Profile: Takara Holdings Inc. has active research & product development activities in the fields of gene & cell-based therapy and agricultural biotechnology. We are involved in the clinical development of a cancer immunotherapy using the retronectin® expansion-culture system, as well as providing support for other cancer immunotherapies. We found that a recombinant human fibronectin fragment dramatically enhanced the efficiency of the gene transduction into hematopoietic stem cells by retrovirus vectors. We focus in research & development of gene therapy to treat AIDS, using the MazF ribonuclease. T cells infected with the AIDS virus (HIV) start to reproduce the HIV viruses after Tat proteins derived from HIV are initially expressed. This therapy aims to eliminate HIV by preventing the reproduction of the virus.