Senno Therapeutics Accelerates Development of Cell Therapy Using iPS Cell-Derived Hepatoblasts
Senno Therapeutics, aiming to resolve unmet medical needs in liver failure, raised funds totaling 750 million yen to accelerate the development of 'SEN-001', a cell therapy using allogeneic iPS cell-derived hepatoblasts.
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- 📰 Published: April 15, 2026 at 00:10
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Senno Therapeutics Inc. (Headquarters: Tokyo, Representative Director & CEO: Chieko Mori, hereinafter 'the Company'), which is advancing the development of innovative treatments for lethal liver diseases using its proprietary allogeneic iPS cell-derived hepatoblasts with the aim of resolving unmet medical needs in the field of liver failure, has raised funds to accelerate its development.
The Company was established based on the research results of Professor Hideki Taniguchi (Regenerative Medicine Field) at the Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo. It is working on the development of novel cell therapies using hepatoblasts induced and differentiated from allogeneic iPS cells. The lead pipeline, 'SEN-001', aims to complement and restore lost liver function for severe liver diseases with limited existing treatment options, such as acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF).
This fundraising was executed through a third-party allotment of new shares. Existing investor Saisei Ventures led the additional investment as the lead investor, with new participation from One Capital and Mizuho Capital Co., Ltd. This brings the Company's cumulative fundraising amount to 750 million yen.
These funds will be utilized to propel non-clinical development and preparations for clinical trials.
Furthermore, the Company has been selected for the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)'s 'Drug Discovery Venture Ecosystem Enhancement Project.' Combining this with the recent funds, the Company will further accelerate its research and development.
Moving forward, the Company will continue delivering new options to patients who previously lacked adequate treatment methods through the social implementation of regenerative medicine technologies.
[Comments from Investors]
'We highly evaluate Senno's progress to date and the strength of its foundational science. We believe the company's innovative approach has the potential to address significant unmet medical needs,' said Jonathan Yeh, Managing General Partner at Saisei Ventures.
Yukako Yokota, Partner at One Capital, stated, 'We have high expectations for the team's high level of expertise and innovative technology leveraging iPS cells, and we will support their future growth.' Keisuke Omori, Investment Manager at Mizuho Capital Co., Ltd., also commented, 'We highly appreciate their challenge against the critical disease of liver failure based on iPS cell science originating from Japan, and we will accompany them as the Mizuho Group.'
[Representative Comment]
'I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the investors who participated in this round. Leveraging these funds and the support from AMED, we will steadily advance the transition from non-clinical development to clinical trials, striving to deliver new treatments to patients as early as possible.'
About Allogeneic iPS Cell-Derived Hepatoblasts or SEN-001
SEN-001 is a cell therapy utilizing hepatoblasts differentiated from allogeneic iPS cells. Hepatoblasts are progenitor cells with the ability to differentiate into hepatocytes, and it is expected that after administration into the body, they will engraft and proliferate in the liver, contributing to the complementation and recovery of liver function. Furthermore, they can be cultured on a large scale and cryopreserved while maintaining homogeneity, aiming for deployment as a stable-supply 'off-the-shelf' therapy.
About Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure (ACLF)
This is a severe pathological condition where patients with chronic liver diseases, such as cirrhosis, experience a rapid decline in liver function triggered by factors like infectious diseases or alcohol consumption, leading to multiple organ failure. The mortality rate within 28 days of onset is reported to reach 30 to 40%, accompanied by a high risk of death in a short period. While the number of patients globally is on the rise, the fundamental treatment currently is limited to liver transplantation. Due to issues such as donor shortages, there is a strong demand for the development of alternative treatments.
About Senno Therapeutics (https://sennotx.com)
Senno Therapeutics is a bio-venture developing new treatments for lethal liver failure using human iPS cell-derived liver progenitor cell and liver organoid technologies. It was established in 2024 based on the research outcomes regarding human iPS cell-derived liver progenitor cells (hepatoblasts) by Professor Hideki Taniguchi (Regenerative Medicine Field) and his team at the Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo. The company aims to establish innovative cell therapies to save liver failure patients who otherwise pass away while waiting for organ transplants.
Company Name: Senno Therapeutics Inc.
Location: Tokyo
Representative: Representative Director
The Company was established based on the research results of Professor Hideki Taniguchi (Regenerative Medicine Field) at the Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo. It is working on the development of novel cell therapies using hepatoblasts induced and differentiated from allogeneic iPS cells. The lead pipeline, 'SEN-001', aims to complement and restore lost liver function for severe liver diseases with limited existing treatment options, such as acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF).
This fundraising was executed through a third-party allotment of new shares. Existing investor Saisei Ventures led the additional investment as the lead investor, with new participation from One Capital and Mizuho Capital Co., Ltd. This brings the Company's cumulative fundraising amount to 750 million yen.
These funds will be utilized to propel non-clinical development and preparations for clinical trials.
Furthermore, the Company has been selected for the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)'s 'Drug Discovery Venture Ecosystem Enhancement Project.' Combining this with the recent funds, the Company will further accelerate its research and development.
Moving forward, the Company will continue delivering new options to patients who previously lacked adequate treatment methods through the social implementation of regenerative medicine technologies.
[Comments from Investors]
'We highly evaluate Senno's progress to date and the strength of its foundational science. We believe the company's innovative approach has the potential to address significant unmet medical needs,' said Jonathan Yeh, Managing General Partner at Saisei Ventures.
Yukako Yokota, Partner at One Capital, stated, 'We have high expectations for the team's high level of expertise and innovative technology leveraging iPS cells, and we will support their future growth.' Keisuke Omori, Investment Manager at Mizuho Capital Co., Ltd., also commented, 'We highly appreciate their challenge against the critical disease of liver failure based on iPS cell science originating from Japan, and we will accompany them as the Mizuho Group.'
[Representative Comment]
'I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the investors who participated in this round. Leveraging these funds and the support from AMED, we will steadily advance the transition from non-clinical development to clinical trials, striving to deliver new treatments to patients as early as possible.'
About Allogeneic iPS Cell-Derived Hepatoblasts or SEN-001
SEN-001 is a cell therapy utilizing hepatoblasts differentiated from allogeneic iPS cells. Hepatoblasts are progenitor cells with the ability to differentiate into hepatocytes, and it is expected that after administration into the body, they will engraft and proliferate in the liver, contributing to the complementation and recovery of liver function. Furthermore, they can be cultured on a large scale and cryopreserved while maintaining homogeneity, aiming for deployment as a stable-supply 'off-the-shelf' therapy.
About Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure (ACLF)
This is a severe pathological condition where patients with chronic liver diseases, such as cirrhosis, experience a rapid decline in liver function triggered by factors like infectious diseases or alcohol consumption, leading to multiple organ failure. The mortality rate within 28 days of onset is reported to reach 30 to 40%, accompanied by a high risk of death in a short period. While the number of patients globally is on the rise, the fundamental treatment currently is limited to liver transplantation. Due to issues such as donor shortages, there is a strong demand for the development of alternative treatments.
About Senno Therapeutics (https://sennotx.com)
Senno Therapeutics is a bio-venture developing new treatments for lethal liver failure using human iPS cell-derived liver progenitor cell and liver organoid technologies. It was established in 2024 based on the research outcomes regarding human iPS cell-derived liver progenitor cells (hepatoblasts) by Professor Hideki Taniguchi (Regenerative Medicine Field) and his team at the Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo. The company aims to establish innovative cell therapies to save liver failure patients who otherwise pass away while waiting for organ transplants.
Company Name: Senno Therapeutics Inc.
Location: Tokyo
Representative: Representative Director