr. Mizui. About SEED TherapeuticsSEED Therapeutics is an innovative biotech company focused on harnessing and engineering “Molecular Glues” and TPD to attack previously undruggable targets. Backed by a comprehensive intellectual property portfolio, SEED’s mission is to improve human health by developing novel protein degradation therapeutics to treat diseases that currently have limited treatment options. Through active collaborations with SEED Co-Founders, who are pioneers and thought leaders in the TPD field, SEED has developed a growing pipeline of novel drug candidates in neurodegeneration and oncology now approaching clinical development. SEED has both a research collaboration and investment from Eli Lilly and Company, and Eisai. Learn more by visiting https://seedtherapeutics.com/. Investor Contact:IR@seedtherapeutics.com Media Contact:PR@seedtherapeutics.com

Researchers have found that baby stars discharge plumes of gas, dust, and magnetic flux from their protostellar disk. The protostellar disk that surrounds developing stars are constantly penetrated by magnetic flux, and if too much magnetic flux remained, the resulting object would generate a magnetic field stronger than any observed protostar. These newly discovered discharges of magnetic flux, or 'sneezes' as the researchers describes them, may be a vital step in proper star formation. Kyushu University researchers have shed new light into a critical question on how baby stars develop. Using the ALMA radio telescope in Chile, the team found that in its infancy, the protostellar disk that surrounds a baby star discharges plumes of dust, gas, and electromagnetic energy. These 'sneezes,' as the researchers describe them, release the magnetic flux within the protostellar disk, and may be a vital part of star formation. Their findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal. Stars, including our Sun, all develop from what are called stellar nurseries, large concentrations of gas and dust that eventually condense to form a stellar core, a baby star. During this process, gas and dust form a ring around the baby star called the protostellar disk. "These structures are perpetually penetrated by magnetic fields, which brings with it magnetic flux. However, if all this magnetic flux were retained as the star developed, it would generate magnetic fields many orders of magnitude stronger than those observed in any known protostar," explains Kazuki Tokuda of Kyushu University's Faculty of Sciences and first author of the study. For this reason, researchers have hypothesized that there is a mechanism during star development that would remove that magnetic flux. The prevailing view was that the magnetic field gradually weakened over time as the cloud is pulled into the stellar core. To get to the bottom of this mysterious phenomenon, the team set their sights on MC 27, a stellar nursery located approximately 450 light-years from earth. Observations were collected using the ALMA array, a collection of 66 high-precision radio telescope constructed 5,000 meters above seas level in northern Chile. "As we analyzed our data, we found something quite unexpected. There were these 'spike-like' structures extending a few astronomical units from the protostellar disk. As we dug in deeper, we found that these were spikes of expelled magnetic flux, dust, and gas," continues Tokuda. "This is a phenomenon called 'interchange instability' where instabilities in the magnetic field react with the different densities of the gases in the protostellar disk, resulting in an outward expelling of magnetic flux. We dubbed this a baby star's 'sneeze' as it reminded us of when we expel dust and air at high speeds." Additionally, other spikes were observed several thousands of astronomical units away from the protostellar disk. The team hypothesized that these were indications of other 'sneezes' in the past. The team expects their findings will improve our understanding of the intricate processes that shape the universe that continue to captivate the interest of both the astronomical community and the public. "Similar spike-like structures have been observed in other young stars, and it's becoming a more common astronomical discovery," concludes Tokuda. "By investigating the conditions that lead to these 'sneezes' we hope to expand our understanding of how stars and planets are formed."

A research team has developed a tape that can be used to stick two-dimensional (2D) materials to many different surfaces, in an easy and user-friendly way. Their finding will aid research into and boost production of 2D materials for next-generation devices. Materials just atoms in thickness, known as two-dimensional (2D) materials, are set to revolutionize future technology, including in the electronics industry. However, commercialization of devices that contain 2D materials has faced challenges due to the difficulty in transferring these extremely thin materials from where they are made onto the device. Now, a research team from Kyushu University, in collaboration with Japanese company Nitto Denko, have developed a tape that can be used to stick 2D materials to many different surfaces, in an easy and user-friendly way. Their findings were published in Nature Electronics on February 9, 2024. "Transferring 2D materials is typically a very technical and complex process; the material can easily tear, or become contaminated, which significantly degrades its unique properties," says lead author, Professor Hiroki Ago of Kyushu University's Global Innovation Center. "Our tape offers a quick and simple alternative, and reduces damage." The researchers began by focusing on graphene. Made from a thin sheet of carbon atoms, graphene is tough, flexible, and light, with high thermal and electrical conductivity. Dubbed a "wonder material" upon discovery, it has potential applications in biosensing, anti-cancer drug delivery, aeronautics and electronic devices. "One of the main methods of making graphene is through chemical vapor deposition, where graphene is grown on copper film. But to perform properly, the graphene must be separated from the copper and transferred onto an insulating substrate, like silicon," Professor Ago explains. "To do this, a protective polymer is placed over the graphene, and the copper is then removed using etching solution, such as acid. Once attached to the new substrate, the protective polymer layer is then dissolved with a solvent. This process is costly, time-consuming and can cause defects to the graphene's surface or leave traces of the polymer behind." Professor Ago and his colleagues therefore aimed to provide an alternative way of transferring graphene. They used AI to develop a specialized polymer tape, dubbed "UV tape," which changes its attraction to graphene when irradiated with UV light. Before exposure to UV light, the tape has a strong adhesion to graphene, allowing it to "stick." But after UV exposure, the atom bonding changes, which decreases the level of adhesion to graphene by about 10%. The UV tape also becomes slightly stiffer and easier to peel off. Taken together, these changes allow the tape to be peeled off the device substrate while leaving the graphene behind. The researchers also developed tapes that can transfer two other 2D materials: white graphene (hBN), an insulator that can act as a protective layer when stacking 2D materials, and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), a promising material for the next generation of semiconductors. Importantly, when the researchers looked closely at the surface of the 2D materials after transfer, they saw a smoother surface with fewer defects than when transferred using the current conventional technique. Upon testing the materials' properties, they also found that they were more efficient. Transfer using UV tape also offers numerous other advantages over current transfer techniques. Because the UV tape is bendy, and the transfer process doesn't require the use of plastic-dissolving solvents, flexible plastics can be used as the substrate of the device, expanding potential applications. "For example, we made a plastic device that uses graphene as a terahertz sensor. Like X-rays, terahertz radiation can pass through objects that light can't, but doesn't damage the body," Professor Ago says. "It's very promising for medical imaging or airport security." What's more, the UV tape can be cut to size so that only the exact amount of 2D material needed is transferred, minimizing waste and reducing cost. 2D layers of different materials can also be easily laid on top of each other in different orientations, allowing researchers to explore new emerging properties from the stacked materials. For their next steps, the researchers are aiming to expand the size of the UV tape to the scale needed for manufacturers. Currently, the largest wafer of graphene that can be transferred is 10 cm in diameter. Professor Ago and his colleagues are also trying to resolve the problem of wrinkles and bubbles that form on tape, causing small defects. The research team also hope to improve stability, so that 2D materials can be attached to UV tapes for a longer period of time, and distributed to end users, such as other scientists. "The end users can then transfer the material onto their desired substrate by applying and removing the UV tape like a child's sticker, with no training needed," says Professor Ago. "Such an easy method could fundamentally change the style of research and accelerate the commercial development of 2D materials."