Our History

1984 | The Founding of Metran Co., Ltd.
Revolutionizing Neonatal Care with Lung-Gentle HFO Ventilation

Metran was founded in 1984 by Kazufuku Nitta (Tran Ngoc Phuc), who first came to Japan as an international student. After gaining valuable experience at a medical device manufacturer, Nitta launched the company in response to urgent requests from frontline clinicians who pleaded, “We need a ventilator that can save premature infants.” The company name itself represents this vision, derived from “Tran’s Medical Company.”

The underdeveloped lungs of premature infants require incredibly gentle ventilation to prevent long-term complications or trauma. Collaborating closely with clinical physicians, Nitta developed High-Frequency Oscillatory Ventilation (HFO) technology. This breakthrough system was adopted by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) as their gold-standard testing reference and was eventually introduced into approximately 90% of all Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) across Japan, revolutionizing neonatal medicine.

Furthermore, our animal ventilators (SAV-6) also feature “pressure-limited ventilation” to protect the delicate lungs. Our founding principle, “We want to save every life we ​​can, while keeping them healthy,” is the foundation of our technology. Applying this same philosophy to veterinary medicine, Metran launched the SAV-6 veterinary ventilator, bringing “pressure-limited ventilation” to animal care to protect their delicate respiratory systems. Our founding conviction—to save every life that can be saved while preserving their long-term health—remains the true baseline of our engineering technology today.

2006 | Developing Japan’s First Domestic CPAP Device
Entering the Sleep Apnea Therapy Market with the “Jusmine”

Metran next turned its R&D expertise toward creating a domestic treatment device for Sleep Apnea Syndrome (SAS). At the time, entering the market was incredibly difficult, as foreign manufacturers held dominant patents on the necessary technology. However, in 1999, Nitta met Shinichi Nakane (Metran’s current President), who was then a graduate student in the United States researching sleep apnea therapy devices.

Nakane entrusted his research findings to Nitta and subsequently returned to Japan to join the development team. This collaboration resulted in Jusmine, Japan’s very first domestic continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) unit. Its third-generation successor, the JPAP, went on to win the prestigious Good Design Award in 2016.

2011 | Advancing Veterinary Care with the “Compos X”
From Primates to Apex Predators: High-Function Respiratory Management

The Compos X veterinary ventilator was engineered as a high-performance, versatile model capable of treating animals ranging from tiny domestic pets to large wildlife species. By incorporating a precise proximal flow sensor at the patient’s proximal, it achieved unprecedented accuracy in animal respiratory management. Highly acclaimed for its clinical performance and compact, highly portable design, the Compos X is utilized globally across a vast range of veterinary fields—treating primates, large predators, and reptiles alike.

A Bengal tiger undergoing root canal treatment for a fractured canine tooth.

Green anaconda undergoing wound debridement (removal of necrotic tissue)

2020 | Responding to the Global Pandemic
Urgent Emergency Production to Overcome Ventilator Shortages

As the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe, healthcare systems faced a critical shortage of mechanical ventilators. Metran, which was just beginning to aggressively expand into international markets, received a massive influx of orders from around the world that far exceeded its independent production capacity.

In response, the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) stepped in to facilitate a milestone project in April 2020, leveraging the manufacturing infrastructure and workforce of a major Japanese automotive parts manufacturer. Within a record-breaking span of just two months, Metran rapidly engineered and mass-produced the Eliciae MV20, a user-friendly, high-efficiency ventilator. The units were deployed immediately to frontline hospitals across Japan, Vietnam, Bolivia, Indonesia, and beyond.

2025 | A New Chapter as Part of the Central Medience Group
Charting a Stronger, Reimagined Future for Global Healthcare

Following the containment of the COVID-19 pandemic, Metran faced a shifting socioeconomic landscape while holding expanded ventilator inventory. This challenge was further compounded by soaring raw material costs, a sharp depreciation of the yen, and global component supply chain delays. To effectively restructure its operations, Metran proactively applied for the Civil Rehabilitation Act at the Tokyo District Court on February 27, 2025, receiving a supervisory order on the same day.

Moving swiftly to secure its future, Metran signed a definitive sponsor agreement with Central Medience Co., Ltd. on May 23, 2025. Now operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Central Medience Group, Metran has successfully stabilized its operations.

Moving forward, we are aggressively strengthening our domestic and international supply chains while expanding into new medical markets. Backed by solid corporate restructuring, we stand more committed than ever to serving society and protecting the world’s most vulnerable, “tiny lives.”