11.09.2023
Fast Track Initiative (hereinafter referred to as ‘FTI’) has recently concluded a new investment round, investing approximately 830M JPY in CellFiber (CEO: Yu Yanagisawa; Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan), a Tokyo University startup dedicated to advancing scalable and customizable cell production technology. The revolutionary ‘Cell Fiber’ technology encapsulates cells within hollow hydrogel tubes for efficient cultivation and manufacturing of high-quality cells at high densities. The total funds raised in this round amount to approximately 8.3B JPY. FTI participated this round along with other investors including JAFCO.
CellFiber has positioned itself as a key player in the field of Cell Medicines with a focus on regenerative medicine and cancer immunotherapy. Through its proprietary ‘Cell Fiber’ technology, the company is dedicated to streamlining and achieving large-scale production, envisioning a society where cell therapy becomes accessible to a broader range of patients. The funds raised in this round will empower CellFiber to embark on comprehensive technology development for medical cell manufacturing, secure global talent for business expansion, and strategically build an IP network to enhance technological competitiveness.
FTI is eager to support CellFiber’s efforts to address the pressing challenge of developing cell mass cultivation technology. From business strategy to research and development and global business expansion, FTI aims to provide steadfast support to CellFiber by leveraging its deep scientific knowledge and its growing business network in the biotech sector.
“We are honored to participate in CellFiber’s funding round for the development of innovative cell manufacturing technology. In the current environment where handling and manufacturing cells are bottlenecks severely limiting cost reduction in development and production, I am confident that CellFiber’s cell mass cultivation technology will be a game-changer in the industry, and the competent team at CellFiber will achieve it. We will leverage FTI’s expertise in the drug discovery field and provide full support for this challenge.”
-Keita Kiriya, Associate, FTI
To view the original announcement, visit https://cellfiber.jp/News/130
About CellFiber:
Founded in 2015, CellFiber is at the forefront of cell mass cultivation solutions, driven by its revolutionary CellFiber™ technology. The company offers comprehensive solutions, from process development for various cell types to support spanning research to clinical studies for a wide range of purposes. They provide equipment provision with small-scale, bench-top CellFiber™ extruders for internal R&D purposes. CellFiber™ welcomes opportunities for joint research to co-develop culturing processes and offers licensing through a royalty-bearing model, making it accessible for transformative advancements. Explore the possibilities of CellFiber™ technology and revolutionize your cell cultivation experience. Visit the website for more information: https://cellfiber.jp/en/
About Fast Track Initiative:
Established in 2004, Fast Track Initiative, Inc. (FTI) is a life science venture capital firm focusing its investments on early-stage startups with a strong focus on biotech and therapeutics. FTI has a strict mission to make a ground-breaking impact on the quality of our life and human wellness through investments across a broad range of areas in the life science community including therapeutics, diagnostics, digital health, healthcare services, and more. The company provides valuable, hands-on support to its 30+ portfolio companies through business and R&D strategy, partnering, investor syndication, and more, including access to its network of professionals in Japan. Visit https://us.fasttrackinitiative.com for more details, or follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fast-track-initiative/
Media Contact:
For press inquiries or investor inquiries, please email: message.us@fasttrackinitiative.com
