Embracing the Challenge of Societal “Issues”: A Young Challenger Looks Beyond the Walls

“Challenging Dementia through Sound” – this innovative slogan drives one employee who tirelessly works alongside the team. Meet Tatsuya Yanagawa, a Group Manager in the New Business Promotion Department at SHIONOGI. What fuels his set goals and unyielding spirit of challenge? Let us delve into his story, including his aspirations for new ventures.

Dementia, a disorder characterized by impairments in cognitive functions, such as memory, learning, language, and judgment, significantly diminishes patients’ quality of life. With the expected increase in the aging population domestically, an anticipated rise is also observed in dementia cases, calling for new treatment methods and care approaches. In response to this societal issue, SHIONOGI and Pixie Dust Technologies (PxDT) have been endeavoring since 2021 to develop a novel initiative called “Gamma Wave Sound*.” This initiative aims to integrate cognitive function care into daily life. Its concept is straightforward: “Solving problems simply by living.” It is a challenge to develop a new service focusing on changes in brain rhythm activity through sensory stimulation.

“Solving problems simply by living” has been a theme that Yanagawa has been advocating even before joining SHIONOGI. “I wanted to address the ‘issues’ related to healthcare that are scattered throughout society. I disliked the notion that only ‘medication’ could be the solution,” he explains. Yanagawa’s passion for this project, offering a new approach to dementia care, stems from his years of pursuit of solving societal issues related to healthcare through everyday life. This project aligns with his long-standing dream.

However, this endeavor faced numerous challenges before being formalized as a project. Internally, concerns lingered regarding the release of products featuring pre-evidence technology, whereas externally, cultural differences between PxDT and SHIONOGI posed barriers. Yanagawa mentions instances where the collaboration with PxDT was at risk of dissolution, and the project faced moments of crisis. Nevertheless, among these challenges, by sharing the desire to “solve problems” internally and externally, discussions were held, compromises sought, and various obstacles within and outside the organization were overcome. Yanagawa continued to strive toward this goal.

What does Yanagawa envision for the future? “Our initial goal is to establish evidence for Gamma Wave Sound and implement it in society. Eventually, we aim to develop solutions for diseases other than dementia through sensory stimulation,” he says. With this initiative, aiming to challenge dementia through a new approach of sound, Yanagawa and his team strive daily to bring hope to society, aiming to have a significant impact on the future of healthcare.

SHIONOGI aims to evolve from a “pharmaceutical company focused on providing medicinal drugs” to a “Healthcare as a Service company offering healthcare services,” continually providing new value to society and comprehensively addressing the problems faced by patients and society. Yanagawa’s project is also contributing to providing new value to the world.