About - Message from CEO


		ABOUT

Message from CEO

Dr. Akiko Futamura

Before the launch of InfiniteBio, I worked for SC BioSciences USA for the past 7 years as Executive Vice President. In April 2006, SC BioSciences USA spun off from the Sumitomo Corporation and became InfiniteBio Inc.

Our goal is to continue the tradition of forming bicultural partnerships and maintaining strong networks both in Japan and North America. These networks include pharmaceutical companies, venture capitalists, biotechnology start-ups and chief scientists and specialists.

With our experience and a solid network foundation, InfiniteBio is uniquely positioned to successfully guide its clients into the Japanese and the North American market. The information and content you're viewing, was created based on our daily conversations with our customers regarding their needs. We hope our information will lead you to find a new world of unique technologies to accelerate your success.

Dr. Akiko Futamura is the President and Chief Executive Officer of InfiniteBio, San Jose, California formerly known as SC BioSciences USA. She has extensive background in the business and science of biotechnology.

Before Dr. Futamura spun-out InfiniteBio from Sumitomo Corporation in April, 2006, she was the founding member and the Executive Vice President of SC BioSciences USA from 2001-2006. SC BioSciences was the subsidiary of the Sumitomo Corporation which is very active in identifying and introducing cutting-edge biotechnology innovation to the Japanese market. Dr. Futamura was responsible for identifying key technologies, conducting due diligence and involved in business development at therapeutics and platform (tool) companies playing a key role in concluding a number of important alliances and investments.

Prior to founding SC BioSciences USA, Dr. Futamura worked as a biotech consultant for Sumitomo Corporation from 1999-2001. She was also the Vice President of Summit Biotech from 2001-2004 where she was one of the primary decision makers conducting investment activities using Sumitomo Corporation’s Summit Biotechnology Fund.

Akiko Futamura was educated as a scientist and obtained her B. Sc. degree in Biotechnology from the University of Tokyo and her Ph. D. Degree in Biochemistry from the University of Illinois Medical School, Chicago. Her original research was on the study of the structure-function relationship of Serpins (Serine Proteinase Inhibitors), whereby she created the first fully activated antithrombin directed toward the inhibition of factor Xa (without the need for activator.) Her work resulted in three first-author papers in Biochemistry and The Journal of Biological Chemistry. Dr. Futamura continues to have a passion and commitment for solving conformational diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and prion disease, where certain conformations of the proteins are involved.

Dr. Futamura often writes for newsletters and magazines both in English and Japanese and speaks at many conferences and seminars in the United States, Japan and in Europe. She speaks and writes on technology evaluation for entrepreneurs and investors, business cultures in different countries, business networking, and on critical issues in business development.