Print（PDF/541KB） Sep. 18, 2020 Others

Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma and KDDI Announce Start of Initiatives to Create New Platform for Communication between MRs and HealthCare Professionals Using XR

Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Osaka, Japan; Representative Director, President and CEO: Hiroshi Nomura; hereinafter, "Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma") and KDDI Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Makoto Takahashi; hereinafter, "KDDI") announced today that they have started initiatives to develop a new communication platform using XR (extended reality, umbrella term for virtual space technology) (hereinafter, "the initiatives") with the purpose of further enhancing communication between MRs (medical representatives) and healthcare professionals amid the difficulty in face-to-face information provision due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

In the initiatives, the two companies aim to create XR 3D video content relevant to drugs that can be accessed using smart glasses and create virtual communication spaces.


<Image of communication using smart glasses>	<Image of explanation content regarding pharmaceuticals and other products>

1. Background

In the pharmaceutical industry, printed materials and video have traditionally been used in communication between MRs and healthcare professionals to convey drug information accurately in an easy-to-understand way. However, there had been a need to use communication tools to create various expressions in which information is intuitively communicated. In view of this, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma has added new communication channels using digital technology to traditional information provision.
With the objectives of further enhancing communication between MRs and healthcare professionals and addressing the restrictions on visiting medical institutions due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the two companies have embarked on initiatives to build a new communication platform using XR.

2. Details of the Initiatives

As a precedent to the initiatives of the two companies, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma had utilized "NrealLight" smart glasses in some symposium of LATUDA^®, an atypical antipsychotic agent launched in June 2020, for video presentations showing the history up to launch in Japan and the molecular structure of LATUDA^®. The initiatives will be the first case of the full-scale application of NrealLight in marketing activities by a corporation in Japan (Note 1). Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma plans to continue using it in the future.
The two companies will commence the two initiatives detailed below and Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma plans to provide information to healthcare professionals using the technology on a trial basis during fiscal 2020.

(1) Creation of pharmaceutical and related explanation contents usable with smart glasses

In addition to the contents for LATUDA^® 3D video contents for drug information and related information on organs, cells and drug molecular structures will be created. Its use will further enhance communication between MRs and healthcare professionals.

(2) Creation of virtual communication spaces for online explanation meetings, seminars, etc.

This will involve the creation of virtual communication spaces that will be compatible with various VR devices. They will overcome the locational and geographical limitations of participants, and enable flexible participation and browsing.

Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma and KDDI will promote the initiatives with the aim of realizing a healthier society in the future.

(Reference)

■About NrealLight smart glasses
Sunglasses-type display device developed by Nreal (enreal) (Headquarters: Beijing, China; CEO: Chi Xu; hereinafter, Nreal) that operates tethered to a smartphone.
The device is compact in size, is comfortable to wear due to its low weight of 88g and will increase the fun of using smartphones. Its steady diffusion is therefore expected with the spread of 5G. Spatial recognition via the internal cameras enables 6DoF (Note 2) tracking, which can give the expression that digital content is placed in the real world. Nreal and KDDI have formed a strategic partnership for the joint planning and development of smart glasses products for the Japanese market and supporting market development.

■About Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma
Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma defines it corporate mission as "to broadly contribute to society through value creation based on innovative research and development activities for the betterment of healthcare and fuller lives of people worldwide."
By channeling our efforts into the research and development of new drugs, we aim to realize our mission and provide innovative and effective pharmaceutical solutions not only to people in Japan but also around the world. Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma's goal is to create innovative pharmaceutical products in the focus research areas of psychiatry and neurology, oncology, and regenerative medicine/cell therapy. For details, please visit: https://www.sumitomo-pharma.com/

■About KDDI
KDDI is telecommunication service provider in Japan, offering both mobile and fixed-line communications. With its well-established base of over 58 million customers, and through mobile services and shops offering its "au" brand, KDDI is expanding its services into the "Life Design" business, which includes e-commerce, fintech, nationwide electric power utility services, entertainment and education. With a 60-year history, KDDI is now focusing on creating smart infrastructure through IoT technologies and open innovation with partners and start-up companies in diverse industries. KDDI is accelerating the global growth of its telecommunications consumer business, with operations in Myanmar and Mongolia, and in the global ICT business with the "TELEHOUSE" brand. KDDI (TYO:9433) is listed on the Tokyo stock exchange.
https://www.kddi.com/english/

(Note 1) KDDI investigation (As of September 18, 2020)

(Note 2) Six Degrees of Freedom. Degrees of freedom of movement in three-dimensional space: up/down, left/right, forward/backward

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