In the more than 120 years since its foundation, the TOPPAN Group has evolved its original specialization of printing skills into printing techniques. Technical advances in printing, coupled with the fusion of varied knowledge and expertise with processing technologies, have enabled us to systemize “printing technologies” of our own. Five core technologies now drive our business: Information Processing, Microfabrication, Surface Treatment, Material Forming, and Marketing Solutions. These five technologies and the distinct benefits they offer are combined into the new solutions we offer.

By strengthening core technologies to maximize synergies within the Group, TOPPAN is steadily generating new value for society through co-creation with clients, universities, and startups. We will continue deepening and expanding our unique technologies to develop new businesses that provide solutions to global social challenges and transform our business portfolio.

Our central research facility, the TOPPAN Technical Research Institute (est. in 1986 in Sugito, Saitama Prefecture, Japan) promotes research integration, interdisciplinary research exchanges and technological development, and cross-border Groupwide research collaborations. Its primary focuses are fundamental research to usher in next-generation technologies and the development of highly original, competitive products and services. The institute also utilizes its advanced expertise to provide technical support to TOPPAN business divisions.

invivoid™, a forefront 3D cell culture technology using proprietary biomaterials, was developed jointly with Professor Michiya Matsusaki from the Graduate School of Engineering at Osaka University. In one of its various R&D projects to promote the social implementation of this technology, the institute is using invivoid to reconstruct 3D tissues in vitro from tissues removed from patients in cancer surgery. The reconstructed tissues, called “cancer-patient avatars,” will serve as new experimental materials that are likely to obviate the need for conventional mouse experiments in anticancer drug trials. These avatar tissues are already used in a clinical study the institute has launched in Japan in partnership with the Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research. Specifically, researchers are administering multiple anticancer drugs to both avatar tissues and actual patients to compare the cancer responses. In October of 2023, the institute began collaborating with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) on testing to evaluate new immunotherapeutic drugs MDACC has been studying in the U.S. Researchers from MDACC and TOPPAN are using cancer-patient avatars equipped with immune functions as models to evaluate new drugs. Through this research, TOPPAN seeks to acquire a CLIA certification* and launch a cancer testing business in the U.S. Our ultimate goal is to personalize the selection of anticancer drugs for every patient.

*

The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) are a set of regulatory revisions legislated in the U.S. in 1988. CLIA authenticates that the clinical tests performed in healthcare laboratories meet the quality standards required in the U.S. This certification confirms the reliability of test results for patients and healthcare providers.

Anticancer Drug Selection Test

The TOPPAN Group advances research and development to create new businesses with a view to transforming its business portfolio. We have defined key fields in which to invest R&D resources on a priority basis, starting from fiscal 2020. Fiscal 2020-2022 and fiscal 2023-2025 are positioned as the “foundation building phase” and “result delivery phase,” respectively.

Seeds have been planted to achieve results in fiscal 2023 and beyond through increased R&D budgets for technological enhancements and the faster creation of new businesses. The bulk of the R&D funding is spent in key investment fields that address current social issues and technological trends (shown in the table on the right) and in the establishment of technological platforms and other foundations that support efforts in those key fields.