By SalivaTech in Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture, is a startup with innovative technology and ideas that are indispensable for the economy of the Tohoku region to grow and has the potential to change society.
The company created a test kit that offers a simple way to check cancer risks using saliva and has been expanding its sales network.
Makoto Sunamura, 70, an active doctor and head of the startup, has been involved in pancreatic cancer treatment for a long time. While he has saved the lives of many patients, he has also seen many people lose their lives despite undergoing surgery.
Thinking that early detection will help reduce such risks, Sunamura founded SalivaTech in 2013 with a determination to protect the health of as many people as possible.
The company, capitalized at ¥493.55 million, has 25 employees. Its test kit, SalivaChecker, is usually sold online for ¥26,400, but is currently available at a campaign price of ¥19,800.
In November, SalivaTech was awarded a special prize in the entrepreneur category of the Nippon New Business Creation Award presented by the Japan New Business Conference Associations.
SalivaChecker is a test kit that provides high-precision analysis of around 10 types of salivary metabolites.
Using artificial intelligence, it analyzes the concentration of metabolites that shows abnormal changes when a person develops cancer and calculates the risk of developing six types of cancer, including colorectal cancer, lung cancer and breast cancer.
Roughly 1,700 medical and dental institutions nationwide have adopted the test kit, and some 800 companies and organizations use it in group medical examinations.
In October, the firm launched a new service to allow individuals to purchase the test kit and see the test results on its website.
“It’s easy and you can conduct the test as many times as you like,” Sunamura said. “Even people who are busy can take care of their health easily.”
