Disease Areas

In Japan, there are significant unmet medical needs in the area of neurology

Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorders results in severe health consequences for patients and significant economic loss for society.
ACULYS aims to solve these issues.

Narcolepsy is a chronic neurologic sleep disorder that impacts the brain’s ability to control sleep-wake cycles. The primary symptom is “excessive daytime sleepiness.”. In addition, as a result of the fact that narcolepsy often occurs along with other disorders, and there is a general low level of public awareness of disease, narcolepsy is highly underdiagnosed in Japan.

The impact of sleep deprivation on Japanese society is enormous. Research shows decreased productivity at work and absence or sick leave due to lack of sleep cause an economic loss of about 3% of Japanese GDP, equivalent to about 15 trillion yen 1)

1) RAND Corp. report 2016
https://www.rand.org/pubs/corporate_pubs/CP1-2016.html

Associated symptoms with sleep disorders include memory loss, poor concentration, depression and anxiety, often resulting in psycho-social impairments on relationships, academic performance, professional success and leisure activities.

Pharmacological therapies for sleep disorders are limited in Japan, and we believe there is significant room for improvement for new treatments that offer greater efficacy and safety.

Epileptic Seizure

We are working to reduce the physical and psychological burden of Epileptic Seizures on patients and their caregivers

Epilepsy is a condition in which repetitive seizures are triggered by the overactivity of nerve cells in the brain (epileptic seizures)1)Medical advances have made it possible to control seizures in many patients, allowing them to lead a normal social life without hindrance. In many cases, treatment is no longer necessary. However, there are patients with refractory epilepsy who continue to have seizures despite treatment with antiepileptic drugs. Misconceptions and fear about epilepsy and seizures have stigmatized this disease, which causes social issues in Japan.

1) NCNP Hospital National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry
https://www.ncnp.go.jp/hospital/patient/disease17.html (as of January 2023)

There are an estimated 300,000 patients with refractory epilepsy in Japan who have difficulty in completely controlling their seizures despite treatment with antiepileptic drugs and other therapies. 2) 3)

2) Epidemiological study on the prevalence of epilepsy and analysis of actual medical treatment status and improvement of treatment system_2013

3) Early identification of refractory epilepsy; N Engl J Med 2000 Feb 3;342(5):314-9.

While understanding of epilepsy is improving, many people lack accurate information on the condition and its causes, in addition to how to respond when seizures occur. 4)

4) From the Epilepsy Association of Japan Public Opinion Survey on Epilepsy 2013.
https://www.jea-net.jp/

About one half of caregivers believe that people around them are uncomfortable because of epilepsy. A solution is needed for patients as well as caregivers 5) 6)

5) Epilepsy and social identity: the stigma of a chronic neurological disorder Lancet Neurol. 2005 Mar;4(3):171-8.

6) Have attitudes toward epilepsy improved in Germany over the last 50 years? Epilepsy Behav. 2022 Nov 29;138:108982.