SPERA PHARMA (SPERA) was spun out from Takeda Pharmaceuticals and became a wholly owned subsidiary of Bushu Pharmaceuticals on July 1, 2017 in Osaka, Japan.  On March 2, 2020, Iwaki & Co., Ltd acquired SPERA from Bushu.  The IWAKI Group transitioned to a holding company structure under the new name “Astena Group” on June 1, 2021.

SPERA has about 250 employees including researchers and technical specialists in the areas of process chemistry, formulation, and analysis, whose prior work with Takeda gave them broad exposure to all aspects of pharmaceutical R&D, manufacturing, and life cycle management across myriad pharmaceutical products and therapeutic areas.  They are engaged in contract R&D and manufacturing of pharmaceuticals for the pharmaceutical and biotech industry.

SPERA provides a wide offering of services as a CDMO to meet its customers’ needs across the CMC spectrum, including API and Drug Product process development and cGMP manufacturing, analytical method development, technology transfer, and regulatory filings.  SPERA works with its clients on pharmaceutical technology as well as R&D strategy from early stages of drug development through to new drug application and launch.  With the acquisition of Jitsubo Co., Ltd in April of 2021, SPERA PHARMA can now also offer Jitsubo’s unique liquid phase peptide manufacturing technology, Molecular Hiving™, to its clients. 

SPERA’s CMC capabilities therapeutic area agnostic; however, most the company’s current clients are focused on oncology, immuno-oncology, CNS, immunology, and rare diseases.  The company believes that their expertise in these areas enables them to deliver molecules more rapidly to their partners.  SPERA intends to continually expand its efforts into other therapeutic areas with high unmet needs.

SPERA PHARMA, Inc.

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SPERA PHARMA, Inc.

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