Supporting the development of microbiome-based medicines as a new therapeutic modality
Zeon Corporation (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Tetsuya Toyoshima; “Zeon”) announced today that, through Zeon Ventures Inc. (California, U.S.; Representative: Kazuhiro Takahashi), its subsidiary that manages corporate venture capital (CVC) activities, it has invested in Kanvas Biosciences, (“Kanvas”), a Princeton, New Jersey-based spatial biology company developing therapeutics that leverage the gut microbiome—a community of microorganisms that coexist in the human intestinal tract. Through this investment, Zeon will advance the exploration of new business opportunities related to this area.
Kanvas is building the world’s first microbiome drug screening, discovery and manufacturing platform to accelerate the development of next generation live biotherapeutics. The company has proprietary technology that spatially maps the gut microbiome and host cells, such as intestinal epithelial cells. This technology enables the manufacturing of therapeutics using complex consortia comprising hundreds of microbial species and the visualization of how these therapeutics colonize and function in the colon. Kanvas’s approach is expected to help move microbiome medicine from a research concept to reproducible, manufacturable therapies.
Kanvas’s technology is expected to advance microbiome medicine from a promising area of research to reproducible, manufacturable therapeutics. Through its investment in Kanvas, Zeon will continue exploring new business opportunities in the microbiome-related market and seek to strengthen its future business portfolio.
In its medium-term management plan, STAGE30, Zeon has identified “Mobility,” “Healthcare and Life Science,” “Telecommunications,” and “GX” as its four growth areas.
This investment further advances Zeon’s initiatives in Healthcare and Life Science. Going forward, Zeon will continue contributing to “a sustainable planet” and “safe and comfortable lives for people” through startup investments and business co-creation.
Outline of Kanvas Biosciences
Company Name: Kanvas Biosciences, Inc.
Business: Microbiome drug discovery, development, and manufacturing using a spatial biology platform
Representative: Matthew Cheng, Co-founder & CEO
URL: https://www.kanvasbio.com/
Outline of Zeon Ventures
Company Name: Zeon Ventures, Inc.
Business: Investment in startup companies and other activities
Representative: Kazuhiro Takahashi
Address: 25 Metro Drive, Suite 238, San Jose, California 95110
URL: https://www.zeon.ventures/
* Gut microbiome: the community of microorganisms that live symbiotically in the human intestinal tract.
For more information, contact:
Department of Corporate Communications, Corporate Planning Division, Zeon Corporation
Phone: +81-3-3216-2747
