Orizuru Therapeutics and Axcelead DDP Collaborate on Drug Discovery Support Services Regarding iPS Cells

2023.03.10

Kyoto and Kanagawa, Japan, March 10, 2023 — Orizuru Therapeutics Inc. (“OZTx”) and Axcelead Drug Discovery Partners, Inc (“Axcelead DDP”) have entered into a collaboration for drug discovery support services related to iPS cells.

OZTx has a broad range of technology and expertise in the field of iPS cells, and has skilled researchers that are capable of inducing differentiation of undifferentiated human iPS cells into a wide variety of cell types. Axcelead DDP provides drug discovery support services such as phenotypic screening, drug efficacy and safety evaluation using differentiated iPS cells, and the collaboration between the two companies will facilitate drug discovery using human iPS cells that are expected to have clinical applications. Both companies are based in the Shonan Health Innovation Park, and researchers from OZTx will induce differentiation of iPS cells at Axcelead DDP’s research facility, enabling seamless drug discovery support from induction of differentiation of undifferentiated iPS cells to experiments using differentiated cells and data acquisition. The synergy of this collaboration will deliver highly convenient and rapid services, resulting in improved accuracy of their customers’ drug discovery research.

Kenji Nonaka, President, Representative Director and CEO of OZTx, said, “We are very pleased to be able to collaborate with Axcelead DDP, a drug discovery solution provider with an outstanding track record. We expect that this collaboration will further accelerate our drug discovery research support business by bringing together our diverse iPS cell differentiation technologies with Axcelead DDP’s strengths in cell-based drug screening technology platforms. We will continue to promote the social implementation of innovative iPS cell-related technologies and strive to deliver new regenerative medicine products and new breakthrough drugs to patients.”

Yoshinori Ikeura, President and CEO of Axcelead DDP, said, “iPS cells are an indispensable tool in drug discovery research, and one of our focus areas is drug discovery support using iPS cells. We are delighted to be able to create a new drug discovery support service by combining OZTx’s strengths in iPS cell-related technologies with our knowledge and experience in drug discovery. Moving forward, we will keep developing new technologies in-house while building partnerships to improve our drug discovery support business.”

Orizuru Therapeutics, Inc.
OZTx, founded in April 2021 by KYOTO-iCAP, is steadfast in its dedication to bringing hope for better health through the infinite power of science. To deliver cell therapies to patients, the company promotes the wide use of cell therapy products and innovative iPSC-related technology through the following activities:
1.Development of regenerative medical products through cell transplantation
2.Support for drug discovery research and development of regenerative medicine research platform using iPSC-related technology
For more information, please visit https://orizuru-therapeutics.com/en/

Axcelead Drug Discovery Partners, Inc.
Axcelead DDP is the first integrated drug discovery solutions provider in the pharmaceutical industry in Japan, having succeeded the drug discovery research capabilities of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited and started its business in July, 2017. The company provides integrated services, from discovery of drug targets to optimization of small- and medium-molecule drug candidates, in which the company has particular expertise, and to the process of bridging the gap to clinical development.