Newly launched Future Innovator Prize announces winner of inaugural competition winners will receive one year’s free state-of-the-art space at a Pioneer Group location and access to Astellas’ R&D capabilities, business leaders, mentors and global network.
Cambridge, UK. 16 March 2022 – Astellas Venture Management LLC (AVM), a wholly-owned venture capital subsidiary of Astellas Pharma Inc TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Kenji Yasukawa, Ph.D., “Astellas”), and Pioneer Group (Pioneer Group), the UK’s largest ecosystem provider for science and innovation businesses, announced ImmTune Therapies as the winner of the “2021 Astellas Future Innovator Prize at Pioneer Group”.
The UK’s first “Future Innovator Prize” inaugural competition and award supports entrepreneurial scientists and emerging biotechnology start-ups in accelerating early drug discovery and innovation to create meaningful value for patients.
The coveted prize gives these emerging companies a leg up in their development process by underwriting costs of a shared lab facility at one of Pioneer Group’s 10 science parks and its supportive environment for one year, as well as giving access to Astellas’ R&D capabilities, business leaders, mentors and global network of partner academic institutes and biotechnology companies.
Entries were received across a broad range of disease areas and exciting innovative technologies. ImmTune Therapies was selected for its interesting approach in immuno-oncology, cell and gene therapies, and regenerative medicine. In addition, it was chosen for its well-defined business plan, objectives and differentiated approach in terms of delivery and targeting.
Kazunori Maruyama, Ph.D, President of Astellas Venture Management, said:“We are excited to announce ImmTune Therapies has been chosen as the winner of the Future Innovator Prize. We acknowledged their platform that could be applicable to multiple therapeutic fields of Astellas and we are looking forward to helping them realize their delivery technology and provide value for patients.”
“Pioneer Group knows what it takes to be innovative and entrepreneurial,” added Ayokunmi Ajetunmobi, Ph.D, Venture Development Manager at Pioneer Group.
“As operators of the largest innovation ecosystem for science and technology industries in Europe, we know how important it is to nurture and develop young businesses and keep them focused. “Astellas has already proven to be an excellent partner and mentor to many of the Pioneer Group startups. Their decision to support our Future Innovator Prize demonstrates their strong commitment to the UK and plays an essential role in helping us deliver an innovation-led portfolio.
About the Future Innovator Prize
The collaborative sponsorship between Astellas Venture Management and Pioneer Group is the first of its type in the UK, and a flagship
initiative for the newly founded Pioneer Group following the acquisition of BioCity Group in April 2021. Astellas Venture Management’s
sponsorship of the Future Innovator Prize follows its investment in leading innovators, including Cambridge-based Bicycle
Therapeutics, Crescendo Biologics, NeoPhore, PhoreMost and Mogrify.
With a shared commitment to discovering and advancing innovative science for the potential future benefit of patients worldwide,
Astellas Venture Management and Pioneer Group’s Future Innovator Prize will directly support scientists and early-stage companies in
accelerating their goals and ambitions. Companies awarded an Astellas Future Innovator Prize will gain one year’s priority admission
or renewal to one of four Pioneer Group’s state-of-the-art locations, as well as access to Astellas’ R&D scientists and leaders.
Learn more about the opportunity at https://astellasfutureinnovator.com/ The decision to award any Future Innovator Prize, and the
assessments underlying such decisions, are solely the judgment of Astellas and Pioneer Group and are not subject to
objection or appeal.
About the winning company – ImmTune Therapies
ImmTune Therapies is developing in vivo cell and gene therapies via its proprietary nanoparticle-based platform, with an ambitious
vision of making these therapies more affordable, scalable and accessible to all patients in need. Our first programme focuses on
developing in vivo CAR-Ts by modifying immune cells in situ to treat cancer patients. Given the platform nature of our technology, we
believe we can bring in vivo cell and gene therapies to potentially treat patients with more common diseases, including autoimmune
and infectious diseases.
