Alivexis

About Alivexis

Alivexis, Inc., formerly known as Modulus Discovery, is a preclinical-stage, technology-driven drug discovery company with operations in Tokyo, Japan, and Cambridge, Massachusetts. The company was founded in August 2016 by S. Roy Kimura, Ph.D. (CEO), and Kazuki Ohno, Dr. Eng. (COO). The leadership team possesses extensive experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors in both the U.S. and Japan. Dr. Kimura has over 19 years of experience in computational drug discovery, including roles at Bristol-Myers Squibb and Schrodinger, Inc. Dr. Ohno brings over 18 years of drug discovery experience, including a decade as a senior researcher at Astellas Pharma.

Alivexis focuses on designing and generating small molecule clinical candidates for a range of high-value disease targets. The company's therapeutic areas of focus include cancer, chronic and acute immune-inflammatory conditions, and rare diseases. By integrating deep knowledge of disease biology with a proprietary computational drug discovery platform, ModBind™, Alivexis aims to accelerate the creation of innovative medicines. The ModBind™ simulation platform is engineered for accurate ligand efficacy predictions at speeds approximately 2,000 times faster than existing methods. This technology enables the rapid identification and optimization of preclinical therapeutic candidates.

The company operates a network-based, fabless business model, meaning it does not own experimental lab space, instead leveraging supercomputing technologies and strategic collaborations. Its business strategy involves advancing its portfolio of over 10 in-house R&D programs and engaging in early out-licensing and drug discovery collaborations with biopharma partners. For instance, Alivexis has engaged in strategic collaborations with companies like PeptiDream and Nissan Chemical to accelerate its discovery programs toward clinical trials. The company has successfully raised significant capital to fund its research and development, securing a total of approximately $45 million by March 2025 through multiple funding rounds, including a Series D. Investors include JIC Venture Growth Investments, SBI Investment, and DBJ Capital, among others.