Innovation Kyoto 2021 Investment Limited Partnership ("KYOTO-iCAP No.2 Fund"), with Kyoto University Innovation Capital Corporation ("Kyoto-iCAP") (Head Office: Sakyo-ku, Kyoto; Representative Director: Ko Kusumi) as the general partner, has made an investment in RegCell Co., Ltd. ("RegCell", Head Office: Kyoto, Representative Director: Michael McCullar), a venture company that utilizes the results of research at Kyoto University.

Overview of this investment
RegCell is a start-up company aiming to develop a new Treg cell therapy, whose founding researchers are Shimon Sakaguchi, Professor Emeritus of Kyoto University, who discovered regulatory T cells, Professor Emeritus of Osaka University, Visiting Professor of Kyoto University Institute for Medical Biology, and Specially Appointed Professor of Osaka University Immunology Frontier Research Center. The Treg cell therapy that RegCell aims to commercialize targets autoimmune and other diseases that affect approximately 10% of the world's population.

RegPD-101, RegCell's lead pipeline, is an "autologous" cell therapy classified as an antigen-specific Treg therapy (S/F-Epigen Treg). The application of S/F-Epigen Treg technology to "autologous" cell therapy enables antigen-specific immunosuppression without suppressing the entire immune system in autoimmune diseases with high unmet medical needs caused by unknown antigens or in autoimmune diseases for which no treatment exists even for known antigens. This therapy is based on a completely different approach than conventional approaches, in which antigens recognized by T cells are identified and antigen-specific therapies are developed. In addition, because it is autologous cell-derived and does not require gene transfer or modification, it is expected to be a safe therapy with minimal side effects.

Kyoto iCAP recognizes that S/F-Epigen Treg, which is being developed by RegCell, shows sustained efficacy with fewer doses for patients with autoimmune diseases and has the potential to contribute to reducing patient burden and improving quality of life (QOL) as a safe treatment with fewer side effects. In addition, since the creation of this S/F-Epigen Treg has been greatly supported by research results from Kyoto University and other national universities, we decided and executed a 150 million yen investment in the Series C2 round.

RegCell Co., Ltd. Overview
Establishment : January 27, 2016
Business : Development of antigen-specific Treg therapy (S/F-Epigen Treg)
Head office: 11-2 Nishikurusu-cho, Shichiku, Kita-ku, Kyoto, Japan
Representative Director: Michael McCullar
HP:https://regcell.jp/

About Kyoto University Innovation Capital Co., Ltd.
　As a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kyoto University, KYOTO-iCAP provides investment and other business support to companies that utilize research results generated by Kyoto University and other national universities. We currently operate the Innovation Kyoto 2016 Investment Limited Partnership ("KYOTO-iCAP 1 Fund") (established in January 2016) with a total value of 16 billion yen and the KYOTO-iCAP 2 Fund (established in January 2021) with a total value of 18.1 billion yen. The KYOTO-iCAP No. 1 Fund has a maturity of up to 20 years, and the KYOTO-iCAP No. 2 Fund has a maturity of up to 17 years, making it possible to provide long-term support for the practical application of research results from Kyoto University, which has strengths in basic research. In addition, KYOTO-iCAP No. 2 Fund will invest a portion of the funds in ventures originating from national universities other than Kyoto University.

Contact information for inquiries
Kyoto University Innovation Capital Co., Ltd.
36-1 Yoshida Honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8317, Japan
Osami Kono, Senior Officer, Business Development Department
TEL: 075-753-7588 FAX: 075-753-7592
E-mail: info@kyoto-unicap.co.jp