Kaneka to Sell “DermaQuick® Onychomycosis” Trichophyton Antigen Test Kit

- Sales Partnership with Maruho from February 3 -

KANEKA CORPORATION
February 3, 2025
Kaneka Corporation (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Kazuhiko Fujii) has concluded a sales partnership agreement in Japan for the first domestic Trichophyton antigen test kit “DermaQuick®*1 Onychomycosis*2” (in-vitro diagnostic agent) manufactured by Maruho Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Osaka; President: Atsushi Sugita). The sales will begin on February 3 for dialysis facilities selected by both companies.

In general, dialysis patients, who tend to have a weakened immune system, are known to suffer from serious symptoms in their lower limbs because of infection with Trichophyton. Onychomycosis is usually tested by visual inspection under a microscope, but this product is an easy-to-use test kit that can detect Trichophyton in the nails quickly and easily using immunochromatography*3.

We have been providing dialysis facilities with adsorption type blood purification devices (product name: Rheocarna™) that treat ulcers caused by severe arteriosclerosis obliterans, as well as devices that evaluate the severity of ischemic ulcers, giving us a long-standing focus in the area of foot care to prevent lower limb amputation in dialysis patients. By providing this additional product in the dialysis field, where we are currently expanding our business, we will provide a total solution for the foot care of dialysis patients.

Based on our mission of “KANEKA thinks ‘Wellness First’.”, we will realize a world where advanced medical care is accessible to everyone and where science contributes to the innovation of the global environment and our daily lives.


                                            
                                                                              DermaQuick® Onychomycosis

*1. DermaQuick® is a registered trademark of Maruho Co., Ltd.
*2. Onychomycosis is an infectious disease caused by the Trichophyton fungus, which grows on the nails and causes deformation and breakage as the disease progresses. It affects around 11 million people in Japan (“A Survey of the Current State of Fungal Testing in the Treatment of Onychomycosis”, Professor Tsunemi, Saitama Medical University).
*3. One method of rapid testing that uses the capillary phenomenon and antigen-antibody reactions.

<Overview of Maruho Co., Ltd.>
Headquarters: 1-5-22 Nakatsu, Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan
Representative: Atsushi Sugita
Business activities: Research and development, manufacture, marketing, import and export of pharmaceuticals, and medical devices, and associated business activities
Establishment: October 1949
Corporate website: https://www.maruho.co.jp/english/

Product information of “DermaQuick® Onychomycosis” :
https://www.maruho.co.jp/medical/products/dermaquick_tinea/index.html?form=dermaquick_tinea　 (in Japanese)

＜About Kaneka products＞
Kaneka in-vitro diagnostic products: www.kaneka-labtest.com/en/
For product inquiries: www.kaneka-labtest.com/en/contact-us.html