What EditForce does

EditForce is a Japanese biopharmaceutical company founded in May 2015 and headquartered in Fukuoka that develops programmable RNA editing technologies based on pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins, licensed exclusively from Kyushu University (RNA applications, January 2016) and Hiroshima University (DNA applications, July 2016). The company's core platform exploits the inherent sequence-specific RNA-binding properties of PPR proteins, where each 35-amino-acid motif recognizes a single nucleotide and multiple motifs can be linked to target arbitrary RNA sequences without guide RNA. This architecture has been extended into multiple therapeutic modalities, including C-to-U RNA base editing via the RECODE technology (PPR-DYW fusion), the world's first U-to-C RNA editing demonstrated in human cells, PPR-directed exon skipping, and PPR-mediated translational enhancement. EditForce's lead drug candidate, EF-210, is a recombinant AAV-delivered CUG-PPR1 therapeutic for Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 (DM1), with proof of concept completed in DM1 mouse models and IND filing planned for early 2027.

The company operates a hybrid business model combining proprietary drug development with platform licensing and co-development partnerships. Revenue is generated through bespoke licensing agreements (e.g., the June 2022 license to Tanabe Mitsubishi Pharma for CNS disease gene therapy drugs), co-development arrangements with partners such as Solasia Pharma (cancer, December 2019) and Japan Innovation Pharmaceutical (age-related macular degeneration, July 2018), and potential future product revenue from clinical-stage programs. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, as deals are negotiated individually with enterprise pharmaceutical counterparties. The go-to-market motion is enterprise field sales targeting pharmaceutical companies for licensing and co-development, supplemented by scientific publication in high-impact journals and media coverage (including an NHK World Science View feature in November 2025) to build credibility. Marketing is primarily through peer-reviewed publications, presentations at conferences such as ASGCT and World Muscle Society, and earned media in Japanese national outlets.

EditForce is venture-backed, having raised approximately 4.27 billion JPY cumulatively through rounds in 2019 (870M JPY Series B), 2021 (1.3B JPY across two rounds), and 2023 (2.1B JPY across two rounds), with major shareholders including KISCO, UTEC (University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners), Newton Biocapital I (Belgium), Itochu Technology Ventures, MP Healthcare Venture Management (Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma's CVC), and regional Japanese investors. The company has secured multiple non-dilutive AMED grants, was selected for the J-Startup KYUSHU program (2024) and recognized in the UK Government's National Vision for Engineering Biology publication (2023), and operates with 11-50 employees across Fukuoka R&D facilities (co-located at Kyushu University) and a Tokyo office. The company's competitive positioning is anchored by exclusive platform IP, multiple world-first scientific achievements, and a clear lead asset pathway toward clinical development.

Name

EditForce

Legal name

エディットフォース株式会社

Website

https://editforce.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EditForce is a Fukuoka-based Japanese biotech developing programmable PPR protein-based RNA editing technologies for drug discovery. It licenses its platform to pharmaceutical partners and is advancing lead candidate EF-210 for Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 toward IND filing in 2027.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

RNA Editing Therapeutics & Biopharmaceutical Drug Development

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

RNA Therapeutics Platforms & Design (sequence design, target ID/validation, AI/bioinformatics) (HLAAADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

AAV Vector Gene Therapy Developers (HLAAACAA), Protein Engineering & Directed Evolution Platforms (enzyme/therapeutic protein optimization) (HLAAAIAC), Gene Therapy CMC/Process Development Platforms (capsid engineering, producer cell lines, plasmids, upstream/downstream) (HLAAACAN)

Keywords

• RNA editing technology
• Biopharmaceutical drug development
• PPR protein platform
• Gene therapy therapeutics
• Rare disease treatment

Headquarters

HQ city

Fukuoka

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Licensing and Co-development Revenue: Revenue generated from licensing PPR platform technology to pharmaceutical companies for specific disease applications, combined with co-development arrangements where EditForce contributes its technology platform and receives development milestones and royalties.
2. PPR Platform Technology Provision: Platform technology provision and research services using proprietary PPR protein design capabilities, targeting pharmaceutical and biotech partners across drug discovery applications.
3. Drug Development Pipeline: Proprietary drug development programs (e.g., EF-210 for DM1) progressed toward clinical stage, with potential for future product revenue upon regulatory approval.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

EditForce develops and licenses a proprietary PPR (Pentatricopeptide Repeat) protein-based platform technology for programmable RNA editing and manipulation. The platform enables sequence-specific RNA targeting, base editing (C-to-U and U-to-C), exon skipping, and translational enhancement, and is applied to pharmaceutical drug development (lead program EF-210 for Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1), agricultural seed development, and other biotechnology applications.

Product overview

EditForce is a biopharmaceutical company developing PPR (pentatricopeptide repeat) protein-based RNA editing technologies. The company's core product is the PPR Platform Technology, a programmable RNA editing system that enables sequence-specific binding to target RNA. This platform supports multiple therapeutic approaches including the RECODE technology for C-to-U editing, U-to-C editing technology, and the lead drug candidate EF-210 for Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 (DM1) treatment using the CUG-PPR1 molecule delivered via AAV vectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PPR Platform Technology A programmable RNA editing platform based on PPR proteins that enables sequence-specific binding to target RNA. Supports multiple RNA manipulation modes including RNA binding, C-to-U base editing (RECODE), U-to-C editing, exon skipping, and translational enhancement from a single-protein architecture. Licensed to pharmaceutical companies for drug development.
• RECODE Technology (RNA Editor for C-to-U with an Optimized DYW Enzyme) A proprietary C-to-U RNA editing technology combining a PPR protein that specifically binds to target RNA sequences with a DYW enzyme domain that converts cytidine (C) to uridine (U) in a single protein design. Enables precise base editing in animal cells and mice.
• EF-210 Lead drug candidate: a recombinant AAV-based gene therapy for Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 (DM1). Uses the CUG-PPR1 molecule that specifically binds to pathogenic CUG repeat RNA and blocks MBNL protein sequestration, restoring normal splicing activity and muscle function. Single IV dose demonstrated long-term efficacy in DM1 mouse model.

Quantifiable outcome

• EF-210: Single IV dose in DM1 mouse model achieved maximum efficacy (no muscle stiffness observed even after 20 needle insertions) at doses of 1×10^13 vg/kg or higher (Day 56)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• 国立研究開発法人日本医療研究開発機構 (AMED)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 March 2023AMED (Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development) supports EditForce's drug development programs. EF-210 (DM1 treatment) was selected for AMED's 'Drug Discovery Venture Ecosystem Strengthening Project' (March 2023). Also selected in 2021 for 'RNA-targeted Drug Discovery Technology Development' under the Next-Generation Treatment/Diagnosis Realization Project.
• 田辺三菱製薬株式会社 (Tanabe Mitsubishi Pharma)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 27 June 2022License agreement signed in June 2022 granting Tanabe Mitsubishi Pharma rights to research, develop, and commercialize gene therapy drugs using EditForce's PPR protein platform for specific CNS diseases. Combines EditForce's bio-pharmaceutical engineering capabilities with Tanabe Mitsubishi's global drug development expertise.
• ソレイジア・ファーマ株式会社 (Solasia Pharma)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 December 2019Joint R&D agreement signed December 2019 for developing RNA editing-based cancer therapeutics. EditForce contributes PPR platform technology while Solasia contributes cancer drug development expertise. Multiple projects targeting different disease areas, RNA target sequences, and mechanisms of action.
• 日本革新創薬株式会社 (Japan Innovation Pharmaceutical)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 July 2018Joint research agreement for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) drug development. EditForce designs and evaluates PPR proteins; Japan Innovation Pharmaceutical conducts animal model validation studies.
• 広島大学 (Hiroshima University)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 July 2016Licensed DNA-targeting PPR technology from Hiroshima University (July 2016), providing EditForce with exclusive rights for DNA applications of PPR proteins, complementing the RNA rights from Kyushu University.
• 九州大学 (Kyushu University)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2015Founding partner institution. EditForce was established based on PPR protein research from Kyushu University Professor Takahiro Nakamura's laboratory. Signed joint research contract (December 2015) and exclusive patent license agreement (January 2016) for RNA PPR technology. Multiple co-development programs ongoing, including RECODE technology, EF-210, and structural studies published in Nature Communications (2026).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ProQR Therapeutics: Clinical-stage RNA editing company developing Axiomer RNA base-editing technology using ADAR enzymes. Targets similar genetic disease indications with platform approach, making it a direct competitor in programmable RNA editing therapeutics.
• Wave Life Sciences: Clinical-stage RNA editing company using PRISM platform for oligonucleotide-based RNA base editing. Competes with EditForce in RNA-targeted therapeutics for genetic diseases, including neuromuscular disorders.
• Korro Bio: Clinical-stage RNA editing company using ADAR-mediated RNA editing (OPERA platform). Targets liver and CNS indications with similar programmable RNA editing approach to EditForce's PPR technology.

Emerging players

• AIRNA Bio: Emerging RNA editing company developing ADAR-based RNA editing therapeutics for genetic diseases. Competes with EditForce in the RNA editing modality with focus on liver-directed applications.
• Ascidian Therapeutics: RNA editing company using RNA exon editing to address genetic diseases, including ophthalmology indications. Competes with EditForce's PPR-based exon skipping approach for genetic disease therapy.
• Shape Therapeutics: RNA editing company using ADAR-based RNAfix platform and AAV delivery for in vivo RNA editing. Competes with EditForce in programmable RNA editing with similar AAV-delivery approach.
• Locanabio: RNA-targeted therapeutic company developing RNA editing and RNA-binding protein-based therapies for genetic diseases. Overlaps with EditForce in programmable RNA-targeting approach for neuromuscular and rare diseases.

Broad incumbents

• Beam Therapeutics: Clinical-stage base editing company with broader portfolio including DNA base editing and RNA base editing. While focused on DNA editing, their RNA editing programs compete with EditForce's PPR platform for partner and investor attention.
• Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma: Major Japanese pharmaceutical company and EditForce's CNS disease partner. Both share strategic interest in CNS and rare disease drug development using PPR platform, making it a strategic incumbent comparator.

Regional players

• Solasia Pharma: Japanese specialty pharma company and EditForce's cancer co-development partner. Comparable as a Japan-focused pharma developing RNA editing-based cancer therapeutics using PPR platform technology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/editforce

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors8 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EditForce