Takeda sets up JIF with Whiz Partners to promote drug discovery ecosystem in Japan

Japan’s largest drugmaker Takeda Pharmaceutical (TYO: 4502) has teamed up with  Japan-based alternative asset management firm, Whiz Partners 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.

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.