TOKYO , October 23, 2018 - Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Kenji Yasukawa, Ph.D., “Astellas”) and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc. (President and CEO: Satoshi Oshita, “BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment”) today announced that the two companies concluded an agreement for joint development of application for smartphone and other devices to support those who need regular exercise.
In Japan, about 17% of men and women aged 20 years or older are reported to be "strongly suspected" of metabolic syndrome, and it is estimated that diabetes is "strongly suspected" in about 10 million people1. Aging population requires extension of healthy life expectancy and control of medical expenditures, and regular exercise is important as a preventive measure against the onset and worsening of lifestyle diseases. However, evidence for appropriate exercise programs is limited for those who need to exercise regularly, and there are challenges in terms of continuity. With this agreement, Astellas and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment will jointly develop an application to support people who need regular exercise. This application aims to provide scientifically-evidenced exercise programs while incorporating game enjoyment. It is planned that this application will be used in conjunction with the MoffBand2, which is a wearable device developed by Moff Inc. (President and CEO: Akira Takahagi).
Astellas will design an exercise program to be offered in the application, and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment will plan and develop content and software in the application.
As announced in its Strategic Plan 2018, Astellas is committed to “Developing Rx+TM programs3,” which aim to create new healthcare solutions (Rx+TM) that combine expertise and experience cultivated through the prescription drug (Rx) business with technology and knowledge from different fields. Joint development of this application is part of this effort.
BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment will expand its entertainment possibilities in the field of healthcare as part of its new business challenge by utilizing know-how through the development of games.