Shiro Akinaga, Ph.D.
Chairman of the board, CEO
Dr. Akinaga joined Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co., Ltd, where he engaged in exploration and evaluation of anti-cancer drugs at pharmaceutical research center for 20 years and worked on many anti-cancer drug candidates from the dawn of molecular target therapy of cancer.
After that, he transferred to clinical development of anti-cancer drugs and was involved in the global development of many drugs (small molecules and antibodies) such as FLT3 inhibitor, HSP90 inhibitor, Met inhibitor ARQ197, anti-GM2 antibody, anti CCR4 antibody Mogamulizumab. Mogamulizumab was approved for marketing in Japan in 2012.
He became a principal scientist at pharmaceutical research center in 1994, a manager of oncology group in 2001, a clinical development director of oncology group in 2007. After the establishment of Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd. in October 2008, he was a clinical development director of oncology group, Executive officer of global clinical development in 2011, research fellow in 2013, fellow of R&D division in 2014.
He assumed the post of Board member at AccuRna Inc. in March 2017.
Graduated from the Department of applied chemistry school of advanced science and Engineering Waseda University.
Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical sciences from the University of Tokyo
Doctor of Pharmacy
Delegate of Japanese Society of Medical Oncology
Keiko Hattori
Director
Ms. Hattori has experienced in preclinical drug development at Nippon Roche KK. She subsequently joined Pharmacia KK in 1986 (present: Pfizer Japan Inc.) and she engaged in regulatory affairs and clinical development. She transferred to biotechnology division in 1990 and was responsible for sales and marketing. In 1998 she became President and Representative Director of Amersham Pharmacia Biotech KK (present: GE Healthcare Japan). Following the M&A by GE, she was Vice President, Global marketing in GE healthcare Bioscience, GM in Asia-Pacific. In 2011 she joined Thermo Fisher Scientific KK as Vice President, corporate marketing and CMD division.
Now she is a research complex organizer in Center for Wellbeing Research at Keio University.
Ms. Hattori assumed the post of CEO at AccuRna Inc. in April 2017.
Graduated from the faculty of science, the University of Tokyo
Completed executive course in the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University
Hiromichi Kimura, Ph.D.
Director
After working at the pharmaceutical division of Kyowa Hakko Kogyo and J.P. Morgan as Vice President, Mergers & Acquisitions Division, Dr. Kimura became President and Representative Director of Amersham Pharmacia Biotech KK (present: GE Healthcare Japan), Monsanto Japan Ltd. (present: Pfizer Japan Inc.), and subsequently CEO of HuBit Genomix Inc.
In March 2004, Dr. Kimura co-founded Fast Track Initiative (FTI) Inc. and became President of the partnership.
Graduated from the faculty of pharmaceutical sciences, the University of Tokyo.
Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences from the University of Tokyo
Doctor of Pharmacy
MBA from the Graduate School of Business, Stanford University
Tomohiro Anzai, Ph.D.
Director
Dr. Anzai joined Arthur D. Little (Japan) Inc. where he was engaged in management consulting for biotechnology businesses both inside and outside Japan. He dealt with business challenge for a wide range of companies in the fields of life sciences and health care, including pharmaceutical manufacturers, diagnostic pharmaceuticals manufacturers, equipment for research and development/reagent manufactures, and food manufacturers. He was also involved in R&D and business strategy development, focusing on company-wide strategic planning and implementation support.
In January 2006, Dr. Anzai joined FTI Inc. and has been in charge of various areas, from selecting investment projects, to founding and developing companies, and investment recovery.
Graduated from the Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, the University of Tokyo
Ph.D. in molecular biology from the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, the University of Tokyo
Special researcher of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
Doctor of Life Science
Mikio Kawahara, MBA
Director
Since 2016, Mr. Mikio Kawahara has been Head of Investment and Business Development at UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd. (UTokyo IPC), the University of Tokyo's investment arm for innovations and start-ups.
Before joining UTokyo IPC, Mr. Kawahara worked for Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. in 1997. At Toppan, he launched his career as a computer engineer at the firm's research center. After moving to the Corporate Planning Division at the firm's headquarters, he engaged in many diversified projects involving corporate restructuring, strategic alliances, and M&As. In 2007, he established Riken Genesis Co., Ltd., a new biotech start-up from RIKEN Research Institute, and led its management as Chief Operating Officer. In this role, he pioneered the personalized medicine business in Japan.
From 2014, he concurrently served as President and CEO of BNA Inc., a biotech venture incubated at Osaka University.
He assumed the post of Board member at AccuRna Inc. in December 2017.
Master of Mathematical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, the University of Tokyo.
MBA, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University.
Master of Engineering Management, McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University.
Makoto Takeuchi
Corporate Auditor
Mr. Takeuchi previously spent 35 years at Yamanouchi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and Astellas Pharma Inc. in roles of increasing responsibility in the Research Division and ultimately up to Senior Corporate Executive and Head of External Relations. He has extensive experience in industrial pharmaceutical research, especially in gastrointestinal diseases, inflammation, bone metabolism, infection, and the oncology areas, and he was deeply involved in the discovery and launch of new medicines such as Incadronate, Minodronate and Solifenacin for the treatment of hypercalcemia, osteoporosis and overactive bladder, respectively. He also studied abroad at the University of Pennsylvania (Prof. Amos Smith III) for one year from 2001.
In July 2018, he joined FTI.
He has also worked for the Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA) as chairman of the Pharmaceutical Industrial Policy Committee and R & D Committee, for the Drug Discovery Support Network as a member of the advisory board, the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) as a member of the verification committee of AIST self-evaluation, and the Forum for Innovative Regenerative Medicine (FIRM) as a vice chairman and so on.
He has also served as a part-time lecturer in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences (2009-15) and Forefront of Drug Discovery (FDD) Seminar (2011-present), at the University of Tokyo and at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University (2010-2012).
He graduated from the Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Science, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University.