Date: 2018-08-03
Type of information: Financing round
Company: Drug Discovery Gateway Investment Limited Partnership - DDG Fund (Japan)
Investors: Takeda Pharmaceutical (Japan) Whiz Partners (Japan)
Amount:
Funding type: financing round
Planned used:
Others:
- • On August 3, 2018, Takeda Pharmaceutical and Japan-based Alternative Asset Management Firm, Whiz Partners announced they have entered into an agreement to create a joint investment fund, aimed at promoting a drug discovery ecosystem in Japan. This investment fund will be called “Drug Discovery Gateway Investment Limited Partnership” (“DDG Fund”), and will launch in November 2018.
- Under the terms of the agreement, Whiz will establish the DDG Fund and assume the responsibilities of the general partner. Takeda will invest Axcelead Drug Discovery Partners, a wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda and a drug discovery platform company, in kind into the DDG Fund, in return for
Limited Partner Shares.
- The DDG Fund will approach domestic and global financial investors and the biopharma/pharmaceutical industry to join the fund as limited partners. In this way, these strategic
investments in academia and venture startups will help to realize innovative medicines and therapies supported by Axcelead. Axcelead started its drug discovery platform business in July 2017, after being transferred from Takeda’s
drug discovery research division, as the first integrated drug discovery solution provider in the Japanese
pharmaceutical industry. Axcelead is equipped with all functions related to non-clinical drug discovery
research and personnel with extensive skills, knowledge and experience in all fields. As such, Axcelead provides diverse and innovative healthcare institutions involved in drug discovery/development in Japan and other countries, with a one-stop solution service tailored to each of their needs. Furthermore, these services are offered in a wide spectrum of therapeutic areas, ranging from exploratory research and the optimization of candidate compounds to the process of bridging such initiatives to clinical development.
As a company independent from Takeda after the latter’s in-kind investment into the DDG Fund, Axcelead
will provide a wide assortment of drug discovery services for not only Takeda but also other pharmaceutical
companies and venture startups. By integrating strategic investments in academia and venture startups with
experience and platform of drug discovery in Axcelead, the DDG Fund will lead the drug discovery ecosystem in Japan with the aim of achieving success as a fund.
Therapeutic area:
Is general: Yes
