Company
ACULYS was created to be a catalyst to innovation access for neurology patients and their families in Japan.
Message from CEO
Serving patients as a catalyst for access to innovative medicine
Aculys Pharma, Inc. was founded as Japan’s first biopharma company based on the philosophy of “Catalyst to Access”. Our goal is to become the leading provider of innovations for neuroscience diseases in Japan.
Our company was established to address two critical questions that arose during my time working for global pharmaceutical companies. First, I wondered why more wasn’t being done to help Japanese patients get access to more medications—Japan’s drug lag was a significant challenge for its citizens. And second, I wondered what more could be done to address the true needs of Japanese patients, and what was needed to help them live happier, healthier lives. Because medications alone were not enough.
At ACULYS, we are committed to speeding the pathway for medicines approved in other countries to those in need in Japan as quickly as possible. And to address social issues beyond medication, we are creating comprehensive support programs that go beyond the framework of conventional pharmaceutical companies, building partnerships with health tech companies and working to address the broader social factors that impact patients and their families.
With a focus on the unmet medical needs in neurology, ACULYS is leveraging our team’s expertise and agility as a startup to create positive change for patients, their families, healthcare professionals, and social as a whole. At ACULYS, we are dedicated to building a better world for all of those affected by neuroscience diseases.
Leadership
We are a committed, passionate team focused on bringing new solutions to neurology patients in Japan. Through our expertise and focus on the patient, we aim to change the way sleep disorders are diagnosed, managed and treated.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
BT Slingsby, MD, PhD, MPH
Co-founder & Executive Chairman
Takeshi Takahashi, MBA
Co-founder & Director
Hidemasa Tanigaki
Chief Executive Officer
Nobuo Hanai, PhD
Director
Jay Shepard
Co-founder & Director
Ken Haas, JD
Director
Mark Altmeyer
Director
Hiroshi Sensaki
Director
Shinsuke Numata
Audit & Supervisory Board Member
Masao Torii, MBA
Audit & Supervisory Board Member
Yuko Kanamaru
Audit & Supervisory Board Member
Corporate Overview
- Company name
- Aculys Pharma, Inc.
- Date of establishment
- January 22, 2021
- Headquarters
- the ARGYLE aoyama 6F, 2-14-4 KitaAoyama Minato-ku, Tokyo Map
- Number of employees
- 16 (as of September 1, 2024)
- Representative
- Hidemasa Tanigaki (Chief Executive Officer)
- Main shareholders
- Catalys Pacific, Softbank Vision Fund, HBM Healthcare Investments, GFC, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Investment, ANRI, JIC Venture Growth Investments, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, Spiral Capital
- Business description
- Development, import, manufacturing, and sales of prescription pharmaceuticals
History
- January 2021
- Founded Aculys Pharma, Inc.
- July 2021
- Entered into a licensing agreement with French Bioprojet SCR on exclusive development and commercialization rights in Japan for the histamine H3 receptor antagonist / inverse agonist pitolisant
- October 2021
- Series A funding resulted in JPY 6.8B procured
- November 2021
- Entered into a licensing agreement with US Neurelis on exclusive development and commercialization rights in Japan and Asia-Pacific region for the nasal spray diazepam
- January 2022
- Initiated Phase 1 clinical trial for pitolisant
- March 2022
- Series B funding round resulted in JPY 2.8B
- September 2022
- Initiated Phase 1 clinical trial in Japan for diazepam nasal spray
- November 2022
- Initiated Phase 3 clinical trial in Japan for diazepam nasal spray in patients with epileptic seizures, Initiated Phase 3 clinical trial in Japan for pitolisant in patients with narcolepsy
- January 2023
- Initiated Phase 3 clinical trial in Japan for pitolisant in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome who have excessive daytime sleepiness