Bringing innovation to gastric cancer screening—unchanged for 50 years.
New value born from a proven track record in medical device development and clinical experience.
Bringing Innovation to Gastric Cancer Screening—Unchanged for 50 Years
Creating New Value Through Clinical Experience and Medical Device Innovation
The World’s First Screening-Specific Solution
Endoluminal Solutions Inc. is creating new value in Japan’s healthcare system through the development of an innovative endoscopic system dedicated to gastric cancer screening.
Our screening-specific disposable endoscope (gastroscope) features three key innovations: the world’s thinnest diameter, a fully single-use design, and ultra-low cost. While conventional endoscopes have evolved into highly sophisticated devices for diagnosis and treatment, we take a fundamentally different approach. Through “zero-based development,” we build from the ground up—focusing only on the functions truly required for screening—to create a device optimized for this purpose.
Barium-based screening, which has been the standard since the 1970s, has reached a turning point. With limitations in detection accuracy and concerns over radiation exposure, its historical role is coming to an end. Participation in barium screening continues to decline, while the transition toward endoscopic screening as a new standard is now being seriously discussed.
We do not simply point out these challenges. By providing a practical and easily adoptable new screening solution, we are committed to addressing this critical societal issue.
Founder & CEO
Kiyokazu Nakajima, MD, PhD, FACS
- founder representative of Endoluminal Solutions Inc.
- Specially Appointed Professor, Department of Next Generation Endoscopic Intervention (Project ENGINE), Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University
- Concurrent Professor, Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University
Professional Experience
- 1992: Graduated from Osaka University Medical School
- 1999: Completed PhD (Doctor of Medicine), Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University
- 2001: Research Fellow, Department of Surgery, Cornell University, USA
- 2002: Instructor, Minimal Access Surgery Center, New York-Presbyterian Hospital
- 2004: Chief Surgeon, Osaka Rosai Hospital
- 2006: Assistant Professor, Dept. of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka University
- 2010: Lecturer, Dept. of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka University
- 2012: Department of Next Generation Endoscopic Intervention (Project ENGINE)、professor
Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Osaka, Osaka, Japan - 2012: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery
Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Osaka, Osaka, Japan - 2025: Founded Endoluminal Solutions, Inc.
About Project “ENGINE”
The “ENGINE” project (Department of Next Generation Endoscopic Intervention), established at Osaka University in 2008, serves as an industry-academia collaboration platform to pioneer the next generation of minimally invasive treatments. Over 13 years, it has achieved joint research with over 50 companies, launched 30 products, and filed over 160 patent applications.
This rich experience and track record form the technical foundation of Endoluminal Solutions, Inc.
※ Details of Project “ENGINE” can be found here.
Academic Societies & Appointments
- Japan Surgical Society: Certified Physician, Specialist, Instructor
- Japan Society of Gastroenterological Surgery: Councilor, Specialist, Instructor
- Japan Society for Endoscopic Surgery: Councilor, Technically Certified Surgeon, Advisor to the Medical-Engineering Collaboration Committee
- Japanese Board of Cancer Therapy: Certified Physician
- Japanese Society of Gastroenterology: Specialist
- American College of Surgeons (ACS): Fellow (FACS)
- Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES): Active Member
- European Association for Endoscopic Surgery (EAES): Active Member, Technology Committee Member
- Endoscopic and Laparoscopic Surgeons of Asia (ELSA): Active Member, Vice Chair of Asian Innovation Committee
- World Endoscopy Organization (WEO): Surgical Endoscopy Committee Member
- Innovations in Global Surgery: Advisory Board Member
- Surgical Endoscopy: Subject Editor
- Minimally Invasive Therapy & Allied Technologies: Editorial Board Member
- Others: Japan Gastric Cancer Association, Japan Esophageal Society, etc.
Specialties
- Gastroenterological Surgery
- Minimally Invasive Surgery
- Gastrointestinal Functional Disorders & Motility
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis)
- Development of Novel Endoscopic Procedures & Devices
- Surgical Education (Training for Endoscopic Surgery)
- HR Development in Medical-Engineering Fusion
- Intellectual Property Protection in Life Sciences
- Innovation Theory
- Infrastructure for Medical Device Development (Ecosystem)
- Universal Health Coverage (UHC)
- Green Surgery
- International Standardization & Global Expansion of Medical Devices
Achievements (as of Sept 1, 2025)
Academic Publications
48 English main-authored papers (including 21 original articles), 65 Japanese main-authored papers, 7 English books (1 Editor, 6 Chapters), and 15 Japanese textbooks (Supervising Translator/Editor).
Presentations
361 First-author presentations (246 Domestic, 115 International)
Intellectual Property
- Patents: 160 Applications / 62 Registrations (US: 9, CN: 7, EP: 8, JP: 38)
- Designs: 20 Registrations
- Trademarks: 14 Registrations
Awards
- 2009: DDW Crystal Award (USA)
- 2013: MEDTEC Japan Innovation Award (Grand Prix)
- 2013: Monodzukuri Nippon Grand Award (Special Prize)
- 2014: Osaka University President’s Award
- 2018: JSES Ohgami Award
- 2020: Good Design Award (Fluorescent Ureteral Catheter)
- 2022: Japanese Society of Medical Instrumentation Writing Award
- 2023: Best Doctors® Award
- 2023: Innovation Producer, Small and Medium Enterprise Agency
- 2025: Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry MDF Award (Special Prize)
Competitive Funding
- METI Commissioned Projects:13
- MEXT KAKENHI:3
- MHLW Research Grants:2
- AMED Grants:6
- SME Agency Grants:7
- Private Sector Grants:20
- International Grants: