iHeart

What iHeart does

iHeart Japan Corporation is a Kyoto-headquartered, privately held biotechnology company founded in April 2013 by Kenji Kakuda that develops iPS cell-based regenerative medicine products targeting severe heart failure, where only ~50 heart transplants are performed annually in Japan against a pool of roughly 200,000 eligible patients. Its core scientific platform is licensed from Kyoto University and combines CD82-positive cardiomyocyte progenitor isolation, multilayer cardiac cell sheet construction with proprietary hydrogel integration, and mixed cardiac-vascular cell population manufacturing, with five Japanese patents granted plus international coverage across the US, China, Korea, Germany, GB, France, and Italy. The company's product portfolio is built on three pillars: (1) the Cardiovascular Cell Multilayer, a therapeutic product currently in clinical trials for dilated cardiomyopathy with first patient dosed July 2025; (2) the MiraCell® research tools line (Cardiomyocytes, Cardiomyocytes 3D, Endothelial Cells, plus a TdP-based cardiac toxicity evaluation service) developed by iHeart and manufactured and sold globally by Takara Bio; and (3) GCTP-licensed contract services for specified cell processed product manufacturing, differentiated cell induction, master/working cell bank production, and disease iPS cell drug screening, complemented by consulting in regenerative medicine strategy and biotech valuation. iHeart makes money primarily through service fees for contracted manufacturing and consulting, milestone/royalty economics from Takara Bio on MiraCell product sales, licensing of its patent portfolio, and government grant support from NEDO and AMED; commercial revenue from the therapeutic product remains pre-launch. The company employs 11–50 people across its Kyoto R&D and cell-processing facility, Tokyo business development office, and Kyoto registered head office, and is led by a founder-CEO with a Mitsui/Ant Capital Partners VC background, a Kyoto University-affiliated board, and advisors including the original inventors of its core technologies.

Name

iHeart

Legal name

iHeart Japan株式会社

Website

https://iheartjapan.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

iHeart Japan Corporation is a Kyoto-based, privately held biotechnology company founded in 2013 that develops iPS cell-derived cardiovascular cell multilayer products for severe heart failure, alongside the MiraCell® research tool line of iPS-derived cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells distributed globally by Takara Bio, and GCTP-licensed contract manufacturing and consulting services for regenerative medicine.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cardiac Regenerative Medicine

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Cardiovascular & Vascular Regeneration (vascular grafts, angiogenesis) (HLAAAGAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Stem Cell–Based Regenerative Therapies (HLAAAGAA), Stem Cell Therapies (MSC/iPSC/HSC-derived) (HLAAABAE)

Keywords

• IPS cell technology
• Regenerative medicine products
• Cardiac cell therapy
• Stem cell research tools
• Cell processing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kyoto-shi

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Contracted Manufacturing Services: Manufacturing of specified cell-processed products under Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare manufacturing license. Services include contract manufacturing of differentiated cells (cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells, vascular wall cells, mesenchymal stem cells), cell bank manufacturing (MCB, WCB), and disease-specific iPS cell screening services for drug discovery.
2. Cell Processing Contract Services: Manufacturing of cell processed products for medical institutions providing regenerative medicine, including clinical research applications. Licensed facility under GCTP regulations.
3. Regenerative Medicine Consulting: Consulting services for regenerative medicine product development strategy, raw material procurement, manufacturing system establishment, pipeline valuation, milestone-payment and royalty rate design for large enterprise-biotech partnerships, and biotech business/economic valuation for investment companies and securities firms.
4. MiraCell Research Tool Products: MiraCell series research-use cells and related products (Cardiomyocytes 3D, Cardiomyocytes, Endothelial Cells) manufactured and sold by TaKaRa Bio. Revenue through distribution partnership with TaKaRa Bio.
5. Licensing and Technology Transfer: Patent licensing and technology transfer agreements, including contracts with Takara Bio for cell product development and Kyoto University for foundational iPS cell technologies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

iHeart Japan develops iPS cell-derived regenerative medicine products, primarily a Cardiovascular Cell Multilayer for treating severe heart failure currently in clinical trials. The company also produces and distributes the MiraCell series of iPS cell-derived cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells as research tools via TaKaRa Bio, and offers GCTP-licensed contract manufacturing, cell banking, disease iPS cell screening, and regenerative medicine/biotech valuation consulting services.

Product overview

iHeart Japan Corporation operates a diversified regenerative medicine business combining three pillars: (1) core regenerative medicine products — the Cardiovascular Cell Multilayer for treating severe heart failure currently in clinical trials; (2) the MiraCell® research tool product line including Cardiomyocytes 3D (simulated cardiac wall), Cardiomyocytes (standard cardiac safety testing), and Endothelial Cells (vascular tissue construction), which are manufactured and sold by TaKaRa Bio; and (3) contract services encompassing specific cell processed product manufacturing, differentiated cell manufacturing, cell banking, and disease iPS cell screening. The company also offers consulting services for regenerative medicine strategy and biotech venture valuation. This multi-product portfolio allows iHeart to pursue both therapeutic development and provide research-use cell products and services to the broader biotechnology industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MiraCell®: Research tool product line including iPS cell-derived cardiomyocytes (3D and standard), endothelial cells, and related products for cardiac research and drug discovery. Manufactured and sold by Takara Bio in partnership with iHeart Japan.

Products and services

• Cardiovascular Cell Multilayer (心血管系細胞の多層体) Flagship regenerative medicine product consisting of multilayered iPS cell-derived cardiovascular cells (cardiomyocytes and vascular cells) that secrete cytokines, improve cardiac function, and form vascular networks for long-term engraftment in treating severe heart failure.
• MiraCell Cardiomyocytes 3D (MiraCell-CM3D) iPS cell-derived simulated cardiac wall model for advanced cardiac analysis, suitable for sophisticated pharmacological and toxicity studies mimicking native heart tissue architecture. Includes Torsades de Pointes (TdP) waveform detection service for cardiac safety toxicity evaluation launched March 2020.
• MiraCell Cardiomyocytes (MiraCell-CM) iPS cell-derived cardiomyocytes optimized for standard cardiac safety testing applications, featuring consistent quality and patch-clamp compatibility. Manufactured by iHeart Japan and sold by TaKaRa Bio.
• MiraCell Endothelial Cells (MiraCell-EC) iPS cell-derived endothelial cells for constructing vascularized tissues and evaluating angiogenesis inhibition/promotion effects for drug discovery applications. Manufactured by iHeart Japan and sold by TaKaRa Bio.
• Specific Cell Processed Product Contract Manufacturing (特定細胞加工物 受託製造サービス) Contract manufacturing of specific cell processed products using the company's GCTP-licensed cell processing facility for clinical research and regenerative medicine applications by medical institutions.
• Differentiated Cell Contract Manufacturing (分化細胞 受託製造サービス) Custom differentiation of customer-provided iPS cells or ES cells into cardiomyocytes, vascular endothelial cells, vascular wall cells, and mesenchymal stem cells using proprietary differentiation methods.
• Cell Bank Contract Manufacturing (セル・バンク 受託製造サービス) Expansion culture of stem cells (iPS/ES) and creation of Master Cell Bank (MCB) and Working Cell Bank (WCB) for pharmaceutical and research applications.
• Disease iPS Cell Contract Screening (疾患iPS細胞 受託スクリーニング) Drug candidate screening services using patient-derived iPS cells carrying specific disease characteristics for therapeutic discovery applications.
• Regenerative Medicine Consulting (再生医療コンサルティング) Consulting services covering regenerative medicine product development strategy, raw material sourcing, and manufacturing system establishment for biotech companies and bio-ventures.
• Biotech Venture Valuation Consulting (バイオベンチャーの価値評価コンサルティング) Valuation consulting for biotech ventures including pipeline assessment, milestone payment and royalty rate design, and economic value evaluation for investment decisions by investment companies and securities firms.
• Training and Lecture Services (研修・講演サービス) Corporate training services covering regenerative medicine product regulations, industry trends, and custom topics requested by clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200,000 severe heart failure patients in Japan can potentially be treated with cardiovascular cell multilayer products (versus ~50 transplants/year)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Singapore Startup EcosystemminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 June 2024Participated in Singapore startup mission in June 2024, exploring international expansion and partnerships in the Southeast Asian market.
• 日本バイオテク協議会 (Japan Biotechnology Council / SAMURAI Biotech)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 June 2024Board member appointment to Japanese Biotechnology Council (SAMURAI Biotech), participating in industry association activities and governance.
• 公益財団法人京都大学iPS細胞研究財団 (Public Foundation Kyoto University iPS Cell Research Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 March 2019iHeart Japan participates in the 'P.S. i LOVE YOU' project organized by the Public Foundation Kyoto University iPS Cell Research Foundation, aiming to support iPS cell research and applications.
• タカラバイオ株式会社 (Takara Bio Inc.)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 24 June 2014Takara Bio manufactures and sells MiraCell research tool products (Cardiomyocytes, Endothelial Cells, Cardiomyocytes 3D) developed by iHeart Japan. Products launched in Japan (2016), Korea (February 2020), and China (March 2020). Takara Bio also launched endothelial cell products (December 2016) and cardiomyocyte products (June 2016) based on their partnership with iHeart Japan.
• 京都大学 iPS細胞研究財団 (Kyoto University iPS Cell Research Foundation)coreTechnology or Integration · 18 April 2013iHeart Japan's foundational technology originated from Professor Yamashita Jun's laboratory at Kyoto University. The company maintains ongoing collaboration with Kyoto University iPS Cell Research Foundation, including participation in the 'P.S. i LOVE YOU' project (February 2022). Patent and technology transfer agreement signed with Kyoto University in February 2014.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ReproCELL (Resonac Group): Japanese-origin provider of iPSC-related reagents, cell products and contract services, now part of Resonac. Overlaps with iHeart in iPSC research tools and cardiac differentiation products for the global pharma and academic market.
• Takara Bio Inc. Large Japanese life-sciences company and iHeart's primary distribution partner for MiraCell research tools. Operates a broader portfolio in cell engineering, gene therapy and CDMO services; relevant both as a partner and as a broad incumbent shaping the iPSC cell-products market.
• Cellular Dynamics International (Fujifilm): Subsidiary of Fujifilm offering iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes and other differentiated cell products for research and drug discovery. Competes with iHeart's MiraCell line in the iPSC-derived cardiac research-tools market globally.

Emerging players

• Cynata Therapeutics: Australian clinical-stage company developing iPSC-derived mesenchymal stem cell (CYP-001) therapies for inflammatory and cardiovascular indications. Comparable as an iPSC-derived cell-therapy developer advancing into cardiac and related indications.
• Pluristem Therapeutics: Cell-therapy company developing placenta-derived cell products for cardiovascular and inflammatory indications. Comparable as an emerging-stage cell-therapy developer pursuing cardiac applications in parallel with iHeart's clinical program.

Direct peers

• Cuorips Inc. Japanese regenerative medicine company developing iPSC-derived cardiac cell sheets for heart failure using a similar cell-sheet engineering approach. Direct competitor in the same clinical category with overlapping scientific founders and Kyoto-University-linked IP.
• Heartseed Inc. Tokyo-based clinical-stage company developing iPSC-derived cardiomyocyte spheroids (HS-001) for severe heart failure. The closest direct competitor to iHeart's Cardiovascular Cell Multilayer, targeting the same patient population with a similar iPSC-derived cardiac cell therapy approach.

Regional players

• J-TEC (Japan Tissue Engineering): Pioneer Japanese regenerative medicine company with approved autologous cell-sheet products (e.g., for cartilage). Comparable in regulatory pathway, GCTP-style manufacturing and Japanese commercial reimbursement dynamics for cell-based therapies.
• Cyfuse Biomedical K.K. Japanese regenerative medicine company using 3D cell-assembly technologies for tissue engineering. Comparable as a Japan-based cell-engineering peer working on tissue-like constructs for clinical applications.

Others

• Mesoblast Limited: Commercial-stage cell-therapy company developing mesenchymal lineage cell products including for chronic heart failure (REVASCOR). A broadly relevant peer for cardiac cell-therapy regulatory and commercial benchmarks, though at a much later stage and broader portfolio than iHeart.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@iheartjapan4891
• Facebookfacebook.com/IHeartJapanCorporation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors4 records

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about iHeart