About Megakaryon
About Megakaryon
Company name
Megakaryon Corporation
Founded
September 9th, 2011
Locations
Kyoto office/Development Center
Kyoto Research Park,
93 Chudoji
Awata-cho, Shimogyo-ku,
Kyoto 600-8815,
Japan
Tokyo office
337 Bldg #1,
The University of Tokyo Institute of Medical Science
Shirokanedai 4-6-1, Minato-ku
Tokyo 108-8639
Japan
Capitalization
¥2,920,470,000
Officers
  • Genjiro Miwa, MBACEO, President, and Founder
  • Motoo Watanabe, PhDChief Technology Officer
  • Kenichi Akamatsu, PhDChief Operating Officer
  • Koichi AshidaOutside Director
    (Innovation Network Corporation of Japan)
  • Takehiko SawabeOutside Auditor
    (Innovation Network Corporation of Japan)
Company Objectives
To produce high-quality platelets and red blood cells from iPS cell lines, and to develop blood products that do not depend on blood donations and which 1) can be supplied in a stable manner as and when required, 2) have a high level of safety, and 3) have a low medical cost.
Shareholders
Genjiro Miwa; Koji Eto; Hiromitsu Nakauchi; Motoo Watanabe; Kenichi Akamatsu iPS Academia Japan, Inc.; iCELL Inc.; Innovation Network Corporation of Japan SMBC Venture Capital Co., Ltd.; Mitsubishi UFJ Capital Co., Ltd. Mizuho Capital Co., Ltd.; Japan Asia Investment Co., Ltd. KSP, Inc.; Nissay Capital Co., Ltd. DBJ Capital Co., Ltd.; Miyako Capital., Ltd.
Our Team (Brief Biographies of Officers)
Genjiro Miwa, MBA — CEO, President

Genjiro Miwa, MBA — CEO, President

  • 1974B.A. in Economics, University of Tokyo
  • 1974–1982Mitsubishi Petrochemical
    (now Mitsubishi Chemical)
  • 1982-84MBA with Distinction, Harvard Business School
  • 1984-86Bain & Company
  • 1986Co-founder & President, St. Thomas Associates (present)
  • 2009Co-founder & President, iCELL (present)
Motoo Watanabe, PhD — Chief Technology Officer

Motoo Watanabe, PhD — Chief Technology Officer

  • 1974B.A. in Agricultural Chemistry, University of Tokyo
  • 1974–2002Mitsubishi Petrochemical
    (now Mitsubishi Chemical)
  • 1988Ph.D. in Medical Sciences, University of Tokyo
  • 2003-07Vice President and Advisor, CellFree Sciences
  • 2007-08Coordinator of Industry-Academia-Government Cooperation, Tokyo University of Science
  • 2008-13Technical Councilor, Japan Science and Technology Agency
  • 2009-13Project Associate Support Specialist, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo
  • 2009Co-founder & Director, iCELL (present)
  • 2013Program Manager, Japan Science and Technology Agency (present)
  • 2013Visiting Researcher, University of Tokyo Institute of Medical Science (present)
Kenichi Akamatsu, PhD — Chief Operating Officer

Kenichi Akamatsu, PhD — Chief Operating Officer

  • 1978B.S. in Biology, Okayama University
  • 1980M.S. in Biology, Okayama University
  • 1980–2013Chugai Pharmaceutical
  • 1981–1984On assignment as Chair of Pathology, Tokai University School of Medicine, researching cellular immunity under Prof. Norikazu Tamaoki
  • 1996-2001Manager of Drug Discovery Research
  • 2001-08Assistant Head of CMC Planning & Promotion Dept. and Head of Regulatory Affairs,
  • 2008-12Director of Biotechnology Research
ScientificAdvisors/Collaborators
中内啓光

Hiromitsu Nakauchi, MD, PhD

Director, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Tokyo
Professor of Genetics Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University

George Q. Daley MD,PhD

George Q. Daley MD,PhD

Professor of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School
Director, Stem Cell Transplantation Program, Boston Children’s Hospital

Mahendra S. Rao MD,PhD

Mahendra S. Rao MD,PhD

Vice President for Regenerative Medicine, New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute
former Director of the NIH Center for Regenerative Medicine

Sherrill J. Slichter MD,PhD

Sherrill J. Slichter MD,PhD

Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology, University of Washington School of Medicine

George J. Murphy MD,PhD

George J. Murphy MD,PhD

Asst. Professor of Medicine, Hematology and Oncology Section, Boston University School of Medicine

Alan D. Michelson、MD

Alan D. Michelson,MD

Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, Harvard　Medical School
Director, Center for Platelet Research Studies, Children's Hospital Boston
Joint appointment, Brigham and Women's Hospital

A.L. Larry Frelinger III, Ph.D

A.L. Larry Frelinger III, Ph.D

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard　Medical School
Associate Director, Center for Platelet Research Studies, Children's Hospital Boston
Joint Appointment, Dana Farber Cancer Institute

History

2011

  • September Company founded in order to commercialize the research results of the Nakauchi Research Team and the Eto Research Team after recognition as an A-STEP* project. (Capitalization: ¥10 million.)*“Adaptable and Seamless Technology transfer Program through target-driven R&D”, a program of the Japan Science and Technology Agency

2013

  • August¥1,160 million in additional funding raised through private placement of new shares managed by Innovation Network Corporation of Japan, SMBC Venture Capital Co., Ltd., Mizuho Capital Co., Ltd., and Mitsubishi UFJ Capital Co., Ltd.
  • SeptemberKyoto Development Center opened at the Kyoto University Hospital site.

2014

  • AprilCPC (cell processing center) completed at the Kyoto Development Center.
  • NovemberKyoto office/Development Center opened in Kyoto.

2015

  • MarchCompany officially recognized as a Designated Core Business within the Kansai National Strategic Special Zone.
  • March¥2,540 million in additional funding raised through private placement of new shares managed by Innovation Network Corporation of Japan; SMBC Venture Capital Co., Ltd.; Mitsubishi UFJ Capital Co., Ltd.; Mizuho Capital Co., Ltd.; Japan Asia Investment Co., Ltd.; DBJ Capital Co., Ltd.; Nissay Capital Co., Ltd.; KSP, Inc.; and Miyako Capital.
  • NovemberCommenced Collaborative Research with Harvard University (Boston Children's　Hospital)

2016

  • AprilOur project adopted as a program of AMED(Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development) for Focused on Developing Key Evaluation Technology: Evaluation for Industrialization in the Field of Regenerative Medicine.
  • MayKyoto Office and Kyoto Development Center Expansion.

2017

  • JuneTo be featured at 2017 Japan US Innovation Awards Symposium at Stanford.
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