Yasunori Yamaguchi

Job Title: President and CEO
Company: IP Gaia

Yasunori Yamaguchi, Ph.D. joined Kirin Brewery Co., Ltd. in 1987 as a Research Scientist at the Drug Discovery Laboratory.  In his first 16 years in Research Division, he was mainly involved in the drug discovery research in Immunology Therapeutic Area and led many projects with antibody and cellular therapeutics.  In the meantime, he played the pivotal role in drug discovery research targeting dendritic cells after experienced as a Guest Investigator (1992-1994) of the Laboratory of Professor Ralph Steinman (2011 Novel Prize laureate in Physiology or Medicine) at the Rockefeller University (New York, NY, USA) and in the development of dendritic cell based cellular therapeutics by the strategic alliance with US bio-venture company.  In the next 16 years of his carrier, he played significant roles in Strategic Product Planning and Business Development function in the Planning and Strategy Division including the roles as CEO of wholly owned US subsidiaries of Kyowa Hakko Kirin, i.e. BioWa, Inc. (2011-2016) and Kyowa Hakko Kirin California, Inc. (2014-2016, concurrent post with BioWa). After joining as the Global BD Lead at Axcelead, Inc. in August, 2021, he was appointed as CEO of IPGais currently.  Thus, with his total experience and skill, he is fully capable of conducting the alliance with pharmaceutical companies and venture capitals globally.

(Ph.D. obtained from Kyoto University.)