Press Release

ASKA Pharmaceutical Invests in NEXTBLUE Fund 2, a Fund Specializingin the Realm of Women's Wellbeing
TOKYO, January 18, 2024 – ASKA Pharmaceutical Holdings Co., Ltd. (TSE:4886, hereinafter“the Company”) announced that ASKA Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo/President, Representative Director: Sohta Yamaguchi, hereinafter “ASKA”), a subsidiary of theCompany, has signed an agreement regarding investment with NEXTBLUE Fund 2 Investment
Limited Partnership (Head Office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo/ Representative Partners: Kanako Inoue,Yuichi Kori, and Vincent Tan, hereinafter “NEXTBLUE Fund 2”), the first fund in Asia dedicated tosupporting female founders in the realm of well-being.
The policy of NEXTBLUE Fund 2 is to invest in early and mid-stage startups in the area of
women's wellbeing, with a focus on the Internet and mobile devices. The fund aims to enhance
women's well-being by realizing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging with investment
returns and investor support.
With the corporate philosophy: “Contribute toward the improvement of people's health andprogress in society through the development of innovative products,” the Company is developing
pharmaceutical, animal health, and testing businesses by leveraging its knowledge and expertisein hormones. Under its Medium-Term Management Plan 2025, the Company aims to become a“Total Healthcare Company with a Strong Foundation as a Specialty Pharma Company” and, asa leading company in the field of obstetrics and gynecology in particular, is promoting various
initiatives to contribute to solving women's health issues.
By co-creating with promising startups that aim to promote women's wellbeing through investment
in NEXTBLUE Fund 2 and accelerating open innovation, ASKA aims to create new value in thefield of around-the-pill (peripheral area of prescription drugs). ASKA will contribute to society byworking on “Femtech,” a technology-based solution to women's health issues, educational
services for women, and support for reskilling (re-learning), aiming to build a society wherewomen can shine even brighter.

【Overview of NEXTBLUE Fund 2 Investment Limited Partnership】
Name

NEXTBLUE Fund 2 Investment Limited Partnership (LPS)General

NEXTBLUE Fund 2 Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)

Partners (GPs)

Members: Kanako Inoue, Yuichi Kori, Vincent TanLocation

xBridge-Global 2F, 3-1-3 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

Establishment

July 11, 2023

Business

Investing in Japanese startups, Supporting Japanese startups with theirinternational expansion (with a specific focus in Europe), Investing in Globalstartups with a focus on Europe, and Supporting European startups with their
Japan entry and expansion

URL

https://nextblue.com/

About ASKA Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
Since its founding in 1920, ASKA has concentrated its corporate philosophy: “Contribute toward
the improvement of people’s health and progress in medicine through the development ofinnovative products,” by concentrating its management resources in three key therapeuticareas: internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and urology, and actively developing
pharmaceuticals with a focus on new drugs to solve medical needs.
Official website: https://www.aska-pharma.co.jp/english/

Media Contacts
ASKA Pharmaceutical Holdings Co., Ltd.
Corporate Planning Department
Tel: +81-3-5484-8366
Email: kouhou@aska-pharma.co.jp