Interest

Cygames Supports Cat Longevity Research

Cygames announced on Twitter on Monday that it has made a donation to the AIM Medical Research Institute (abbreviated as IAM), a group dedicated to the research of the AIM protein. The protein is said to have the potential to expand the average lifespan of cats.

AIM (short for Apoptosis Inhibitor of Macrophage) is a protein found in macrophages. The protein has been shown to be useful in the treatment of kidney diseases, which many domestic cats develop in old age. If administered at a young age, a properly functioning dose of AIM is said to reduce the onset of kidney disease in cats, possibly doubling their average lifespan.

Toru Miyazaki, who heads the research group, had been working on the development of an AIM drug for cats, but was forced to temporarily suspend his research due to funding difficulties. In light of this, Cygames has decided to provide ongoing donation support for the research until the practical application of the drug is realized.

"The support of companies in fields completely different from medicine and pharmaceuticals is a great encouragement to us," Miyazaki commented. "We will use this donation, along with the many other donations we have received from the general public, to greatly accelerate our research on AIM. All of our researchers will do their utmost to complete the AIM drug as soon as possible."

Yuito Kimura, Senior Managing Director of Cygames, also commented on the donation: "It is said that there are nearly 10 million cats in Japan today, and for many cat owners, cats are irreplaceable companions that enrich their lives and bring them joy. We are happy that our donation will help them to cure their partners from incurable diseases and save many lives."

Cygames celebrated its 10th anniversary last year. The company has produced games such as Rage of Bahamut and Granblue Fantasy. Cygames established an anime division in March 2015 and the anime production subsidiary Cygames Pictures in April 2016. The company has worked on anime productions inspired by its games including Rage of Bahamut Genesis, Rage of Bahamut: Virgin Soul, Uma Musume Pretty Derby, and Granblue Fantasy the Animation.

Source: Otakomu