Lilium® α-200, a continuous urine volume sensor,
will be launched in Japan

Lilium Otsuka Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd. will begin selling the “Lilium® α-200,” a continuous, non-invasive bladder urine volume sensor on November 2nd, 2015.

This product makes it possible to continuously monitor urination schedules in patients who have lost any urge to urinate. It is anticipated that this will alleviate the need for daily lifestyle-restricting indwelling bladder (“Foley”) catheters and the anxiety of incontinence.

Issues with urination independence and control are known to determine the ability of patients to return home from the hospitalⅰ, and impose a heavy burden on nursing and caregiving services. This product is expected to greatly contribute to the improvement of patient quality of life, and to reduce labor and improve the efficacy of those engaged in nursing and caregiving. Further, Lilium Otsuka expects to make a significant contribution to holistic treatments which impact the dignity of patients.

Isao Shirasaki, president and representative director of Lilium Otsuka noted, “This product was developed in Japan based on intellectual property that was applied from a collaborative industry-government cooperative project involving the former Agency of Industrial Science and Technology (now the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, or AIST). We will continue to technically refine and improve this innovative medical device intended for the world as well as for Japan.”

Dr. Osamu Yokoyama M.D., Ph.D., Professor on The Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, said, “For patients with loss of urge or urinary difficulty, the beauty of this product lies in its ability to accurately monitor the size of the bladder (a measure of volume of urine retained in the bladder) and the ability to schedule bathroom trips or self-catheterization. As the Japanese Continence Society initiates a certified physician system next year to begin training doctors who can professionally manage continence care, this device is thought to provide a good method to support discharge of patients to their homes.”

Otsuka group will continue to contribute to the health of people around the world based on its corporate philosophy of Otsuka-people creating new products for better health worldwide.

Please refer to the Japanese website for the specific flow of the lending service. This service is available only in Japan.

1. ⅰ EN Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. press release on October 31, 2013 (in Japanese)