Dr. Toru Miyazaki’s AIM Cure Set for Potential 2027 Launch
Dr. Toru Miyazaki discovered the AIM protein and its role in feline CKD.
After decades of research and rising hope, a potential cure for feline chronic kidney disease (CKD) is finally within reach. The long-anticipated AIM injection drug—designed to restore the kidney’s natural cleaning mechanism—is set to enter clinical trials in April 2025, with completion targeted before year-end. Applications for regulatory approval are planned for 2026, and if successful, the drug could be available to the public as early as spring 2027.
This marks a historic moment in veterinary medicine. The drug was developed by Dr. Toru Miyazaki, the Japanese immunologist who discovered the AIM (Apoptosis Inhibitor of Macrophage) protein in 1999 and revealed its critical role in clearing waste from the kidneys. Unlike other species, cats lack the ability to activate AIM, which leads to a gradual buildup of waste and eventual kidney failure. Dr. Miyazaki’s breakthrough was not only in identifying this process, but in formulating a method to correct it—culminating in the development of an injectable drug that delivers active AIM directly to the kidneys.
Kidney Disease Treatment Available to All Cats
To bring the therapy to life, Dr. Toru Miyazaki established the Institute for AIM Medicine (IAM) in 2022 with the help of widespread donations from cat lovers who shared his vision of curing feline kidney disease. This public support allowed him to transition AIM research from academic theory into practical application.
The following year, he launched IAM Cat as a dedicated platform to accelerate feline-specific clinical development. Beyond the laboratory, Dr. Toru Miyazaki has worked tirelessly to raise awareness, build infrastructure, and push the treatment toward real-world use. A full production pipeline has now been secured, including a dedicated manufacturing base in Taiwan, ensuring that the drug can be scaled for broad distribution once approved.
Dr. Toru Miyazaki’s book, The Day Cats Live to Be Thirty, now looks to be reality.
Crucially, accessibility remains a top priority. Dr. Miyazaki has emphasized that the injection should be affordable for all cats, not a luxury limited to a few.
Interest in the treatment continues to surge. A preclinical blood test campaign calling for feline participants has drawn over 550 applicants so far. Sample collection is ongoing until mid-April, offering additional cats the opportunity to support final-stage research.
Greycoat Research's Cooperation with Dr. Toru Miyazaki
Dr. Toru Miyazaki (left) and Dr. Kim Jae-young (right) speak at a seminar on feline kidney disease and AIM hosted by Greycoat Research.
Greycoat Research has been an early adopter of Dr. Miyazaki’s findings. The company’s Dr. Toru Protocol supplements, based on his AIM-centered research, offers proactive care for cats with kidney disease. With guidance from Dr. Miyazaki and other experts such as Dr. Kim Jae-young and Dr. Koyabashi Motoo, Greycoat Research has consulted on over 1,000 cases of cats with kidney disease.
Greycoat Research's Dr. Toru Protocol supplements were designed based on Dr. Toru Miyazaki's research.
As trials begin, Greycoat Research will continue collaborating with AIM researchers and providing cat owners with data-driven care solutions. While the injection therapy moves closer to approval, the present remains a critical window for monitoring, nutritional support, and early intervention to manage kidney disease in cats.
After years of uncertainty, cat owners around the world may soon witness a new era ushered in through Dr. Toru Miyazaki’s AIM research—one where every cat, and not just a lucky few, has the chance to live a full, vibrant life free from kidney disease into their 30s.
