For Immediate Release

ASAHIKAWA MEDICAL UNIVERSITY
DAIICHI SANKYO COMPANY, LIMITED
MITSUBISHI UFJ CAPITAL CO., LTD.

Open innovation research on new stem cells by Asahikawa Medical University, Daiichi Sankyo, and Mitsubishi UFJ Capital

TOKYO, Japan (April 5, 2016) - National University Corporation Asahikawa Medical University (President: Akitoshi Yoshida; Asahikawa-shi, Hokkaido; hereinafter “Asahikawa Medical University”), Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (Representative Director, President and CEO: Joji Nakayama; head office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter “Daiichi Sankyo”), and Mitsubishi UFJ Capital Co., Ltd. (President: Kei Andoh; head office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter “Mitsubishi UFJ Capital”) have announced today that they will launch open innovation research (“the research”) to develop the new capillary stem cells (“CapSCs”) discovered by Jun-ichi Kawabe, a professor of the Department of Cardiovascular Regeneration and Innovation, Asahikawa Medical University, into a cell source for regenerative medicine and cell therapy.

 

CapSCs are new stem cells, isolated and identified by the joint research of Asahikawa Medical University and Asubio Pharma Co., Ltd. (President and CEO: Yoshiharu Minamitake, head office: Kobe-shi, Hyogo), a wholly owned subsidiary of Daiichi Sankyo. CapSCs can differentiate into not only blood vessels, but also into various tissue cells. In the research, besides the therapeutic effects of CapSCs on various diseases, their practical use as a source for cell therapy will be investigated.

 

To carry out the research, a new company OiDE CapiSEA, Inc. (head office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter “CapiSEA”) was established and wholly funded by OiDE Fund Investment Limited Partnership (“OiDE Fund”), operated by Mitsubishi UFJ Capital. If the goals of the three-year joint research are achieved, Daiichi Sankyo will purchase all the stocks of CapiSEA to continue research and development as its own project, and will pay a fee to AsahikawaMedicalUniversity depending on advances in research and development. In addition, Asahikawa Medical University will hold some stocks as consideration.

 

This is the first OiDE Fund investment, and Daiichi Sankyo and Mitsubishi UFJ Capital will continue to promote open innovation activities to develop a new drug discovery platform technology using the OiDE Fund.

 

[Schematic view]

 

 

 

Contact information
Research Support Division (Social Cooperation), General Affairs Department, NationalUniversityCorporationAsahikawaMedicalUniversity	TEL: 0166-68-2197
Corporate Communication Department, Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd.	TEL: 03-6225-1126
Planning Division, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital Co., Ltd.	TEL: 03-5205-8581