BOSTON, TOKYO and SUZHOU, July 28, 2026
CORE Biomedicine, a biotechnology company advancing lineage-based precision oncology therapeutics, has announced the successful completion of a $21 million Series A financing alongside securing a prestigious Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) grant, significantly strengthening its efforts to develop next-generation cancer therapies. The financing round was co-led by UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd. and Elikon Venture, with participation from InnoPinnacle Fund, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital Co., Ltd., Suzhou Capital Group Co., Ltd., CD Capital, YuanBio Venture Capital, Vision Incubate Co., Ltd., and Root Venture Partners. Combined with the highly competitive AMED grant awarded to CORE Biomedicine Japan, these investments provide the company with substantial resources to accelerate drug discovery, translational research, and early clinical development of innovative precision oncology medicines. The milestone highlights growing investor confidence in CORE’s unique lineage-based therapeutic platform, which seeks to identify and target fundamental biological drivers of cancer beyond conventional genomic approaches, potentially expanding treatment opportunities for broader patient populations worldwide.
Series A Investment Accelerates Precision Oncology Pipeline
The newly completed $21 million Series A financing marks a significant milestone in CORE Biomedicine’s strategy to transform cancer treatment through lineage-based precision medicine. Unlike traditional genomics-focused drug development, the company’s proprietary platform identifies the biological pathways that define cancer cell identity, enabling researchers to develop first-in-class and best-in-class oncology therapies capable of targeting the root mechanisms driving tumor growth. The capital will support the advancement of CORE’s lead therapeutic programs from discovery into early-stage clinical development, while strengthening its global research infrastructure across the United States, Japan, and China. Company leadership stated that the funding enables CORE to accelerate development timelines while expanding collaborations with academic researchers, biotechnology partners, and clinical investigators. According to Dr. Ping Zhu, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of CORE Biomedicine, the financing validates the company’s scientific vision and provides the foundation needed to advance transformative therapies toward clinical evaluation with the goal of improving outcomes for cancer patients worldwide.
AMED Grant Strengthens Japan’s Biopharma Innovation Ecosystem
In addition to venture financing, CORE Biomedicine Japan, the company’s wholly owned subsidiary, has received a highly competitive AMED Strengthening Program for Pharmaceutical Startup Ecosystem grant. The initiative, administered by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), supports promising biotechnology companies developing innovative medicines while strengthening Japan’s global biopharmaceutical research ecosystem. The grant will fund CORE’s ongoing research and development activities while fostering strategic collaborations with Japanese universities, hospitals, research institutes, and biopharmaceutical organizations. By integrating government-backed research support with private investment, CORE is positioned to accelerate scientific innovation and advance novel oncology candidates more efficiently through preclinical and early clinical development. The award further demonstrates international recognition of the company’s scientific platform and reinforces Japan’s commitment to supporting emerging biotechnology innovators developing breakthrough treatments for serious diseases.
Advertisement
Lineage-Based Therapeutics Expand Future Cancer Treatment Potential
Founded by former leaders of H3 Biomedicine, CORE Biomedicine is pioneering a new generation of precision oncology therapies that extend beyond genomic mutation profiling by targeting the biological lineage responsible for cancer cell behavior. This innovative strategy aims to identify common therapeutic targets shared across multiple tumor types, potentially enabling broader patient populations to benefit from highly targeted cancer treatments. Investors participating in the financing highlighted the platform’s potential to address critical limitations of existing precision medicine approaches while delivering greater clinical benefit through more comprehensive understanding of cancer biology. With strong backing from global venture investors and government-supported research funding, CORE Biomedicine is expanding its leadership position in the rapidly evolving field of precision oncology, accelerating the development of innovative therapeutics designed to address significant unmet medical needs. The combined Series A financing and AMED grant position the company to advance multiple drug candidates toward clinical evaluation while strengthening international collaborations that support the next generation of targeted cancer therapies for patients around the world.
Source: CORE Biomedicine press release
