Our Japan Ventures team and our US based sister fund F-Prime Capital has invested in Metcela Inc., a clinical-stage biotech startup specializing in fibroblast-based cell therapy as a part of the company’s Series B round.

The funds will be used to initiate a Phase I clinical trial in chronic heart failure for the company’s lead asset, MTC001. MTC001 is a cell therapy based on VCAM-1-positive Cardiac Fibroblast (VCF) that re-established a favourable microenvironment and repaired damaged heart tissues in preclinical studies. In addition, the company will accelerate expansion of its business globally.

Shinichiro (Sheen) Komoto, Partner at Eight Roads Ventures Japan and Board of Director at Metcela, commented: “We have been closely working with the Metcela team since our initial investment in their Series A round back in 2018 and are excited about their continuous effort to solve large unmet medical needs. With this follow-on investment, we are delighted to support the expansion of Metcela’s business, including the launch of their first clinical trial in Japan, the development of their broader pipeline, and their international business efforts using their core technologies.”