Total Series A Funding Exceeds $30M, Including Non-Dilutive Grants
Ehime, Japan, April 15, 2026 – Optieum Biotechnologies, Inc. (Headquarters: Toon City, Ehime, Japan; CEO: Shun Nishioka), a biotechnology company developing next-generation CAR-T therapies, today announced that it has successfully passed the Stage Gate evaluation of the Drug Discovery Venture Ecosystem Enhancement Program administered by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), and has been approved to advance to Stage 2 of the program.
The Company’s lead program, OPTF01 – anti-FAPα CAR-T cells, targeting both tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment in glioblastoma, achieved its Stage 1 milestone with the successful completion of a Pre-IND meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Optieum will now continue advancing its development program toward IND submission.
“Passing the Stage Gate evaluation and advancing to Stage 2 represents a critical validation of both our science and our disciplined execution,” said Shun Nishioka, CEO of Optieum Biotechnologies. “With a successful Pre-IND meeting completed and strong non-dilutive support from AMED, we are now focused on advancing OPTF01 toward IND submission and initiating clinical studies in the U.S.”
Reference: https://www.amed.go.jp/program/list/19/02/005_r7_chukan_4.html
As of April 2026, Optieum has raised over $30M through a combination of Series A equity financing and non-dilutive support, reflecting strong investor backing and continued validation through competitive government funding.
Optieum Biotechnologies, Inc. is a biotechnology company developing next-generation CAR-T cell therapies. The Company leverages its proprietary Eumbody System, a functional CAR screening and optimization platform designed to identify constructs with balanced activation, persistence, and durability. Optieum’s lead program, OPTF01, targets fibroblast activation protein alpha (FAPα) to address both tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment in recurrent and newly diagnosed glioblastoma. The Company is advancing its pipeline toward global clinical development with a focus on rigorous science, disciplined execution, and international regulatory strategy.
