Takeda Canada Innovation Challenge Awarded to Pentavere to Accelerate Rare Disease Diagnosis and Care Using New AI Technology

 FOR CANADIAN AUDIENCES ONLY

• Toronto-based Pentavere will collaborate with Takeda Canada and receive dedicated funding for new proof-of-concept AI project focused on Rare Disease care
• Innovation Challenge was launched to find new partners and identify breakthrough ideas to support advancements in Rare Disease diagnoses through AI technology
• Investment will support Rare Disease Real-World Evidence (RWE) analysis across Canada

TORONTO, May 11, 2022 /CNW/ - Takeda Canada Inc. is pleased to announce Pentavere Research Group Inc. has been awarded the first Takeda Canada Innovation Challenge. The Innovation Challenge was launched in January 2022 to accelerate partnerships in identifying new digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions that support enhanced patient care in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or rare disease conditions.  

Pentavere Research Group Inc. is a clinical discovery company that has developed a breakthrough, proprietary, artificial intelligence (AI) engine called DARWEN™, which accelerates discovery from vast amounts of clinical text. DARWEN™ unlocks value, insights and evidence from clinical information which is impossible to analyze by human intelligence alone.

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate with Pentavere to leverage their AI technology within the field of rare diseases," said Rute Fernandes, General Manager, Takeda Canada. "Building strong partnerships across our healthcare ecosystem and leveraging data and technology is imperative to holistically address key patient needs, from diagnostics right through to personalized medicine. We would like to congratulate Pentavere on its successful submission and to thank all entrants for participating in the Takeda Canada Innovation Challenge."

Pentavere will have the opportunity to collaborate and benefit from Takeda's expertise and extensive international network, as well as funding, to build a proof of concept project in the areas of rare diseases.

"Our team is incredibly excited to learn that Pentavere and our AI engine, DARWEN™, have been selected as the winning submission in the Takeda Canada Innovation Challenge," said Aaron Leibtag, Co-Founder and CEO, Pentavere Research Group. "We are delighted to be collaborating with Takeda Canada and to be working with its team of experts to unlock the knowledge buried in millions of pages of clinical information. Together we will be generating the data, insights and breakthrough solutions we need to improve the lives of patients living with rare diseases. We would like to thank Takeda Canada for this opportunity and its ongoing commitment to investing in Canadian innovation that can scale globally."   

The Takeda Canada Innovation Challenge received multiple submissions within the fields of early diagnosis or integrated and personalized care, applicable to the therapeutic areas of inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease) or rare genetic diseases.

"We could not be more pleased with the number of quality submissions that this important initiative received," said Dr. Jefferson Tea, Vice President, Medical and Scientific Affairs, Takeda Canada. "Takeda firmly believes that partnering with others is essential to identify and continuously explore new options to support patients at every step through their journey. 

About Takeda Canada Inc.

Takeda Canada Inc. is the Canadian organization of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE: 4502/NYSE: TAK), a global, values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader headquartered in Japan, committed to discovering and delivering life-transforming treatments, guided by our commitment to patients, our people and the planet. Takeda focuses its R&D efforts on four therapeutic areas: Oncology, Rare Genetics and Hematology, Neuroscience, and Gastroenterology (GI). We also make targeted R&D investments in Plasma-Derived Therapies and Vaccines. We are focusing on developing highly innovative medicines that contribute to making a difference in people's lives by advancing the frontier of new treatment options and leveraging our enhanced collaborative R&D engine and capabilities to create a robust, modality-diverse pipeline. Our employees are committed to improving quality of life for patients and to working with our partners in health care in approximately 80 countries and regions. For more information, visit: takeda.com/en-ca

SOURCE Takeda Canada Inc.

Media Contact: Amanda Jacobs, [email protected], [phone].