Rakuten Medical targets U.S. approval for 'lightsaber' cancer therapy by 2028
Japanese biotech's photoimmunotherapy already treats head and neck cancers in Japan
Rakuten Medical, the San Diego-based biotech arm of Japanese conglomerate Rakuten, is betting heavily on the U.S. market for its novel photoimmunotherapy cancer treatment, which its CEO likens to a 'lightsaber' that could one day rival surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The company is running Phase 3 trials in the U.S. and aims to submit for FDA approval in 2028.