Cowellnex Invests in Civilization Ventures III, L.P. to Accelerate Innovation in Advanced Healthcare

Cowellnex Inc. (President Junko Nishimae, hereinafter Cowellnex), jointly established by Kirin Holdings Company, Limited (President COO Takeshi Minakata, hereinafter Kirin) and Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd. (President CEO Abdul Malik, hereinafter Kyowa Kirin), has signed a Limited Partnership investment agreement with Civilization Ventures III, L.P., a 10-year fund operated by Civilization Ventures (Founder Shahram Seyedin-Noor, located in San Francisco, USA, hereinafter Civilization). Civilization's strengths, including its knowledge in genomics, diagnostics, digital health, and synthetic biology (including gene and cell therapy), as well as its global network of expert personnel, are highly compatible with Cowellnex's vision for creating innovation, leading to this investment agreement. Under its unique system of close collaboration between corporate venture capital (CVC), research and development, and business research, Cowellnex is building relationships with promising startups that possess cutting-edge knowledge and technology through its collaboration with Civilization. This will enable the creation of new solutions in the healthcare domain, contributing to Cowellnex's objective of realizing "enriched lives for our customers." ■ Comments from each company In addition to its high level of expertise in advanced healthcare, Civilization Ventures possesses unique strengths that support the creation of next-generation innovation through its broad network with academia, entrepreneurs, and investors, and its Fellowship program for nurturing entrepreneurs. Furthermore, based on its excellent investment track record to date, we believe the company has the ability to identify promising technologies and entrepreneurs and connect them to growth. These strengths are highly compatible with Cowellnex's challenge to quickly incorporate cutting-edge knowledge and technology and create unprecedented health experiences. Through this partnership, we will expand opportunities for collaboration with promising startups and accelerate the creation of innovation. Our important partnership with Cowellnex is part of a larger strategy to expand our international presence through collaboration with global leaders and to provide added value to our portfolio companies in regions outside the US. We believe the Cowellnex team possesses broad and outstanding expertise in the healthcare sector. Moving forward, we will collaborate with them to accelerate innovations that will shape human health for the next century in the US, Japan, and globally. ■ Company Overview Cowellnex was established in September 2024 through a joint investment by Kirin and Kyowa Kirin (investment ratio: Kirin 50%, Kyowa Kirin 50%). It creates innovation through the mutual collaboration of research and development, venture investment, and business development, supporting the realization of enriched lives for customers by solving social issues related to health. Cowellnex Inc. | Group Companies | Kirin Holdings (kirinholdings.com) The Kirin Group contributes to the realization of a rich society by expanding new joys of "food and health" through manufacturing that focuses on nature and people. Civilization is a US-based venture capital firm specializing in investments in health tech, biotechnology, synthetic biology, diagnostics, genome editing, AI, and digital health. The company currently manages over US$200 million in assets and has invested in over 77 companies to date. As a result, as of March 2026, it has achieved 17 exits (including 3 NASDAQ listings). Furthermore, it operates PhD Fellowship programs at leading universities worldwide, focusing on nurturing next-generation entrepreneurs, demonstrating a strong commitment to supporting startups.