by Niihara International announced that its Founder and CEO, Dr. Yutaka Niihara, has been awarded the Rosa Parks Spirit Award by the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development. The honor recognizes his long-standing commitment to improving care and treatment options for patients with sickle cell disease, particularly those affected by health disparities. The Company continues to advance therapies, including L-glutamine treatment, aimed at reducing complications and addressing unmet medical needs in rare diseases.
Irvine, California – June 23, 2026 – Niihara International, Inc. (“Niihara International” or the “Company”), a development-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on therapies for rare and orphan diseases, today announced that its Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Yutaka Niihara, M.D., has been awarded the Rosa Parks Spirit Award by the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development, the only organization founded by civil rights icon Rosa Parks.
The Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development, co‑founded by Rosa Parks and Elaine Eason Steele in 1987, is dedicated to educating and motivating youth and adults for self and community betterment and continues Mrs. Parks’ legacy as a global symbol of courage and human rights. The Rosa Parks Spirit Award is presented on a selective basis to individuals and partners whose work reflects Mrs. Parks’ belief that “we are here on Planet Earth to live, grow up, and do what we can to make the world a better place for all people to enjoy freedom,” including freedom from injustice and inequity.
In presenting the Rosa Parks Spirit Award to Dr. Niihara, a representative of the Institute cited his more than decade‑long commitment to improving the lives of patients with sickle cell disease, particularly those facing significant health disparities and barriers to care. The presentation acknowledged Dr. Niihara’s role in bringing broader attention to the burden of pain experienced by sickle cell patients and his sustained efforts to develop and advance treatment options for this historically underserved population.
“This recognition from the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development is deeply humbling,” said Dr. Yutaka Niihara. “Rosa Parks devoted her life to the cause of human dignity and equal opportunity, and I am honored that our work on behalf of sickle cell patients has been associated with her legacy. We remain committed to developing therapies that can help reduce suffering and address the persistent inequities faced by patients and families around the world.”
Niihara International is focused on the development, commercialization, and distribution of innovative therapies for rare and orphan diseases, including its initial product candidate, a generic prescription‑grade L‑glutamine oral powder designed to reduce acute complications associated with sickle cell disease in patients ages five years and older. L‑glutamine therapy has been recognized as an important option within a limited range of treatments available to sickle cell patients and reflects the Company’s mission to target serious unmet medical needs.
Niihara International’s efforts build on a growing body of clinical and real‑world evidence demonstrating that pharmaceutical‑grade L‑glutamine can reduce the frequency of painful vaso‑occlusive crises in sickle cell disease and offer meaningful benefits in a population that has historically had few therapeutic choices. The Company intends to continue advancing its product and pipeline strategy while seeking collaborations that align with its commitment to patient‑centered innovation and health equity.
About the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development
The Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development was co‑founded in 1987 by Rosa Parks and Elaine Eason Steele to educate and motivate youth and adults, particularly African American communities, for self and community betterment. Based in Detroit, Michigan, the Institute sponsors programs that promote civil rights education, leadership development, and civic engagement, continuing the legacy of Rosa Parks, widely known as the “Mother of the Civil Rights Movement.”
About Niihara International, Inc.
Niihara International, Inc., incorporated in California in 2023, is a development‑stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development, commercialization and distribution of innovative therapies for rare and orphan diseases. The Company’s initial product is a generic prescription‑grade L‑glutamine oral powder designed to reduce acute complications associated with sickle cell disease in patients ages five years and older. For more information, please visit www.niiharainternational.com.
Forward‑Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward‑looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws, including statements regarding the Company’s business strategy, development plans, product candidates, and potential markets. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward‑looking statements, including those described under “Risk Factors” in any offering circular or other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward‑looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release, and Niihara International, Inc. undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward‑looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.
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Media Contact
Organization: Niihara International, Inc.
Contact Person: Maurice Bethea
Website: https://niiharainternational.com/
Email:
mbethea@niiharainternational.com
City: Rolling Hills Estates
State: California
Country:United States
Release id:46420
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