“Companies typically labor for years to attract the level of engagement we have received from such an active, dedicated patient advocacy community. We are both humbled and heartened by their support and believe that together we are better able to speed the delivery of new therapies for DMD to patients and their families.”
– Marc Blaustein, Chief Executive Officer
Company Overview
Akashi Therapeutics is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company. Our mission is to develop treatments for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and other rare pediatric diseases. Akashi was founded by leading patient organizations and biotechnology industry veterans and is managed by a seasoned team of drug development experts. Akashi is developing a cocktail of medications with the goal of transforming Duchenne from a 100% fatal, aggressive muscle-wasting disease to a chronic, manageable condition.
The Name
Sixty years ago in the perilous waters of Japan’s Akashi Strait, two ferry boats collided and sank, killing 168 children. Public outcry over the tragedy inspired the government to accomplish something that had never been done before: build a strong passageway that could enable people to safely cross the notoriously treacherous waterway. The resulting Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge is, to this day, the longest and strongest suspension bridge in the world. Like the bridge whose name we borrow, we are building a bold new model—in our case, to span the chasm from promising science to safe and effective therapy. Our work is inspired by the tragic deaths of too many children at the hands of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.