Mitsui Chemicals Invests in FullStem, a Company Commercializing High-Density, Large-Scale Stem Cell Culture Technology

Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. (Tokyo: 4183; President & CEO: HASHIMOTO Osamu) today announced that it has invested in FullStem Co. Ltd. (Uruma, Okinawa; CEO: CHIBA Shunmei), a company commercializing high-density, large-scale stem cell culture technology, via 321FORCE Global Innovation Fund L.P. (321FORCE™; managed by Global Brain Corporation).

FullStem has developed Achieva-CS^*1: a high-density, large-scale stem cell culture device that employs a proprietary method for high-density, three-dimensional, large-scale culture and recovery.

The company's concept here is to have a device that anyone can use safely and easily, and the company is aiming now to commercialize its technology for use in large-scale stem cell culture.

Achieva-CS uses special nonwovens as scaffolding for stem cell culture to enable a more compact, high-density culture area. This then facilitates the large-scale culture of stem cells under conditions that are inexpensive while being close to those of an in vivo environment. In addition to selling Achieva-CS, FullStem is working to use this technology to develop large-scale culture technology for medical applications, as well as sell related products.

^*1 Achieva-CS（Japanese site only）: https://fullstem.jp/product.html

Mitsui Chemicals is pursuing joint development with FullStem in order to expand its business in the cell culture sector by capitalizing on FullStem's unique materials.^*2 Cell cultures are a focus sector of new business development for Mitsui Chemicals, and the company is leaning on its own technologies and assets to develop materials that could make real-world use of Achieva-CS in wide-ranging applications. By investing in FullStem via 321FORCE™, Mitsui Chemicals intends to further explore business opportunities in the cell culture sector, allowing the company to flesh out its new business portfolio.

Going forward, 321FORCE™ will continue to engage in co-creation activities with the Mitsui Chemicals Group and startups. This should make it possible to promptly pick up on social issues and needs, produce solutions in response and thereby contribute to sustainable growth.

^*2 Reference (News release from March 16, 2022): https://jp.mitsuichemicals.com/en/release/2022/2022_0316/index.htm