Kyowa Kirin, a Japan-listed specialty pharmaceutical company, has committed an undisclosed amount for the second fund to be raised by 4Bio Capital, a UK-based venture capital firm targeting advanced medical therapies.
4Bio Capital had raised more than $50m for the first close of its 4Bio Ventures II fund in September 2019 having set a $150m target for its final close. Kyowa Kirin is the first strategic pharmaceutical investor in the fund.
Kieran Mudryy, partner at 4Bio Capital, said: “We remain committed to the growing advanced therapies community in this region and are excited by growing our presence in Japan through this partnership.”
Philippe Fauchet, venture partner at 4Bio, added: “Japan has… one of the most advanced gene and cell therapy research centres in the world, which remains largely untouched by the venture capital community.”
Takeyoshi Yamashita, director of corporate strategy and planning at Kyowa Kirin, said: “4Bio’s Ventures II fund and its sole focus on advanced therapies gives us a fantastic opportunity to support early-stage companies in what we believe is the fastest growing and most important field of medicine.
“We share 4Bio’s vision of ensuring sustainable access to potentially curative therapies for all patients and contributing to the health and well-being of people around the world.”
