Celaid Therapeutics Inc. announced the successful completion of the 1st Close of its Series B financing round, raising JPY 1.055 billion (USD 7.2 million) from venture capital firms and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED). Including grants and subsidies, Celaid's cumulative funding has reached JPY 2.52 billion (USD 17.14 million).

This financing reflects recognition of the progress in the company's lead pipeline program CLD-001, a novel ex vivo-expanded hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) therapy for severe pediatric non-malignant diseases, as well as growing collaborations with global pharmaceutical and biotech companies leveraging Celaid's proprietary platform technology.

CLD-001 Development Progress

• Positive non-clinical data demonstrating efficacy and safety in animal models
• Significant advancements in cell manufacturing and CMC (Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls)
• Pre-IND preparation with the U.S. FDA progressing according to plan

Collaboration on HSC Expansion Platform

• Collaborative research with AGC Inc. on the expansion and functional evaluation of iPSC-HSPCs
• Ongoing evaluations of our HSC expansion platform by global pharmaceutical and biotech companies (undisclosed)

The newly raised capital will be used to support GMP manufacturing and non-clinical studies in preparation for the initiation of clinical trials of CLD-001 in the U.S. In addition, the company will further strengthen its proprietary HSC expansion platform and expand its applications to broader cell and gene therapy programs.

"We are deeply grateful for the continued support from our venture capital partners and AMED. This financing represents an important milestone that brings us closer to delivering transformative hematopoietic stem cell therapies to patients worldwide. As Japan's leading university-origin hematopoietic stem cell company, we will continue to advance both our HSC pipeline development programs and our platform business."
— Nobuyuki Arakawa, President & CEO, Celaid Therapeutics Inc.

Overview of Series B Financing (1st Close)

[Amount Raised] JPY 555 million (USD 3.77 million)
[Method] Third-party allocation of new shares (private placement)
[Investors (existing investors)]

• Osaka University Venture Capital Co., Ltd.
• The University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners Co., Ltd.
• Techno Science Co., Ltd.
• Joyo Capital Partners Co., Ltd.

[Grant Awarded] Approx. JPY 500 million (USD 3.4 million)

• AMED "Strengthening Program for Pharmaceutical Startup Ecosystem", Stage 2

"We are very pleased to have had the opportunity to make an additional investment in this financing round. Over the past year, Celaid Therapeutics has achieved continuous and tangible milestones, including advancements in non-clinical studies and collaborations with domestic and global partners, and has also successfully advanced to the next stage of the AMED Strengthening Program for Pharmaceutical Startup Ecosystem. We find great significance in having been able to support these steps forward together. With this new financing as a catalyst, we look forward to working with Celaid to further accelerate the development of cell therapy products and to deliver innovative technologies to patients as quickly as possible."
— Yuki Taga, Investment Director, Osaka University Venture Capital Co., Ltd.

"We have had the privilege of working with Celaid Therapeutics Inc. since its founding. Over the years, Celaid has steadily advanced the accumulation of non-clinical data for its proprietary pipeline and the establishment of its manufacturing capabilities, while also actively pursuing partnerships with industry players leveraging its HSC expansion platform technology. These efforts have driven significant business growth.  With this latest financing, we are confident that Celaid will further accelerate its global expansion and make substantial contributions both to providing new treatment options for patients worldwide and to advancing the broader cell therapy industry. We look forward to Celaid's continued success."
— Atsushi Usami, Ph.D., Partner and Board Director, The University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners Co., Ltd. (UTEC)

"We deeply resonate with Celaid Therapeutics' mission of developing innovative cell therapies for non-malignant diseases, hematologic cancers, and genetic diseases. We are also very pleased to see the significant progress made in the lead development pipeline since our fund's participation in the Series A round. With this new financing, we are confident that Celaid will accelerate its activities toward initiating clinical trials in the United States, as well as advance its platform technologies. We look forward to seeing these efforts lead to the realization of next-generation cell therapy products and technologies that can benefit a wide range of patients."
— Shigeto Ikeda, President, Joyo Capital Partners Co., Ltd.