Toei Shinyaku, a manufacturer specializing in Agaricus research, has obtained a Chinese patent for its β-glucan measurement technology

Toei Shinyaku Co.,Ltd. (Mitaka, Tokyo; Representative Director: Akitomo Motoi), a manufacturer specializing in Agaricus research, announces that a Chinese patent (Chinese Patent No. ZL 202180032661.0) has been granted for the “Method for detecting and quantifying β-1,6-branched β-1,3-glucan or β-1,3-glucan, and detection and quantification kit,” a technology that grew out of joint research on Brazilian outdoor-cultivated Agaricus KA21 (Agaricus KA21). The patent took effect on October 9, 2026, the date of grant publication.

This technology was conceived through joint research with the Department of Immunology at the School of Pharmacy, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences. Following registrations in Japan in February 2025 and in the United States in September 2026, this technology is now patented in three countries: Japan, the United States, and China.

Chinese Patent Certificate　

■ Overview of the Chinese Patent

Chinese Patent Number: ZL 202180032661.0

Grant Announcement Number: CN 115516112 B

Grant Publication Date (Patent Effective Date): October 9, 2026

Title of Invention: Method for detecting and quantifying β-1,6-branched β-1,3-glucan or β-1,3-glucan, and detection and quantification kit (Chinese title: β-1,6支链β-1,3-葡聚糖或β-1,3-葡聚糖检测定量方法和检测定量试剂盒)

Patent Holder: Toei Shinyaku Co.,Ltd.

Inventors: Daisuke Yamanaka, Yoshiyuki Adachi

Filing Date: September 1, 2021 (International Application PCT/JP2021/032154,

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 Priority Date: September 7, 2020)

Expiration Date: August 31, 2041

Corresponding Patents in Japan and the U.S.: Japanese Patent No. 7632898 (registered February 10, 2025) /

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 U.S. Patent No. 12,736,534 B2 (issued September 15, 2026)

■About This Technology

β-glucan is the main component of mushrooms such as Agaricus, and its properties vary depending on its linkage patterns and branching structure. This technology consists of a method and kit that utilize split reporter proteins to detect and quantify β-1,6-branched β-1,3-glucan and β-1,3-glucan.When the target glucans are present in a sample, fusion proteins that bind to each glucan reassemble the active form of the reporter protein, and the quantity is determined by measuring this activity.

Applications are anticipated in the following fields:

・Application to technologies for the detection and quantification of fungal-derived β-glucans, and the potential for future development into diagnostic methods for fungal infections*

・Measurement of β-glucan content and quality assessment of supplements, including the outdoor-cultivated Agaricus KA21

・Research into the mechanisms of action of β-glucans

*Regarding application to the diagnosis of fungal infections, the research is currently at the basic research stage; verification of measurement performance and diagnostic accuracy using clinical specimens will be necessary in the future for use in clinical diagnosis.

With patents secured in Japan, the United States, and China, the foundation has been established to utilize this technology for research and product quality evaluation in each of these countries.

■ Patents Related to β-Glucan Measurement (Japan, U.S., China)

Toei Shinyaku holds three patents related to β-glucan measurement, all of which are registered in Japan and the United States. Of these, the technology in question has now also been registered in China, making it a patent protected in all three countries.

・[Japan/U.S.] β-glucan-binding protein, β-glucan detection kit, synthetic DNA, and bacteria

Japan Patent No. 6966756 (registered October 26, 2021) / U.S. Patent No. 11,542,307 B2 (issued January 3, 2023)

・[Japan/U.S.] β-1,6-glucanase variants and methods for measuring β-1,6-glucan

Japanese Patent No. 7052967 (Registered April 4, 2022) / U.S. Patent No. 11,479,803 B2 (Issued October 25, 2022)

・[Japan, U.S., China] Methods for Detecting and Quantifying β-1,6-Branched β-1,3-Glucan or β-1,3-Glucan, and Detection and Quantification Kits (This Announcement)

Japan Patent No. 7632898 (Registered February 10, 2025) / U.S. Patent No. 12,736,534 B2 (Issued September 15, 2026) /China ZL 202180032661.0 (Published October 9, 2026)

The patent holder for all of these is Toei Shinyaku Co.,Ltd.

■About β-Glucan and Agaricus

β-glucans are polysaccharides found in the cell walls of fungi, such as mushrooms, molds, and yeasts, and are broadly classified into β-1,3-glucans and β-1,6-glucans.β-1,3-glucan binds to Dectin-1 on immune cells and plays a role in the immune response; furthermore, the mechanism by which it is recognized is applied in clinical settings for the diagnosis of deep-seated fungal infections.

Agaricus (scientific names Agaricus blazei, brasiliensis, and subrufescens) is known as a mushroom rich in β-glucan.Toei Shinyaku is conducting research on “Brazilian Outdoor-Cultivated Agaricus KA21 (Agaricus KA21),” which is cultivated in open fields under sunlight in Brazil—the native habitat of Agaricus—using its exclusively owned KA21 strain; the technology introduced here also emerged from this joint research.

Outdoor-Cultivated Agaricus KA21

■ Future Developments

As a manufacturer specializing in Agaricus research, Toei Shinyaku is committed to developing precise measurement techniques for β-glucan and elucidating its mechanisms of action, thereby expanding the scientific foundation of Agaricus research.“KA21” is a registered trademark in Japan, China, the EU, and Taiwan. Together with this Chinese patent, we will continue to promote the research results and quality of outdoor-cultivated Agaricus KA21 overseas.

■About Toei Shinyaku Co.,Ltd.

Established in 1973, Toei Shinyaku is a research manufacturer specializing in Agaricus, and also manufactures and supplies Agaricus raw materials.Since 1996, the company has been engaged in the research, development, and commercialization of the KA21 strain. Through collaborative research with Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Azabu University, Keio University, the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Juntendo University, the University of Tokyo, and Shigakkan University, among others, the company has published 34 international research papers to date.The company holds patents in Japan, the United States, and China for its β-glucan measurement technology.

Company Name: Toei Shinyaku Co.,Ltd.

Headquarters: 1-11-23 Shimorenjaku, Mitaka City, Tokyo 181-0013

Representative: Akitomo Motoi, Representative Director

Capital: 10 million yen

Business Activities: Research and development, manufacturing, and sales of the Agaricus raw material “Outdoor-Cultivated Agaricus KA21”; OEM production of dietary supplements

URL: https://toeishinyaku.com/