Ken Shimokawa

Dr. Ken Shimokawa is Senior Investment Director at Astellas Venture Management LLC.
Prior to joining AVM in March 2011, Dr. Shimokawa served as an Associate Director at Department of Licensing & Alliances, Astellas Pharma Inc since October 2010.
He was involved M&A of Japanese Biotech Company, a license-in deal opportunity as well as evaluation of a couple of license-in opportunities.
During 2006-2010, he served as a Global Project Leader for CNS and bone therapeutic area at Project Management, Development, Astellas Pharma Inc. He brought “Bonoteo” for osteoporosis drug in Japanese market, as well as staged up a couple of compounds to P2/3, P1 and P0 in US/EU/JP.
Prior to the GPL, Dr. Shimokawa served as a medicinal and combinatorial chemist to synthesize number of compounds for various therapeutic areas, especially for CNS, Pain and Cardiovascular.
Dr. Shimokawa received a Ph.D.
in Organic Chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania in 1995.