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Whiz Looks To Axcelead To Help Build Lagging Japan Venture Ecosystem

 
• By Ian Haydock

Japan was never known for its healthcare-focused venture capital funds, but Whiz Partners, Inc. is looking to fill what it sees as a void, helped by some heavy corporate hitters, and a major new collaboration with Takeda's spun out preclinical development operations in Japan.

Tokyo
WHIZ HOPES TO RESHAPE JAPAN BIOPHARMA SECTOR • Source: Shutterstock

The independent Tokyo-based asset management company Whiz Partners, Inc. gained renewed attention through its major investment in Axcelead Drug Discovery Partners, Inc., a new Japanese venture formed recently from the spin-out of Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.’s preclinical drug development activities in Japan.

Under the agreement with Japan’s leading pharma firm, Axcelead will be owned by a new investment fund (the Drug Discovery...

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