Rakuten Medical, Inc. has recently established its subsidiary in India, Rakuten Medical Private Limited (Rakuten Medical India) to strengthen its position in the country and expand its presence worldwide.

The Mumbai-based company plans to develop and commercialize treatments based on the Alluminox platform in India, beginning with head and neck cancer. To ensure a strong footprint, Mickey Mikitani, Co-CEO of Rakuten Medical recently visited leading medical institutions in the country to exchange views on the current status and future development of cancer treatment.

Rakuten Medical’s proprietary technology platform Alluminox combines the power of light with drug, device, and other related components to develop new, innovative therapies. Illuminating the targeted cells with non-thermal light activates the cell-bound drug, which leads to rapid and selective cell killing. This therapy has potential to be a 5^th pillar of cancer treatment.

“Rakuten Medical’s technology has an unprecedented mechanism of action that selectively and precisely attacks targeted cells,” said Dr. Rajendra Achyut Badwe, Director and Head of Surgical Oncology at Tata Memorial Centre. “We will collect robust data to ascertain efficacy as well as effectiveness of this novel therapy in head and neck cancers.”

Dr Devi Prasad Shetty, Founder and Chairman at Narayana Health said, “We are welcoming the pioneering technology of Rakuten Medical, which will potentially help people in India lead healthier lives, and happy to support Rakuten Medical in its mission to ‘Conquer cancer’.”

Image caption- (Left image)- Mickey, Dr Rajendra Badwe and Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi (from left) at Tata Memorial Centre; (Right image)- Mickey and Dr Devi Prasad Shetty (from left) at Narayana Health