News

JIC Venture Growth Investments has acquired the shares in Ohara Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (“Ohara”), through its JIC Venture Growth Fund 2.

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Ohara is a pharmaceutical company that develops its business with a focus on orphan drugs (drugs for rare diseases) and generic drugs under the mission "Entirely from the patients' perspective. Providing dependable pharmaceuticals for the future of medicine." In addition to its efforts in new drug in fields with high unmet medical needs such as primary cancers, hematologic cancers, and diseases of the central nervous system, Ohara is committed to the manufacturing and distribution of generic medicines.

The company has established a hybrid business model that combines its new drug and generic drug businesses. It leverages its advanced technological capabilities—including synthetic process development and formulation design—as well as a global network to take on the challenge of orphan drugs, which are difficult to expand business in terms of market size and profitability.

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Building on its experience and growth in Japan, Ohara is also expanding its efforts internationally. The company is actively supporting the development of local pharmaceutical manufacturing and healthcare service providers in emerging markets, including Africa, with the aim of improving healthcare accessibility and public health standards.

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Through this investment in Ohara, VGI aims to contribute to the global expansion of Ohara's innovative drug business. Through this growth, the company seeks to address unmet medical needs for patients with rare diseases, tackle social issues in Japan such as drug lag and drug loss, and enhance the sustainability of the national healthcare system. Furthermore, this investment represents a meaningful case of growth capital being supplied to a mid-sized, privately held company that had not previously accessed capital markets—supporting the transformation and development of a leading regional enterprise.

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With this investment, Ohara aims to drive non-linear growth by strengthening its research and development capabilities, enhancing its manufacturing infrastructure, and expanding recruitment of skilled personnel—ultimately contributing to the advancement of Japanese healthcare and its long-term sustainability.

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The information contained in this notice is tentative and subject to change without notice.