New investment in a company developing a potentially world-first tooth regeneration therapy
OUVC No. 2 Investment Limited Partnership (the “OUVC No. 2 Fund”), for which Osaka University Venture Capital Co., Ltd. (“OUVC”; Head Office: Suita, Osaka; President and Representative Director: Akira Uotani) serves as the general partner, has invested JPY 200 million in Toregem BioPharma Co., Ltd. (“Toregem BioPharma”; Head Office: Kyoto City; President and Representative Director: Honoka Kiso) through an allotment of J-KISS-type stock acquisition rights, a form of convertible equity commonly used in Japanese startup financing, in Toregem BioPharma’s Pre-Series C round.
Toregem BioPharma is a biopharmaceutical startup in the dental field originating from Kyoto University. Established in May 2020, the company is based on many years of research by Associate Professor Katsu Takahashi of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, who currently serves as Chief of the Department of Dentistry and Oral Surgery at Kitano Hospital, The Tazuke Kofukai Medical Research Institute.
The company is developing a tooth regeneration therapy using a neutralizing antibody that inhibits USAG-1, a molecule involved in tooth development. Its lead pipeline asset, TRG035, a humanized anti-USAG-1 antibody, is initially being developed for congenital edentulism. By enabling the regeneration of a patient’s own teeth, TRG035 is expected to offer a new therapeutic approach for patients who currently have limited treatment options with dentures or implants.
Toregem BioPharma plans to use the funds raised in this round to advance the Phase II clinical trial of TRG035 in Japan; prepare for and conduct overseas clinical trials, including in the United States; pursue research and development, including its second pipeline program; strengthen its management and administrative infrastructure; and expand its team.
OUVC will support Toregem BioPharma’s research and development and business growth not only through funding but also through broader hands-on support, as Toregem BioPharma works toward the practical application of a potentially world-first tooth regeneration therapy.