PharmaX
Tokyo, JP · 4 known investors
PharmaX designs digital healthcare solutions focused on improving access to medical services and medications for patients in Japan. The company uses technology to reduce barriers to healthcare and provide continuous patient support through digital consultation and AI-driven health management.
Also known as PharmaX, Inc. · PharmaX株式会社 · YOJO Technologies · 株式会社YOJO Technologies
Founders & leadership
Investors · 4
Also in the syndicate · 1
Company profile
researched Aug 2026PharmaX株式会社 (PharmaX, Inc.) is a Tokyo-based healthcare technology company that operates YOJO, an online "family pharmacy" brand focused on women's health. Through YOJO, users consult healthcare professionals about physical and mental complaints via the LINE messaging app; pharmacists propose medicines suited to the user's constitution, and purchase, delivery and follow-up are completed online. The service is positioned around personalized kampo (traditional Chinese herbal medicine) sold on a subscription basis, and has also handled prescription drugs, adding immediate delivery of prescription medicines in 2021 and expanding into online medication guidance following Japan's April 2022 dispensing-fee revision.
A second line of business, described by the company as its AX business, applies AI development know-how gained from YOJO to build AI agents for dispensing pharmacies, and provides AI-agent consulting and development support to other companies. The company operates the domains pharma-x.co.jp and pharmacy-agent.jp. Third-party databases additionally list YOJO LIFE, a health media property for women, and PharmaX OS, a software and operations package that lets pharmacy operators launch their own online pharmacies.
The company was established on 2018-12-07 under the name YOJO Technologies and renamed PharmaX in September 2022. It is headquartered at Hi-Tech Hongo Building 102, 5-25-18 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, and holds ISO/IEC 27001 (ISMS) certification for information security management.
Business model
Direct-to-consumer online pharmacy services delivered over LINE, including subscription supply of personalized kampo and online sale and delivery of medicines, combined with B2B software and services: an AI agent product for dispensing pharmacies, AI-agent consulting and development support for other companies, and a package (listed as PharmaX OS) enabling pharmacy operators to launch online pharmacies. The company has also operated a white-label style service, "Online Pharmacy with au Wellness."
Consumer revenue from sales of medicines, including a kampo subscription, through the YOJO online pharmacy; business revenue from AI agent products for dispensing pharmacies and from consulting and development support engagements, plus software packages for pharmacy operators.
Traction
YOJO's LINE official account passed 10,000 followers in August 2020 and 15,000 in October 2020; a startup database cites more than 90,000 registrants as of July 2021. The service reported 100,000 users in July 2021, 200,000 in May 2022 and 250,000 LINE registrants in March 2023. YOJO marked five years of operation in July 2024. The company placed third at ICC FUKUOKA 2021, won a Silver Award at the Japan Subscription Business Awards 2021, and received a Findy Team+ Award 2024.
Latest developments
In February 2024 PharmaX announced 24-hour support for women's health complaints in the YOJO online kampo pharmacy using a large language model. In July 2024 it published survey results reporting that 98% of respondents considered online pharmacist consultation and kampo purchasing services indispensable, and marked YOJO's fifth anniversary. In August 2024 it published a YOJO brand book covering the service's value and strategy. It received the Findy Team+ Award 2024 in November 2024. The company is currently developing AI agents for dispensing pharmacies and offering AI-agent consulting and development support to other companies.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
Positioned as a next-generation online pharmacy operator in Japan. A startup database describes YOJO as the largest by user count among services that complete medicine consultation and purchase entirely within LINE (as of 2021), and states that by automating routine pharmacist work the service can sell high-quality kampo, normally available only through specialist kampo pharmacies, at lower prices.
Completion of the full care loop — consultation, product recommendation by a pharmacist, purchase, delivery and follow-up — inside LINE, with automation of routine pharmacist tasks enabling lower-priced access to kampo normally dispensed only by specialist pharmacies; a remote pharmacist workforce model; and reuse of consumer-service AI know-how to build AI agents sold to dispensing pharmacies.
Technology
A LINE-based consultation and commerce workflow that automates routine pharmacist tasks so that consultation, purchase, delivery and follow-up are completed online. The company introduced a large language model into the YOJO online kampo pharmacy in February 2024 to support 24-hour coverage, and develops AI agents for dispensing pharmacies based on that experience. It also operates a remote pharmacist staffing model and maintains ISO/IEC 27001-certified information security management.
Go-to-market
Direct consumer acquisition through the YOJO LINE official account, supported by frequent consumer surveys and press releases, media placements in consumer and pharmacy trade publications, and a published brand book. Partnerships with corporates provide additional distribution, including the "Online Pharmacy with au Wellness" service launched in March 2023 and a business tie-up under consideration with KDDI following its investment.
Consumers in Japan seeking medical advice and medication without visiting a pharmacy, with a stated focus on women's health concerns such as menstruation/PMS, menopause symptoms and fertility; on the B2B side, dispensing pharmacies and pharmacy operators, and companies seeking AI agent development support.
Geography
Japan; headquartered in Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, with a head office relocation announced in July 2023. Services are delivered online, and the company operates a remote pharmacist model.
History
The company was established on 2018-12-07 as YOJO Technologies and began the YOJO service in July 2019. It expanded a remote pharmacist structure in 2020, raised JPY 250 million in July 2021 to enter the prescription drug market, and began immediate delivery of prescription medicines that month. In September 2022 it announced an approximately JPY 500 million third-party allotment from KDDI Open Innovation Fund 3 and existing shareholders, renamed itself from YOJO Technologies to PharmaX, and began full consideration of a business alliance with KDDI. It marked its fifth anniversary as a company in December 2023, and has since added an AI agent business for dispensing pharmacies.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 14
launches, deals, and filingsThe company states it holds ISO/IEC 27001 certification for its information security management system.
Approximately JPY 500 million third-party allotment with KDDI Open Innovation Fund 3, ANRI and Globis Capital Partners as subscribers; Global Brain announced it invested as lead investor. Announced alongside the name change from YOJO Technologies to PharmaX and the start of full consideration of a business alliance with KDDI.
The company, then named YOJO Technologies, announced a JPY 250 million raise and full entry into the prescription drug market.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
In the news
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- PharmaXpharma-x.co.jp · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does PharmaX do?
- PharmaX runs the LINE-based online pharmacy brand YOJO and builds AI agents for dispensing pharmacies in Japan.
- Who founded PharmaX?
- PharmaX was founded by 辻 裕介 (Yusuke Tsuji).
- Who are PharmaX's investors?
- PharmaX's investors include Global Brain, Globis Capital Partners, KDDI Open Innovation Fund.
- Where is PharmaX headquartered?
- PharmaX is headquartered in Tokyo, JP.