AMBICION

What AMBICION does

AMBICION Co., Ltd. (株式会社アンビシオン) is a privately-held Tokyo-based Japanese pharmaceutical company founded in October 2015 that develops NKT (Natural Killer T) cell-targeted cancer immunotherapies. The company is built on two proprietary platform technologies licensed exclusively from RIKEN: the novel glycolipid NKT ligand "RK," which activates NKT cells several to tens of times more strongly than the conventional ligand α-galactosylceramide, and novel antigen-presenting cells (APCs) that replace dendritic cells with shorter culture time and more stable quality. AMBICION combines these into two pipeline cell products — RK-pulsed autologous APCs (lead, in a Phase I study at Keio University Hospital for advanced/recurrent solid carcinoma) and RK-pulsed allogeneic APCs (follow-on, in non-clinical studies with clinical entry targeted within 2–3 years) — and is also co-developing an NKT cell-targeted anti-allergy drug program with RIKEN based on IgE production inhibition.

The company's business model is pre-commercial. It holds global exclusive development and commercialization rights from RIKEN (March 2018) in exchange for upfront cash, development milestones, and sales-based royalties. Revenue is intended to come from sales of the autologous APC product as a Cellular and Tissue-based Product in Japan (under the existing Advanced Medical Care B / 先進医療B designation granted by MHLW for the underlying NKT cell immunotherapy class) and from future outbound pharmaceutical alliances for global reach, as stated by CEO Kenji Suzuki. Manufacturing is conducted under GMP for the RK ligand and GCTP for cell products. The company has 1–10 employees, has raised disclosed primary capital of approximately $6.25M (2016, Regional Health Care Industry Support Fund / REVIC) plus an undisclosed 2018 round (Regional Health Care Industry Support Fund / REVIC / TOHO HOLDINGS), and protects its position through Japan Patent No. 447947 and US patent rights to Galacto-pyranosyl compounds acquired from Ghent University. AMBICION's sole current "customer" relationship is investigational product supply to Keio University Hospital; commercial revenue has not yet been recognized.

Name

AMBICION

Legal name

AMBICION Co., Ltd.

Website

https://ambicion.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AMBICION Co., Ltd. is a Tokyo-based clinical-stage pharmaceutical company founded in 2015 that develops NKT cell-targeted cancer immunotherapies using the proprietary RK glycolipid ligand and novel antigen-presenting cells exclusively licensed from RIKEN, currently supplying a Phase I trial at Keio University Hospital.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Cell Therapy (NKT cell-targeted regenerative medicine)

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

NK Cell Therapies (HLAAABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dendritic Cell & Other APC-based Therapies (HLAAABAF), Cell Therapy Manufacturing Services (GMP, autologous/allogeneic) (HLAAAKAC), Personalized Therapeutic Design (neoantigen vaccines, individualized cell/gene therapies) (HLAAANAK)

Keywords

• NKT cell immunotherapy
• Cancer cell therapy
• Regenerative medicine products
• Antigen-presenting cell therapy
• Glycolipid ligand research

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Regenerative medicine product sales (future): Pre-commercial / clinical-stage; AMBICION is responsible for industrialization of the RK-pulsed autologous APC product after the Phase I study at Keio University Hospital and will commercialize it as a Cellular and Tissue-based Product (regenerative medicine). No revenue is currently recognized.
2. Licensing royalties (outbound / payable to RIKEN): Under the RIKEN licensing agreement, AMBICION pays an upfront cash payment, development-based milestone payments, and a specified amount of royalties to RIKEN based on the sales amount of the product after commercial launch. (This represents a cost obligation rather than revenue.)

Go-to-market motion3 records

Core offering

AMBICION develops and manufactures NKT cell-targeted cancer immunotherapy products built on two proprietary RIKEN-discovered platforms: the novel glycolipid NKT ligand "RK" and novel antigen-presenting cells (APCs). The company's lead pipeline candidate is RK-pulsed autologous APCs, manufactured from patient mononuclear cells via apheresis and co-cultured with the RK ligand at a Cell Processing Center under GMP/GCTP compliance; it is currently being supplied to a Phase I clinical study at Keio University Hospital for advanced/recurrent solid carcinoma. The follow-on candidate is RK-pulsed allogeneic APCs designed as an off-the-shelf cell product, and an early-stage NKT cell-targeted anti-allergy drug program is co-developed with RIKEN.

Product overview

AMBICION's offering is a pipeline-based portfolio of NKT cell-targeted immunotherapies built around two proprietary core platform technologies: the novel NKT ligand "RK" and novel antigen-presenting cells (APCs), both discovered at RIKEN. These components combine to create the company's cellular and tissue-based products, with RK-pulsed autologous APCs as the lead program and RK-pulsed allogeneic APCs as the follow-on off-the-shelf product. Beyond the cell therapy pipeline, AMBICION is also co-developing an NKT cell-targeted anti-allergy drug program with RIKEN, targeting inhibition of IgE production. The portfolio is governed by a March 2016 collaborative research agreement with RIKEN on RK-based cell-processing products and supported by global exclusive licensing rights from RIKEN.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• RK-pulsed autologous antigen-presenting cells (APCs) Autologous cell product manufactured from the patient's own mononuclear cells collected via apheresis, then co-cultured with the novel NKT ligand "RK" at a Cell Processing Center. The formulated, quality-tested frozen product is transported to medical facilities to activate NKT cells and energize the immune system against cancer. Currently in Phase I clinical study at Keio University Hospital; selected as Seeds B in AMED's Translational Research Strategic Promotion Program based at Keio University.
• RK-pulsed allogeneic antigen-presenting cells (APCs) Allogeneic cell product produced by isolating APCs from allogeneic (donor) cells and co-culturing them with the novel NKT ligand "RK." Designed to be provided as an off-the-shelf stock product to a larger number of cancer patients, offering consistent quality and broader patient access. Currently in fundamental research and non-clinical studies, targeted at clinical studies within 2–3 years.
• NKT cell-targeted anti-allergy drug program Drug discovery program co-developed with RIKEN under a July 2017 collaborative research agreement, targeting allergic diseases via a novel mechanism of action that inhibits immunoglobulin E (IgE) production and reduces clinical allergic symptoms. Early-stage research program supported by AMBICION's 2018 capital raise.

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• RIKEN (as research licensor / ecosystem): Japanese national research institute that discovered AMBICION's core RK ligand and novel APC technology and out-licensed them globally. Included as an ecosystem participant given its centrality to AMBICION's IP and continued scientific collaboration.

Regional players

• Noile-Prime Biotech: Japanese clinical-stage biotech developing PRIME-T (induced pluripotent cytokine-induced killer T) cell therapy and other immune cell therapies for cancer. Comparable as a Japanese cell therapy peer with a similar development-stage profile.
• Oncolys BioPharma: Japanese clinical-stage oncology biotech developing virus-based and cell-based cancer therapies, including telomelysin and related immuno-oncology programs. Comparable as a Japan-based clinical-stage oncology peer with similar capital constraints.

Direct peers

• Fate Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biotech developing off-the-shelf iPSC-derived NK and T cell cancer immunotherapies. Comparable to AMBICION's pursuit of off-the-shelf allogeneic cell therapy at scale and its focus on innate immune cell-mediated anti-tumor activity.
• Adaptimmune Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biotech developing engineered TCR T-cell therapies for solid tumors, with an approved product (Tecelra) and active pipeline. Comparable as a clinical-stage cell therapy company pursuing HLA-targeted approaches in oncology.
• Nkarta Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biotech developing off-the-shelf allogeneic NK cell therapies for cancer, with both autologous and allogeneic programs in clinical development. Closely comparable to AMBICION's NK-adjacent cell therapy approach and dual autologous/allogeneic pipeline structure.
• Atara Biotherapeutics: Clinical-stage cell therapy company developing T-cell and NK cell-based therapies for solid tumors and hematologic cancers. Comparable as a small-cap clinical-stage cell therapy peer with autologous and allogeneic programs.
• BrightPath Biotherapeutics: Japanese clinical-stage biotech developing cancer immunotherapy cell therapies, including activated NK cell-based products. A close Japanese-headquartered cell therapy peer with comparable size and clinical-stage profile.
• Tessa Therapeutics: Singapore-headquartered clinical-stage cell therapy company with a historical focus on NKT cell-based oncology programs and broader cell therapy pipeline. Most directly comparable to AMBICION given its NKT cell heritage and Asia-Pacific base.

Broad incumbents

• Iovance Biotherapeutics: Commercial-stage cell therapy company with an approved TIL therapy (Amtagvi) and a broader solid tumor cell therapy pipeline. Comparable as a larger, more advanced cell therapy peer pursuing tumor-agnostic mechanisms in solid tumors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors3 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 AMBICION