News Release

June 18, 2019

JVCKENWOOD Launches Joint Research with the University of Oxford
and Sysmex R&D Center Europe GmbH to Establish a System
for Predicting the Onset of Preeclampsia using Exosomes
JVCKENWOOD Corporation (JVCKENWOOD) announces the launch of joint research with Oxford
University*1 (UK) and Sysmex R&D Center Europe GmbH*2, an overseas subsidiary of Sysmex
Corporation, aiming to establish a system for predicting the onset of preeclampsia using exosomes*3.

■ Background of Joint ResearchPreeclampsia, a hypertensive disease of pregnancy, presents with various clinical symptoms andsigns—mainly high blood pressure and proteinuria after 20 weeks of pregnancy. When it becomessevere, it causes eclampsia (convulsive seizures), restricted fetal development, and prematuredelivery. About 5% of pregnant women worldwide develop this disease, threatening the lives of bothmother and child, but there is currently no effective treatment other than delivering the baby
(irrespective of gestational age). On the other hand, it has been known that taking a preventive drug
from the beginning of pregnancy (before the onset of symptoms) may reduce the incidence of thedisease, so a test for predicting onset is needed to appropriately prescribe the preventive drug.

■ Contents of Joint Research
The joint research aims to establish a technology for predicting the onset of preeclampsia using
exosomes, and combines findings from long-term research activities by Oxford University anddiagnostic technologies using exosomes, which has jointly been being developed by JVCKENWOOD
and Sysmex Corporation since 2016.
Oxford University has discovered that vesicle particles released by the placenta into the body called
exosomes are effective for the early prediction of the onset of preeclampsia. The number of exosomes
unique to pregnant women who have developed the disease is measured with our ExoCounter, ahigh-precision exosomes measurement system, and, combined with the technologies and knowledge
in in vitro diagnostics field that Sysmex R&D Center Europe possesses, we will promote our joint
research to establish a system for predicting the onset of the disease.

■ Comment from the University of Oxford’s Dr. Manu Vatish
We are very excited to be working in partnership with Sysmex-JVCKENWOOD. This project is at thecutting edge of exosome research and we are confident that it will yield data that will ultimately havereal clinical value1*1: Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford.
*2: An overseas subsidiary of Sysmex Corporation, established in Hamburg, Germany, in October 2018. In addition to exploring
medical needs and technologies in Europe, developing new clinical applications, pre-marketing assessments of products, andbuilding networks with medical and research institutes, the company works actively to acquire local R&D personnel andopportunities for new collaborations with local companies.
*3: About 50 to 100 nm vesicle particles secreted from many types of cell present in body fluids such as blood, saliva, and urine*4: Senior Clinical Fellow at the Nuffield Department of Woman’s and Reproductive Health.

<Trade Mark>
ExoCounter is a trademark or a registered trademark of JVCKENWOOD Corporation.

Link to press release from the University of Oxford:
https://www.wrh.ox.ac.uk/news/innovative-exosome-research-aims-to-create-new-technology-that-will-predict-pre-eclampsia

Media Contact:
Public & Investor Relations GroupE-mail: prir@jvckenwood.com
This document is based on the information available to the Company at the time of release and may differ from the latest information.

www.jvckenwood.com

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