Neusignal Scores Additional Funding to Combat Alzheimer's

Deal News | Jan 31, 2025 | Fast Track Initiative Inc

Neusignal Scores Additional Funding to Combat Alzheimer's

Fast Track Initiative (FTI), a venture capital firm, has increased its investment in Neusignal Therapeutics, a Tokyo-based biotechnology startup aimed at developing treatments for Alzheimer's disease. The additional funds are part of Neusignal's Series A financing, elevating the total amount raised to approximately 1.15 billion JPY. FTI's continued partnership with Neusignal is underscored by the participation of its executive team in Neusignal's governance, with Makoto Takeuchi serving as an external board director and Hiroko Kimura as the company's auditor. In addition to FTI's investment, Neusignal has secured a 1.1 billion JPY non-dilutive grant from the AMED Strengthening Program for Pharmaceutical Startup Ecosystem, pushing total fundraising to 2.2 billion JPY. Neusignal plans to use these funds to advance its candidate therapies through clinical trials, addressing the global challenge of Alzheimer's disease alongside the complexities of treatment management, healthcare costs, and patient eligibility. FTI's history of active investment and support for Neusignal showcases its commitment to early-stage startups, particularly in the biotech and therapeutics sectors, aiming for transformative healthcare advancements.

Sectors

  • Biotechnology
  • Venture Capital

Geography

  • Japan – Neusignal Therapeutics is based in Tokyo, Japan, and FTI is a Japanese venture capital firm, thereby making Japan a primary geographic consideration.
  • United States – Neusignal plans to conduct Phase 1b clinical trials in the U.S., expanding its geographical reach and clinical operations.

Industry

  • Biotechnology – The focus on developing therapies for Alzheimer's places the company within the biotechnology sector, which encompasses firms dedicated to creating medical solutions through biological sciences.
  • Venture Capital – Fast Track Initiative is a venture capital firm investing in early-stage biotech and therapeutics companies, characteristic of the venture capital sector's role in financing innovation and startup growth.

Financials

  • 1.15B JPY – The additional investment made by FTI in Neusignal Therapeutics as part of its Series A round.
  • 1.1B JPY – Non-dilutive grant received by Neusignal from the AMED Strengthening Program.
  • 2.2B JPY – Total fundraising amount in Neusignal's Series A round after including both FTI's investment and AMED's grant.

Participants

NameRoleTypeDescription
Fast Track Initiative Inc.InvestorCompanyA venture capital firm focused on early-stage life science investments, particularly in biotech and therapeutics.
Neusignal TherapeuticsTarget CompanyCompanyA biotechnology firm developing treatments for Alzheimer's disease, originally spun off from Tohoku University.
Makoto TakeuchiExternal Board MemberPersonExecutive Vice President of FTI, providing strategic oversight to Neusignal.
Hiroko KimuraAuditorPersonPrincipal at FTI, responsible for auditing Neusignal.
AMED Strengthening Program for Pharmaceutical Startup EcosystemGrant ProviderGovernmentA Japanese governmental program providing a non-dilutive grant to Neusignal to support its pharmaceutical development efforts.