The Science Center, a leading venture ecosystems for life sciences and biotechnology companies, has partnered with Aqumen Biopharmaceuticals, KK of Fukuoka, Japan to open a U.S. base for the company’s operations. The partnership is part of a broader Science Center strategy to help ease the transition for international companies in the U.S. by offering services and management support to accelerate commercialization of innovations.

“This is a win-win for the economies of Japan and the U.S.,” said Pradip Banerjee, Science Center president and chief executive officer. “The North American market makes up 70% of the world pharmaceutical market, so companies that operate in the U.S. in their early stages stand to succeed sooner. The Science Center has created a new Global Operating Model for early stage companies to gain worldwide exposure and reach utilizing the Science Center’s unique approach to “Powering Commercialization.”

“We decided to locate Aqumen’s U.S. operations at the Science Center because of its unique strategy and strong management team,” said Hardy Kagimoto, MD, Aqumen chief executive officer. “Our strong research base in Japan together with the Science Center’s ‘soft landing’ strategy opens a broader market for Aqumen’s innovations.” The company is a Kyushu University-launched venture company developing medicines and surgical tools for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration and other ophthalmic disease and diagnostic applications.

Science Center will provide management resources, laboratory space, administrative support, and regulatory guidance. Science Center chief scientific officer Dr. Mitchell Glass is serving as interim chief executive officer of Aqumen’s U.S. subsidiary and Dr. Banerjee sits on Aqumen’s board of directors.