Cereide Therapeutics, which researches and develops cell therapy and gene therapy products using hematopoietic stem cells, has completed raising a total of 1.2 billion yen worth of Series A funding.
*View in browser* *Celeide Therapeutics Co., Ltd.*
Press release: May 8, 2024
**
Cereide Therapeutics, which researches and develops cell therapy and gene therapy products using hematopoietic stem cells, has completed raising a total of 1.2 billion yen worth of Series A funding. *In addition to additional Series A funding of 460 million yen, adoption of up to 200 million yen in NEDO grants*
Cereide Therapeutics Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, President and CEO: Nobuyuki Arakawa) is a “UTEC No. 5 Investment Limited Partnership,” whose unlimited liability members include University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners Co., Ltd., and Osaka University. “OUVC2 Investment Business Limited Partnership”, “Techno Science Ltd.”, whose unlimited liability members include Venture Capital Co., Ltd., and “Tsukuba Exceed Investment Business Limited Liability Partnership No. 2,” whose unlimited liability members include Joyo Capital Partners Co., Ltd. We conducted a third-party allotment of capital to a third party underwriter, and raised approximately 460 million yen in Series A funds.
As a result, a total of approximately 1.2 billion yen (1.16 billion yen) will be raised, including the existing Series A funding amount of 500 million yen and the amount selected for NEDO’s “Deep Tech Startup Support Project” grant (up to 200 million yen). We have completed fundraising.
In the future, we will further accelerate research and development of cell therapy and gene therapy products for blood diseases and blood cancers.
* -Series A Funding Overview-*
[Amount procured] Approximately 960 million yen (cumulative total) [Procurement method] Third party allocation capital increase [Underwriter] (Existing investor)
・UTEC No. 5 Investment Limited Partnership
・Tsukuba SBI Regional Revitalization Fund Investment Limited Partnership ・Techno Science Ltd.
(New investor this time)
・OUVC2 Investment Limited Partnership
・Tsukuba Exceed No. 2 Investment Limited Partnership
[Grant selection]
・New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) ・3rd public call for “Deep Tech Startup Support Project” in 2023 (up to 200 million yen)
* -Two businesses of Cereide Therapeutics-*
*1. Pipeline business*
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is used to completely cure blood diseases and blood cancers, but there are many issues such as securing the number of cells, and further development of treatment methods is eagerly awaited, not only in Japan but also in many countries around the world. It is. The regenerative medicine products that Ceride Therapeutics is researching and developing will expand the possibilities of transplantation as a radical treatment for various blood diseases and blood cancers, and will be used by many patients as next-generation cell therapy products. It is hoped that this will be useful in the treatment of
*2. Platform business*
Our technology for mass amplification of undifferentiated human hematopoietic stem cells ex vivo
It has been found that it can be applied to various cell therapy and gene therapy products, including HSC gene therapy. In discussions with overseas startups and pharmaceutical companies, we will continue to consider technology licensing opportunities that meet the needs of each cell and gene therapy product.
* -Funding purpose-*
Utilizing the funds raised this time, in the pipeline development business, we will improve the basic technology and obtain its non-clinical POC, and proceed with CMC activities in the lead pipeline, and in the platform business, we are gaining interest in our technology. Through partnerships with multiple companies and institutions, we will continue to develop applications for various cell and gene therapies.
* *
* -Atsushi Usami, Director/Partner, University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners Co., Ltd.-*
We have had a relationship with Cereid Therapeutics since its founding stage, and with the participation of people with diverse experience in drug discovery, we have been able to accumulate data at the
non-clinical stage for clinical trials, as well as expand globally. Development and supply chain construction have been strongly promoted. In addition to in-house development, we also had the opportunity to create a new business using our globally groundbreaking blood-enhanced stem cell expansion platform technology. With the participation and support of new investors, we hope that our team’s passion for drug discovery and the products we develop as a result of that passion will be realized as quickly and appropriately as possible. We would like to work even harder to reach people affected by the disease globally.
* -Yuki Taga, Capitalist, Investment Department, Osaka University Venture Capital Co., Ltd.-*
This time, we sympathize with Cereide Therapeutics’ vision of delivering next-generation cell therapy technology to people around the world who need it and enrich their lives, and we would like to express our understanding that the company is also utilizing Osaka University’s research results. We have made the investment based on our strong expectations for the feasibility of cell therapy using innovative technology. We are very pleased to be able to cooperate with Ceraid Therapeutics’ efforts to develop hematopoietic stem cell expansion technology and solve problems in the treatment of genetic diseases. We hope that this funding will accelerate the development of cell therapy products and platform technology, and make it possible to provide this technology to patients who need it.
* -Joyo Capital Partners Co., Ltd. Representative Director Shigeto Ikeda-* We strongly sympathize with the efforts of Ceride Therapeutics, which develops new cell therapy methods for blood cancers, intractable blood diseases, and genetic diseases. We hope that this funding will accelerate product research and development and platform technology development, and that it will be useful for the treatment of many patients as next-generation cell therapy products and technologies.
* -Celeide Therapeutics Co., Ltd. Representative Director and President Nobuyuki Arakawa-*
In our Series A funding round, new investors expressed their expectations for the future potential of our technology and the significance of our social contribution, and we were able to secure the funds necessary for future research and development. . We will continue to further promote our product development activities, keeping in mind the expectations of each investor.
* -About Ceride Therapeutics Co., Ltd.-*
Ceraid Therapeutics is a startup from the University of Tokyo and the University of Tsukuba that has unique technology to selectively amplify hematopoietic stem cells, which are the source of human blood, in vitro. By safely and efficiently increasing hematopoietic stem cells, cell therapy and ex
We aim to provide society with next-generation regenerative medicine products for the purpose of in vivo hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy and angiogenesis in ischemic diseases.
【About us】
Representative: Nobuyuki Arakawa, Representative Director and President Head office location: Entrepreneur Lab, South Research Building, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
URL: https://celaidtx.com/
Year of establishment: October 2020
Capital: 1.02 billion yen (including capital reserves)
Business details: Research and development of regenerative medicine products using human hematopoietic stem cells
*About this release details*
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000010.000100408.html
*Download press release materials*
https://prtimes.jp/im/action.php?run=html&page=releaseimage&company_id=100408&release_id=10