LUCA Science is a preclinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering a new class of mitochondrial therapy to restore cellular bioenergetics in dysfunctional or damaged tissues and organs. The company uses its proprietary Mitochondrial Isolation Technology (MIT) platform to manufacture intact, shelf-stable and highly functional isolated mitochondria as quality-controlled biopharmaceutical agents. Proceeds from the recent financing will be used to accelerate research and development toward IND submission, expand CMC capabilities, and establish a robust manufacturing system based on the MIT platform. LUCA Science is also advancing its pipeline with a view to target additional therapeutic areas in collaboration with academic and industry partners. The company is headquartered in Tokyo, was established on December 25, 2018, and employs about 20 people. CEO Rick C. Tsai said the financing will enable further investment in CMC and help accelerate R&D to bring mitochondria-based therapeutics closer to patients. LUCA Science is a preclinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing functional mitochondria as therapeutic agents to treat damaged tissues and organs. The company’s platform produces highly functional mitochondria that can be stored and delivered as a biopharmaceutical product. LUCA’s proprietary mitochondrial engineering technology is designed to enhance mitochondrial quality and function from the cell source through to the target site of delivery. Targeted applications described include treatment of myocardial and cerebral infarction and reversal of immune cell exhaustion in cancer and infectious diseases, among other unmet medical needs. The company collaborates with Japanese and international academic institutions to develop clinical applications across multiple therapeutic areas. With the new funding, LUCA plans to accelerate research and development of advanced drug delivery and formulation to realize functional mitochondria as therapeutic agents.

Total raised

$39M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Series B

Latest activity

Jun 2022