4BIO Capital announces appointment of Professor Kenya Honda to Scientific Advisory Board

4BIO Capital announces appointment of Professor Kenya Honda to Scientific Advisory Board

• Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Keio University
• Brings extensive experience in gut microbiota, a core area of interest for 4BIO
• Strengthens growing network of advisors on innovative research taking place in Japan

13 July 2020

LONDON & BOSTON – 4BIO Capital (“4BIO” or “the Group”), an international venture capital firm focused solely on the advanced therapies sector, announces the appointment of Professor Kenya Honda to its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB).

Professor Honda is a Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. Professor Honda’s team is studying the immunological attributes of the microbiota and its derived factors to try to identify responsible members that deeply affect the immune system. His long-term goal is to develop a way to manipulate and normalize compositions of the gut microbiota to treat various conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), autoimmunity, allergies and cancer.

Professor Honda brings significant expertise to 4BIO’s SAB. He is the Scientific Co-Founder of Vedanta Biosciences, a Cambridge, MA-based company pioneering the use of defined bacterial consortia, as well as being a member of the SAB for the interdisciplinary medical journal, Science Translational Medicine. Professor Honda received his M.D. from Kobe University School of Medicine and his Ph.D. from Kyoto University School of Medicine, both in Japan. His contribution to scientific research has been internationally recognised, having been awarded the National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP) Award in 2013, the Gottfried Wagener Prize in 2014, and the Bäelz award in 2016.

Dmitry Kuzmin, Managing Partner at 4BIO Capital, said: “4BIO’s Scientific Advisory Board includes founders of the gene therapy field in both academic and hospital settings who lead groups in world centres of academic and clinical excellence. Professor Honda’s extensive knowledge of microbiota and gastrointestinal tract pathology will be a valuable addition to the already deep expertise held within the 4BIO SAB. Professor Honda’s appointment builds on the recent appointment of Philippe Fauchet, OBE, as Venture Partner in Japan, and the strategic investment in 4BIO from Japanese Pharmaceutical company Kyowa Kirin. As one of the leading countries in drug discovery and advanced gene and cell therapy research, we are excited by the potential opportunities of our expanded footprint in Japan.”

Professor Kenya Honda said:“I am delighted to be joining the 4BIO team and working with the other advisors that have helped shape the advanced therapies field and contributed to its progress. I look forward to working closely with this group in the pursuit of opportunities in advanced therapies, particularly the exciting research originating from Japan at this time.”

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About 4BIO Capital

4BIO Capital is an international venture capital firm focused solely on the advanced therapies sector.

4BIO’s objective is to invest in, support, and grow early stage companies developing treatments in areas of high unmet medical need, with the ultimate goal of ensuring access to these potentially curative therapies for all patients. Specifically, it looks for viable, high-quality opportunities in cell and gene therapy, RNA-based therapy, targeted therapies, and the microbiome.

The 4BIO team comprises leading advanced therapy scientists and experienced life science investors who have collectively published over 250 scientific articles in prestigious academic journals including Nature, The Lancet, Cell, and the New England Journal of Medicine. 4BIO has both an unrivalled network within the advanced therapy sector and a unique understanding of the criteria that define a successful investment opportunity in this space.

For more information, please visit www.4biocapital.com