Japan-based oncology drug developer Anaeropharma Science received $13.2m in funding yesterday from investors including pharmaceutical firm Novartis and Shinsei Corporate Investment, a subsidiary of financial services firm Shinsei Bank.
Venture capital firm Seventure Partners also took part in the round, through its Health for Life Capital fund, as did the state-backed Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) and a fund managed by Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, the VC arm of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group.
Anaeropharma is researching and developing cancer drugs that will target hypoxic microenvironments of tumours, using genetically enhanced bacteria. It is currently undertaking a phase 1b/2a clinical trial for its lead candidate, APS001F, in the US for patients with advanced solid tumours.
The company has not publicly disclosed any earlier funding, but it described INCJ and the Mitsubishi UFJ Capital-managed fund as existing investors.
The investors page of Anaeropharma’s website also includes Mitsui & Co Global Investment, a subsidiary of conglomerate Mitsui, a well as chemical producer Dow, consulting firm Hachijuni Capital, VC firm Watervein Partners and Orix Capital, a subsidiary of financial services provider Orix.