PROJECT KIKU -- INITIAL SCREENING NOTE
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 Class: COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE
 From: Corporate Development
 To: Research Leadership; Finance; Legal

 SUMMARY
 A privately held Japanese life-sciences company has approached
 through an intermediary with a claimed non-human adrenochrome
 product suitable for evaluation against the Partner's existing
 bioactive-material requirements.

 The supplier presents the route as lower-reputational-risk than
 legacy sourcing, with batch documentation, cold-chain custody,
 and a research-use export frame. The claim is not that the
 material is novel in effect; the claim is that it is novel in
 origin.

 COMMERCIAL THESIS
   - possible reputational-risk reduction
   - potential supply-chain diversification
   - Japanese regulatory and manufacturing discipline
   - option to acquire IP before competitors see it

 RECOMMENDATION
 Proceed to technical exchange and site visit. Do not discuss
 existing human-derived comparator material with the supplier
 except at the level required for assay design.

 Next: [SITE-VISIT-TOKYO.TXT].