Nikon, the renowned imaging and optics company, has inaugurated new bioimaging laboratories in Japan and the United States, marking a strategic expansion into the pharmaceutical research sector. This initiative is part of Nikon’s broader objective to double its sales in this field by fiscal 2028 and establish health care as a key growth driver.
The new facilities, located in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, near Tokyo, and in Lexington, Massachusetts, commenced operations in January. These regions were selected for their concentration of medical-related companies, with Nikon investing approximately 1 billion yen ($6.7 million) in the project. These labs are set to primarily serve pharmaceutical companies engaged in regenerative medicine and biopharmaceuticals research and development.
Nikon’s labs offer an array of services including cell culturing, image analysis, and drug efficacy evaluation. Leveraging its expertise in microscopy and image analysis, the company provides crucial support in obtaining optimal images and utilizing artificial intelligence for advanced analysis.
This move comes as Nikon anticipates growing demand from sectors such as regenerative medicine and gene therapy, which involve innovative approaches using cells and genes. Nikon’s foray into supporting drug discovery using microscopes began in 2017, with the establishment of a lab in Massachusetts in 2019 and further expansions in Fujisawa and Leiden, Netherlands, in 2021.
With the increasing demand outpacing the capacity of existing facilities, Nikon’s latest labs will significantly boost the number of projects it can undertake. The company is strategically positioning itself to cater to a global market for regenerative medicine and gene therapy, projected by IQVIA to quadruple to $24 billion by 2028.
Nikon’s ambitious plan involves not only supporting drug discovery but also expanding into contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) business for regenerative medicine in Japan. The company is aiming to elevate its pharmaceutical business sales from the current level to approximately 20 billion yen by March 2029.
This expansion reflects a broader trend of Japanese investment in support services for advanced medical care, with companies like Fujifilm and Teijin also making significant investments in the regenerative medicine CDMO sector. Nikon’s strategic diversification into healthcare signifies a transformative phase in the company’s growth, aligning with the burgeoning global demand for innovative medical solutions.
