Launch of Broncho Dilation Balloon Catheter “SUKEDACHI™”
KANEKA CORPORATION
July 31, 2025
Kaneka Corporation (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Kazuhiko Fujii) launched sales of its broncho dilatation balloon catheter SUKEDACHI™ (hereinafter “SUKEDACHI”) in June, developed based on collaborative research with The University of Osaka (President: Atsushi Kumanogoh). By combining Kaneka’s precision molding technology, including balloon catheters, with The University of Osaka Graduate School of Medicine's extensive experience in clinical and non-clinical trials, the product was successfully commercialized.July 31, 2025
SUKEDACHI is a balloon catheter developed for use in bronchoscopy (*1) aimed at diagnosing lung cancer. This product is the world’s first to be used in the “Balloon Dilatation for Bronchoscope Delivery (BDBD)” method, which creates a pathway for the bronchoscope by dilating the bronchus with a balloon, allowing the scope to reach lesions deep in the lungs for biopsy. This technique was devised by Assistant Professor Kotaro Miyake of The University of Osaka Graduate School of Medicine, and Kaneka has successfully brought it into practical use.
In Japan, more than 7 million people suffer from respiratory diseases, and among them, lung cancer—ranked first in cancer-related deaths—affects approximately 330,000 individuals (*2). This product enables the bronchoscope to reach deep areas of the lungs that were previously difficult to access, thereby improving diagnostic accuracy (*3). Furthermore, its ability to deliver the bronchoscope close to the lesion opens up possibilities for bronchoscopic non-invasive treatments (*4) that reduce patient burden, and future expansion of its applications is anticipated.
Based on our mission of KANEKA thinks “Wellness First”, to address the diverse challenges associated with respiratory diseases, we are committed to further expanding our product lineup and contributing to the enhancement of patients’ quality of life (QOL). We will realize a world where advanced medical care is accessible to everyone and where science contributes to the innovation of the global environment and our daily lives.
(*1) A bronchoscopy is a procedure that uses a bronchoscope (an endoscope for viewing inside the
trachea and bronchi) to observe the inside of the lung and collect tissue or cell samples for accurate
diagnosis.
(*2) Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan. (2023). Overview of Patient Survey (2023).
(*3) While the conventional method has a bronchoscopic biopsy diagnostic rate of 34% for cancers with chest X-ray abnormalities less than 2 cm (*5), our clinical results using SUKEDACHI™ have achieved a diagnostic rate of 77.8%.
(*4) Treatment using bronchoscope to dilate stenosis of the trachea and bronchi, or to ablate cancer
cells.
(*5) Japan Lung Cancer Society (2023). Lung Cancer Clinical Guidelines 2023 Edition, Section 3:
Definitive Diagnosis, CQ9. Retrieved June 10, 2025, from
https://www.haigan.gr.jp/publication/guideline/examination/2023/index.html.
SUKEDACHI SUKEDACHI
Overview Balloon Section Enlarged View
Balloon Dilatation for Bronchoscope Delivery (BDBD)
trachea and bronchi) to observe the inside of the lung and collect tissue or cell samples for accurate
diagnosis.
(*2) Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan. (2023). Overview of Patient Survey (2023).
(*3) While the conventional method has a bronchoscopic biopsy diagnostic rate of 34% for cancers with chest X-ray abnormalities less than 2 cm (*5), our clinical results using SUKEDACHI™ have achieved a diagnostic rate of 77.8%.
(*4) Treatment using bronchoscope to dilate stenosis of the trachea and bronchi, or to ablate cancer
cells.
(*5) Japan Lung Cancer Society (2023). Lung Cancer Clinical Guidelines 2023 Edition, Section 3:
Definitive Diagnosis, CQ9. Retrieved June 10, 2025, from
https://www.haigan.gr.jp/publication/guideline/examination/2023/index.html.
SUKEDACHI SUKEDACHI
Overview Balloon Section Enlarged View
Balloon Dilatation for Bronchoscope Delivery (BDBD)
