Boston — U.S.-based biotech company Alloy Therapeutics has officially entered the Japanese market by establishing a subsidiary and launching its first cell therapy facility at Shonan Health Innovation Park (Shonan iPark) in Kanagawa. The move marks a significant step in Alloy’s efforts to expand the global reach of its proprietary iCAR-T technology, which is designed to transform cell therapy development.
To support its new operations, the company has formed Alloy Therapeutics Co., Ltd. and appointed Yoshihide Ishii, also known as Victor Stone, as Chief Executive Officer of its Japanese subsidiary. The expansion follows the company’s collaboration with Takeda, announced in late 2024, to advance the development of cell therapies based on induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies.
Alloy’s iCAR-T platform, developed through the T-CiRA program led by Professor Shin Kaneko of Kyoto University’s Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA) in partnership with Takeda, builds on foundational research by Nobel Laureate Shinya Yamanaka. The platform has demonstrated higher potency than autologous CAR-T therapies in animal models and offers an “off-the-shelf” product profile, potentially lowering costs and expanding access to advanced therapies.
As part of the new initiative, ten key members of Takeda’s former iCAR-T team have joined Alloy as founding members of Alloy Cell Therapies, forming the core of the company’s iPS Center of Excellence. The company also announced the addition of Dr. Michael Kalos, a leading figure in immuno-oncology and CAR-T research, as Executive Venture Partner at 82VS Venture Studios and a strategic advisor to Alloy Cell Therapies.
“Cell therapy has always been a core focus for Alloy, and our collaboration with Takeda and Kyoto University represents a major milestone,” said Errik Anderson, founder and CEO of Alloy. “We’re excited to welcome the iCAR-T team as the foundation of our iPS Center of Excellence and to be launching this effort in a country that’s at the forefront of cell therapy innovation.”
Victor Stone, CEO of Alloy Japan, emphasized Japan’s leadership in cell therapy as a driving factor behind the company’s decision to establish a presence in the country. “Japan’s expertise in cell therapies made it the ideal location for our expansion,” he said. “We see immense potential not only in cell therapy but across many areas of Japanese science, and we’re committed to building a long-term presence here.”
With its expanded footprint, Alloy aims to bring its collaborative and accessible approach to drug discovery to the Japanese market and beyond, leveraging local scientific talent and infrastructure to accelerate innovation in cell therapy and other advanced modalities.
