Series A Total Reaches Approximately JPY 1.47 Billion with Participation from Angel Bridge Inc.— Further Strengthening the Path Toward Clinical Development of APL1101 —
Osaka, Japan – Atransen Pharma Ltd. (CEO: Tomoyuki Asano) today announced the successful closing of its Series A Extension (“Extension A”) financing round on December 22, 2025, with Angel Bridge joining as a new investor.The Extension A follows the company’s Series A financing completed in May 2025, which included investments from JAFCO Group Co., Ltd. and the other VC. With the completion of the Extension A, Atransen Pharma’s total Series A funding now amounts to approximately JPY 1.47 billion.Proceeds from the Extension A will be used to further advance APL1101, Atransen Pharma’s lead LAT1 inhibitor, toward clinical development, including non-clinical studies, formulation and CMC readiness, as well as strengthening the company’s development and business infrastructure in preparation for global expansion.
CEO Comment
Tomoyuki Asano, CEO of Atransen Pharma Ltd. “We are pleased to announce the successful closing of our Series A Extension round. Welcoming Angel Bridge Inc. as a new investor further reinforces our confidence as we move APL1101 into the clinical stage. This milestone enables us to accelerate development with a clear focus on delivering new treatment options to patients.”
Investor Comments
Yutaro Kasai – General Partner, Angel Bridge Inc.Hikaru Ihara, M.D. – Senior Associate, Angel Bridge Inc. “LAT1, the target of Atransen Pharma, is a member of the SLC transporter family, which is widely expressed throughout the body and plays a key role in transporting substances across cellular membranes. Numerous drugs targeting SLC transporters—most notably widely used antidiabetic medications—have already been developed and are in clinical use worldwide. However, to date, there are no approved anticancer drugs that directly target these transporters. APL1101 is an innovative small-molecule compound developed by Atransen Pharma that applies a well-established transporter-based drug discovery approach to oncology. Angel Bridge is fully committed to supporting Atransen Pharma in its efforts to deliver APL1101 to cancer patients around the world.”
Taira Kobayashi, Ph.D. – Principal, JAFCO Group Co., Ltd. “APL1101 is expected to be a highly potent drug candidate across multiple cancer types. To deliver it to patients as quickly as possible, it is essential to advance international clinical trials targeting multiple cancer types at an early stage. We are pleased to have welcomed such a strong partner to facilitate the acceleration of this process. Management and investors will continue to collaborate to advance the project, delivering valuable medicines to patients.”
About Atransen Pharma Ltd.Atransen Pharma Ltd. is a biotechnology company developing innovative small-molecule therapeutics targeting LAT1, an amino acid transporter essential for cancer cell metabolism. By selectively disrupting tumor nutrient uptake, Atransen Pharma aims to establish a new treatment paradigm for patients with refractory solid tumors. The company’s lead candidate, APL1101, is advancing toward first-in-human clinical studies.Website:
https://www.atransen.com
Media Contact Atransen Pharma Ltd. – Communications Email: admin@atransen.com