Axcelead and A2 Healthcare Corporation announced that they will enter a strategic partnership to promote pharmaceutical research and development in Japan.
Axcelead operates a global business built on two core pillars: drug discovery services and mRNA CDMO services. Its drug discovery capabilities are provided through Axcelead Drug Discovery Partners, Inc. (Headquarters: Fujisawa City, Kanagawa) and Axcelead Tokyo West Partners, Inc. (Headquarters: Hino City, Tokyo), both offering pharmaceutical-grade drug discovery platforms.
In addition, ARCALIS, Inc. (Headquarters: Minamisoma City, Fukushima), Axcelead’s mRNA CDMO arm, operates Asia-Pacific’s first GMP-compliant API manufacturing facility for mRNA vaccines and therapeutics.
A2 Healthcare is a full-service CRO providing clinical development solutions for pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Leveraging its deep expertise in life sciences, the company contributes to medical and healthcare innovation to improve the quality of peoples’ lives. In March 2024, A2 Healthcare established a new office in Boston, USA, serving as both an inbound and outbound hub. Furthermore, as part of its efforts to address drug loss in Japan, the company is promoting “J-STEP” (Japan Strategic Teaming & Entry Program)—an initiative aimed at pioneering future healthcare innovations and strengthening Japan’s drug discovery capabilities.
Under this agreement, Axcelead and A2 Healthcare will work together to establish an integrated support framework covering drug discovery, non-clinical studies, clinical trials, regulatory submissions, and manufacturing. This comprehensive support system will assist academia, biotech ventures and pharmaceutical companies from Japan and abroad in advancing drug R&D in Japan.
“This partnership with A2 Healthcare enables us to provide seamless and efficient support throughout the drug R&D process for both domestic and international drug discovery stakeholders in Japan,” said Yoshinori Ikeura, PhD, Director, Co-CEO and CTO of Axcelead. “We believe this collaboration will drive innovation in the field of new drug development and foster a stronger healthcare ecosystem in Japan. Together, we are committed to tackling the issue of drug loss.”
“We are pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Axcelead, bringing together their deep expertise in drug discovery and non-clinical development with our strong capabilities in clinical-stage development and pharmaceutical value enhancement,” said Hitoshi Kamiya, President and CEO of A2 Healthcare. “This collaboration marks a significant step toward strengthening Japan’s drug discovery capabilities and, more importantly, enables us to provide better solutions in our ongoing commitment to addressing drug attrition.”
Through this strategic alliance, Axcelead and A2 Healthcare will jointly advance pharmaceutical R&D in Japan and globally, paving the way for the development of innovative healthcare solutions.
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