Astellas Venture Management LLC, a wholly-owned venture capital subsidiary of Astellas Pharma Inc., and LabCentral, a launchpad for early-stage life-sciences startups, announced their collaboration on the "Future Innovator Prize" formerly known as the Astellas Golden Ticket Competition. The Future Innovator Prize offers entrepreneurial scientists or emerging biotechnology start-ups one-year usage of LabCentral's state-of-the-art lab facility in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as well as access to Astellas' research and development (R&D) capabilities and business leaders.



Astellas' sponsorship of the Future Innovator Prize follows AVM obtaining Gold Sponsorship of LabCentral in October of 2019. With a shared commitment to discovering and advancing innovative science for the potential future benefit of patients worldwide, Astellas and LabCentral are proud to support scientists and early stage companies to accelerate their novel therapeutic programs, modalities or platforms.



"External innovation is critically important in helping us achieve our VISION of turning innovative science into VALUE for patients," said Maruyama, President, AVM. "Combining our R&D capabilities and expertise with LabCentral's established network and launchpad in the Boston area, we look to bring hope to patients worldwide by partnering with emerging biotechnology companies and transforming their ideas into reality."



"We are extremely pleased to be working with Astellas to foster life-science innovation in the Boston area," said Johannes Fruehauf, LabCentral co-founder and president. "Our labs offer a fertile environment in which biotechnology visionaries can thrive by providing them with the space and resources they need to test out, challenge, and nurture early ideas. We are excited that Astellas has chosen to create the Future Innovator Prize program to supplement their external innovation initiatives."



Astellas is offering up to two Future Innovator Prizes for pioneering scientists with innovative research that complements Astellas' areas of interest that fit with the Astellas Focus Area Approach and pipeline, including oncology, immunology, neuroscience including neuromuscular and sensory disorders.