Scrip

What A Whiz! Takeda Spins Off Discovery Op Axcelead Into New Fund

07 Aug 2018

Takeda has spun off into a new joint investment fund selected drug discovery operations in Japan that had been shifted to the new Axcelead business last year, further honing its focus ahead of the Shire acquisition and in a move to foster a more effective early-stage ecosystem in the country.

Medic staff at work in the laboratory. Background — DDG FUND LOOKS TO SUPPORT NEW JAPAN DISCOVERY ACTIVITIES • Source: Shutterstock

Axcelead, the drug discovery platform business spun out from Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.’s discovery research division in Japan last July, will become a fully independent company through a transfer to a new investment fund set up jointly with Whiz Partners, a Japan-based asset management firm.

While the effective divestment is taking around 250 employees out of Takeda, the major Japanese firm is hoping that the...