Company
CEO Message
GenAhead Bio Inc. (“GenAhead Bio”) was established in 2018 at Shonan Health Innovation Park in Fujisawa-city, Kanagawa-Prefecture in Japan, as a biotech company based on genetic technology.
We have proprietary genome editing and nucleic acid delivery technologies based on our extensive experience.
Genome editing is indispensable for disease research, regenerative medicine, and gene therapy, but at the same time, it is known to be a very labor-intensive process. We can contribute to companies and research institutions with our highly efficient and accurate genome editing technology.
Gene delivery technology is essential for the realization of nucleic acid medicine and gene therapy. We are committed to helping companies and research institutions seeking solutions with our unique technology.
We hope to grow into a company that contributes to realizing a healthy society by supporting drug discovery through our proprietary technologies.
CEO, Tsukasa Sugo, Ph.D.
| Corporate Name | GenAhead Bio Inc. ("GenAhead Bio") |
|---|---|
| Foundation | February 1, 2018 |
| Head Office | 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 251-0012 Japan |
| Representative | President and Chief Executive Officer Tsukasa Sugo, Ph.D. |
Board Members
President and Chief Executive Officer, Founder Tsukasa Sugo, Ph.D.
In 2018, Tsukasa Sugo founded GenAhead Bio as CEO.
Previously, he worked at Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited for 25 years in G protein-coupled receptor research, nucleic acid pharmaceutical research, and genome editing research. During his career in Takeda, he had an opportunity to work for Alnylam Pharmaceuticals as a visiting scientist.
He earned his Ph.D. from the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, the University of Tokyo, and his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Tokyo following research at the Institute of Medical Science, the University of Tokyo. He was awarded the Outstanding Reviewers status for the Journal of Controlled Release.
Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, Co-Founder Mie Yoshimatsu
Mie Yoshimatsu founded GenAhead Bio together with Dr. Sugo.
Previously she served as a researcher of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited and was in charge of a wide range of tasks, including monoclonal antibody production, medical pharmacology (in vitro, in vivo), screening, and molecular biology. She has a track record of INDs including Relugolix, Resatorvid, etc. She graduated from Kyoto Pharmaceutical University with a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree.
Outside Director Akihiro Tomoyasu, Ph.D.
Akihiro Tomoyasu joined GenAhead Bio in 2018.
B.S. (M.S.), Hokkaido University Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
After working for Snow Brand Dairy Corporation (currently Snow Brand Mega Milk Co., Ltd.) and Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., he engaged in venture investment and development business at UFJ Capital Co. (current Mitsubishi UFJ Capital Co.).
In 2015, he established Tomoyasu Research Institute, Inc. and became Representative Director (current position). He serves as an outside director of Kinopharma Inc., Kringle Pharma Inc., a lecturer at the Department of Pathophysiology at Saitama Medical University's Center for Genomic Medicine, and also an outside director of FlyMune Inc., PharmaBio Inc., and BioMatrix Laboratories, Inc.
Outside Auditor Takayuki Oda, Attorney at Law
Takayuki Oda joined GenAhead Bio as the Outside Auditor in 2021.
He graduated from the Faculty of Law, Doshisha University, and was engaged in corporate legal affairs, listing preparation (Mothers), M & A, management consulting, and bio-venture companies. He was working at Tairaka Law Office and he opened Oda Law Office (currently Oda & Hoshino Law Office) in 2018. He is currently the director of Zero Storia Inc and an outside Corporate Auditor at Scohia Pharma Inc. as well.
Company Overview
Our company was founded in April 2018 as a spin-out venture of Takeda Pharmaceuticals based on the technology built up at Takeda.
We have a contract genome editing business based on a commercial license for CRISPR/Cas technology, as well as proprietary technology for nucleic acid delivery transferred from Takeda.
As for genome editing technology, we were granted a commercial license for their CRISPR/Cas technology from ERS Genomics in Ireland in September 2018, and by combining it with our proprietary SNIPER method, we have succeeded in dramatically improving the efficiency of genome editing. We were also granted a commercial license for their CRISPR/Cas technology from Broad Institute in December 2022, and our genome editing technology is being used by major pharmaceutical companies to bio ventures and academia.
Our proprietary delivery technology enables nucleic acids to deliver the target cells in the muscle, heart, and white blood cells to act on the target genes by conjugating the targeting antibody with nucleic acid, which would be amenable to treat genetically driven diseases for which there is still no cure. We are expecting a partner to promote joint research.
Access/Access Information
Address
- 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa,
251-0012+3:35 Japan( Shonan Health Innovation Park )
Access Information
- Our head office and laboratory are in the Shonan iPark. Please refer to the following information.
https://www.shonan-ipark.com/en/about/access/