About

About HekaBio

HekaBio accelerates access to Japan for world-leading healthcare innovations, synergistically combining the functionality of an in-licensing bio venture, a business development firm and a CRO.

Vision, Commitment and Values

Vision

Connecting world leading therapeutic innovations to unmet medical needs

Commitment

We connect world-leading healthcare innovations to patients' unmet medical needs, with broad category development expertise in pharma, medical device, in-vitro diagnostics, digital health and advanced therapies, and in-depth awareness of healthcare policy initiatives. We target innovations that have high potential for significant therapeutic benefit for patients and healthcare cost savings for society.

Values

Collaboration

We value our employees and their families. We offer our ecosystem partners our expertise and enthusiasm. We work together based on common goals and mutual respect.

Creativity

We are problem solvers.

We start with optimism and challenge ourselves to act on the needs and opportunities that emerge in our ecosystem.

Courage

Inspired by our opportunities and empowered by our experience and partnerships, we enthusiastically take on new challenges and pursue them with tenacity.

Compliance

We conduct ourselves with integrity in all interactions with business partners, team members, shareholders, and government authorities. We emphasize transparency, trust and accountability at all levels of our organization.

Contribution

 We are grateful for our opportunities and our ability to make a difference for healthcare professionals, patients and their families. We will dedicate a portion of our time and profit to enhancing wellness in the communities where we work and to supporting solutions for affordable healthcare delivery in developing countries.

Our Team

Robert E. Claar

Chief Executive Officer,

Co-Founder

Rob creates new businesses in Japan that address the unmet needs of patients, doctors, innovators and authorities. He has three decades of focus on Japan’s healthcare ecosystem, deep regulatory knowledge and strong Key Opinion Leader doctor networks. Rob is passionate about developing innovative solutions for access to Japan’s healthcare market. 

Rob is the founder of Junicon, a global healthcare consultancy, and Vorpal Technologies, a MedTech regulatory consultancy. He maintains a worldwide trust network with leading innovators in drug discovery, medical technology and cellular therapies through optimism, tenacious follow-through and a spirit of collaboration.

Benjamin D. Pratt

Chief Operating Officer,

Co-Founder

Ben has close to 20 years experience in strategy development, marketing, and operations, and has commercialized and marketed best-in-class medical products globally and in Japan. As GM at Vorpal Technologies, he consulted overseas healthcare innovators and launched Vorpal Women’s Health, a Vorpal commercial entity sold in 2017. His forte and personal mission is creating new businesses for the betterment of patient care.  Ben has lived in Japan for 19 years and speaks Japanese fluently.

Anne Bille, MD, PhD, MPH

Chief Medical Officer

Anne is the former head of Medical Affairs, Clinical Development and Operations at Baxalta and Baxter Japan and was Medical Director for programs at Wyeth Japan and Eli Lilly Japan.  Anne is a psychiatry medical doctor and has a track record of leading successful regulatory and clinical programs in oncology, CNS, hemophilia and anesthesia.  Anne has been a resident of Japan for 19 years.

Hitoshi Torii

Chief Financial Officer

Hitoshi has 30 years of leadership experience in the life science industry including both large and venture biotech and pharmaceutical companies in executive management, finance, business development, and commercial roles.

Hitoshi’s background as a research scientist and financial professional make him a hands-on manager in biotech startups. He is experienced in private equity fundraising and IPO preparation and holds MBA & USCPA qualifications.

Takuya Narikawa

Chief Strategy Officer

Takuya has over 30 years of experience in sales and marketing, medical policy and business development in the pharmaceutical industry.

During his career, he led the creation of a vaccine business at MSD Co., Ltd., participated in the establishment of a Japanese subsidiary of a foreign-affiliated pharmaceutical company and the creation of a new domestic pharmaceutical company. 

Takuya focuses on business development in line with market trends and the requirements of our ecosystem partners. His passion is to contribute to maintaining Japan’s national health insurance system.