5 Startups Selected to Participate in the “J-StarX Biomedical Team Formation Course "

JETRO is pleased to announce that five companies have been selected to participate in the J-StarX Biomedical Team Formation Course, an entrepreneurial development program organized by the organization.

This course aims to support participants in identifying potential co-founders and team members by providing networking opportunities with local universities, investors, and entrepreneurs through visits to New York and Boston in the United States. Through a domestic boot camp, online training, and an on-site U.S. program, participants will strengthen their team-building capabilities and networks essential for overseas business expansion.

List of Participating Companies

Company Name	Logo	Business Overview
DermaCode	ー	We are developing an O2O platform linking dermatology clinics with home care. Unlike phone apps, we use hospital devices for precise diagnosis to manage treatments and curate after-care cosmetics. This ensures clinical results are maintained safely at home.
MiRNDa, Inc.		Our technology enables RNA modification–based early cancer detection by identifying cancer-specific RNA modifications at very early stages. We have published data in Nature Communications demonstrating over 94% sensitivity and specificity for early-stage pancreatic cancer detection.
MORPHEUS Inc.		We are a startup headquartered in Okinawa that is developing technology for delivering drugs to the brain via intranasal administration.Going forward, we will focus on intranasal brain delivery technologies for nucleic acid– and antibody-based therapeutics, and will advance pipeline development aimed at enabling efficient drug delivery by shifting from highly invasive administration methods to less burdensome intranasal delivery for patients.
N-of-One Pharmaceuticals Inc.		Tackling N-of-One, N-of-Few drug discovery issues through a sustainable model, collaborating with Japan. Delivering end-to-end (R&D・Manufacturing to PMS) services for individual or ultra-rare diseases with academia. Currently focusing on 1. Developing an AAV vector platform for Neurometabolic diseases, 2. Bringing IND-approved US therapies to Japan, and 3. Building a shared platform for personalized genetic medicines worldwide．
Theta Therapeutics, Inc.		Theta Therapeutics is a biotech startup originating from university research. We specialize in formulation development for macrocyclic drug candidates aimed at treating rare and intractable diseases. Our mission is to address these barriers by creating innovative formulations that preserve therapeutic activity while enhancing solubility, safety, and tolerability.

▶Program Schedule
・Boot Camp in Tokyo: February 2 (Mon) – February 6 (Fri), 2026
・Online Program: February 9 (Mon) – February 20 (Fri), 2026
・U.S. On-site Program: February 23 (Mon) – March 6 (Fri), 2026
  *New York: February 23 (Mon) – February 27 (Fri), 2026
  *Boston: March 2 (Mon) – March 6 (Fri), 2026

▶Program Partner Institution
CIC Japan Desk

▶Contact
JETRO Innovation Department – Startup Division

Attn: Chikako Kondo, Wakaba Nakanishi
Email: su-support@jetro.go.jp