BaseLaunch Announces the Addition of Takeda as New Pharmaceutical Partner to its Biotech Venture Incubator

Takeda will join five existing leading pharma company partners supporting and funding promising drug development startups.

BASEL, Switzerland, Dec. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- BaseLaunch, a platform to launch, fund, and build early biotech ventures developing cutting-edge therapeutics, announced today Takeda has joined the Basel-based incubator, bringing the total number of leading pharma company partners to six.

Through its strategic investment in BaseLaunch, Takeda gains access to proven quality life sciences deal flow in central Europe and BaseLaunch`s company-building capabilities, while also providing expertise in biotech innovation and development of medicines. This will further help BaseLaunch develop its portfolio companies, which have collectively raised over $1 billion (USD).

"We're thrilled to welcome Takeda to BaseLaunch. This partnership will significantly benefit our early-stage biotech ventures," noted Stephan Emmerth, Director of BaseLaunch. "Early stage funding, coupled with our company-building capabilities and privileged access to our pharma partners, gives our ventures a head start to further build and grow their businesses." 

Since its inception in 2018, BaseLaunch has supported 27 biotech companies across various modalities and indications, with several of them having entered Phase II clinical trials. The incubator also boasts two exits, most notably T3 Pharma, which was acquired for $500 million (USD) by Boehringer Ingelheim in 2023.

"Our partnership with BaseLaunch strengthens our connection to European biotech innovation," said Alison Handley, Head of the Center for External Innovation at Takeda. "Further, by joining the investment board, we can help guide company creation and apply Takeda's expertise in turning science into new therapies. We look forward to participating in BaseLaunch and advancing innovative medicines together."

Six of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies are currently partners of BaseLaunch. In addition to Takeda, these include AbbVie, Roche, Novo Nordisk, Johnson & Johnson and CSL. The venture fund Pureos Bioventures is also a partner. The commitment of these prominent partners demonstrates the continued success of the BaseLaunch setup that also deeply embeds the portfolio companies in the Basel area, a hotspot of European biopharma innovation.

About BaseLaunch
BaseLaunch is a Basel-based incubator that partners with scientists and entrepreneurs to help launch and grow exceptional biotech ventures developing cutting-edge therapeutics. The platform helps build companies from inception through to Series A funding, providing financing and supporting all aspects of company creation and growth. It is operationally run and financed by Basel Area Business & Innovation, the non-profit agency that focuses on promoting the Basel Area Life Sciences Supercluster as Europe's most concentrated destination for biotech, pharma, health tech, and MedTech innovation. Interested groups can find more information at www.baselaunch.ch.

Media contact:
Amy Roberts
aroberts@knbcomm.com

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SOURCE BaseLaunch