Rakuten Medical Appoints Christophe Weber as Vice Chairman and Ken Takeshita, M.D., as Director to Accelerate U.S. Growth and Oncology Innovation

• Enhanced Board and leadership team, including the appointment of a new Chief Medical Officer, strengthens governance, execution and clinical capabilities

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Rakuten Medical, Inc., a global biotechnology company developing and commercializing Alluminox® platform-based photoimmunotherapy, today announced the appointment of Christophe Weber as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and Ken Takeshita, M.D. as a Director, effective September 1, 2026. The company also appointed Hassan Danesi, M.D., MBA, as Chief Medical Officer (CMO). These appointments strengthen Rakuten Medical's governance, execution and clinical expertise while enhancing the capabilities needed to advance regulatory and commercial milestones in the United States and expand its development programs.

Rakuten Medical is pursuing regulatory approvals in the United States and other markets for pharmaceutical and medical device components of its proprietary Alluminox platform-based photoimmunotherapy for the treatment of head and neck cancer. The company is also advancing research and development programs to evaluate the platform's potential across additional cancer indications.

Minami Maeda, Chief Executive Officer of Rakuten Medical, commented, "Rakuten Medical is entering an important phase of growth. Positioning our company to deliver this first-of-its-kind approach to cancer care to patients worldwide requires strong execution, deep oncology expertise and proven global leadership. We are pleased to welcome Christophe and Ken to our Board, bringing exceptional experience in global business leadership and oncology research and development. Our strengthened Board and leadership team position Rakuten Medical to execute on our strategic priorities and accelerate our next phase of growth."

Disclaimer: Rakuten Medical's Alluminox® platform-based photoimmunotherapy is investigational outside Japan.

Christophe Weber, Vice Chairman of the Board, commented, "Rakuten Medical is guided by a clear mission to conquer cancer and is advancing innovative therapies that integrate pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Throughout my career, I have focused on bringing transformative therapies to patients around the world through global business leadership and organizational transformation. I look forward to supporting Rakuten Medical as it expands its global reach and delivers new value to patients worldwide."

Weber served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited from 2015 to 2026, leading the company's transformation into one of the world's top pharmaceutical organizations. During his tenure, he strengthened Takeda's global operating model through business transformation initiatives, portfolio optimization, and strategic acquisitions. Prior to joining Takeda, he spent more than 20 years at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), where he held senior leadership positions across Europe, the United States, and Asia, including President and CEO of GSK France, Regional Head of Asia Pacific, and President and General Manager of GSK Vaccines. Most recently, he joined the Board of Directors of Boston Scientific Corporation, a global medical technology company, in February 2026.

Ken Takeshita, Director, commented, "The Alluminox platform is built on highly transformative science with the potential to create new treatment possibilities for cancer patients. My experience spans the full continuum of oncology innovation, from academic research and translational science to global clinical development. I am excited to support the continued advancement of Rakuten Medical's scientific foundation and help expand its potential across a broader range of cancers."

Takeshita is a physician and global leader in oncology research and clinical development. Most recently, he served as Global Head of Research & Development at Daiichi Sankyo, where he oversaw the company's pipeline strategy, including its antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) portfolio. Previously, he held senior leadership positions at Amgen, Celgene and Kite Pharma, leading development programs across both hematologic malignancies and solid tumors, and contributing to the advancement of novel modalities, including cell therapies. Prior to joining the biopharmaceutical industry, Takeshita served on the faculties of Yale University School of Medicine and New York University School of Medicine.

"At Rakuten Medical, we remain committed to our mission," said Mickey Mikitani, Executive Chairman of the Board of Rakuten Medical. "Christophe's extensive experience in global business leadership and Ken's deep expertise in oncology R&D will be invaluable as we continue to build the company for long-term success. Together with our strengthened leadership team, we will further enhance our business and scientific capabilities to bring meaningful new value to patients worldwide."

A complete list of Rakuten Medical's current Board of Directors and Leadership Team is available on our Leadership page.

About Alluminox® platform
The Alluminox platform is Rakuten Medical's investigational technology platform that combines pharmaceuticals, medical devices, medical technology, and other peripheral technologies. Rakuten Medical is developing Alluminox platform-based photoimmunotherapy, which involves two key steps: 1) drug administration and 2) targeted illumination using medical devices. The drug component consists of a cell-targeting moiety conjugated to a light-activatable dye, such as IRDye® 700DX (IR700), that selectively binds to the surface of targeted cells, such as tumor cells. The device component consists of a light source that locally illuminates the targeted cells with red light (690nm) to transiently activate the drug. Rakuten Medical's pre-clinical data have shown that this activation elicits rapid and selective necrosis of targeted cells through a biophysical process that compromises the membrane integrity of the targeted cells. Therapies developed on the Alluminox platform may also result in local and systemic innate and adaptive immune activation due to immunogenic cell death of the targeted tumor cells and/or the removal of targeted immunosuppressive cells within the tumor microenvironment. Photoimmunotherapy was originally developed by Dr. Hisataka Kobayashi and his team at the National Cancer Institute in the United States. Outside Japan, Rakuten Medical's Alluminox platform-based photoimmunotherapy is investigational.

About Rakuten Medical, Inc. 
Rakuten Medical, Inc. is a global biotechnology company developing and commercializing Alluminox® platform-based photoimmunotherapy, which, in pre-clinical studies, has been shown to induce rapid and selective cell killing. Rakuten Medical's photoimmunotherapy is currently investigational outside Japan. Rakuten Medical is committed to its mission to conquer cancer by developing its pioneering treatments as quickly as possible to as many patients as possible all over the world. The company has offices in 5 countries/regions, including the United States, where it is headquartered, Japan, Taiwan, Switzerland and India. For more information, visit www.rakuten-med.com.

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SOURCE Rakuten Medical, Inc.