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Abbott Biotech Ventures, Inc. (ABVI) is a subsidiary of Abbott dedicated to making venture capital investments in emerging biotech and pharmaceutical companies. Unlike traditional venture capital firms, ABVI characterizes an investment’s success by its potential to significantly increase Abbott’s strategic growth, and not solely by its financial return. ABVI Investment Focus ABVI’s area of focus is on emerging biotech and pharmaceutical companies that have the potential to provide long-term strategic growth options for Abbott. Companies with programs ranging from pre-clinical (18 months prior to first-in-human) to early proof-of-concept are of highest interest for potential investment by ABVI. Given the early stage nature of these investments, ABVI will often syndicate with other venture capital investors or participate as a follow-on investor in a syndicated venture. ABVI Investment Criteria ABVI is interested in promising opportunities with large markets, differentiated competitive advantages, strong intellectual property protection, and viable clinical and reimbursement pathways. ABVI invests in areas that are strategic to Abbott such as neuroscience, immunology, cardiology, virology, and oncology, as well as emerging or more opportunistic areas of innovation that have the potential to complement Abbott’s existing portfolio or to expand Abbott’s future business reach. ABVI uses a rigorous, systematic process to identify, screen, and select opportunities. The team uses both internal and external experts to help assess technical and commercial opportunities for potential investments. In addition, ABVI looks for companies with a managerial team that has a strong track record in identifying and developing successful commercial opportunities.

Targeting toxic oligomers in misfolded protein diseases is the basis for Crossbeta’s stable oligomer drug discovery platforms which are accessible for partnering in therapeutic areas such as Alzheimer´s, Parkinson’s, Huntington and Diabetes Type 2.

In our Alzheimer program we have recently completed a high throughput screening campaign with 100,000 compounds resulting in the selection of 5 hit classes with >50%  neutralizing effect on oligomer-induced neurotoxicity.

Stable oligomers can also be used as reference in biomarker assays.

Ipsen is a global specialty-driven pharmaceutical company with total sales exceeding €1.1 billion in 2011. Ipsen’s ambition is to become a leader in specialty healthcare solutions for targeted debilitating diseases. Its development strategy is supported by four franchises: neurology / Dysport®, endocrinology / Somatuline®, uro-oncology / Decapeptyl® and hemophilia. Moreover, the Group has an active policy of partnerships. R&D is focused on innovative and differentiated technological patientdriven platforms, peptides and toxins. In 2011, R&D expenditure totaled more than €250 million, above 21% of Group sales. The Group has total worldwide staff of close to 4,500 employees.

Ipsen’s shares are traded on segment A of Euronext Paris (stock code: IPN, ISIN code: FR0010259150) and eligible to the “Service de Règlement Différé” (“SRD”). The Group is part of the SBF 120 index. Ipsen has implemented a Sponsored Level I American Depositary Receipt (ADR) program, which trade on the over-the-counter market in the United States under the symbol IPSEY. For more information on Ipsen, visit www.ipsen.com.

The PROTAGEN GROUP is a leading provider of solutions for the

Pharmaceutical and Biotech industries, supporting drug development towards

personalized medicines and GMP compliant protein characterization services

of outstanding quality.

The PROTAGEN GROUP consists of PROTAGEN AG with a clear focus on

diagnostics, and PROTAGEN Protein Services GmbH (PPS) providing GMP

compliant protein analysis.

PROTAGEN AG has developed the proprietary UNIarray® platform to support

patient stratification and the development of Companion Diagnostics (CDx)

using the diagnostic power of autoantibody signatures in blood. We combine

our outstanding know-how in biostatistics and expertise in Protein arrays and

Luminex technology for the development of novel diagnostic assays. Our R&D

focus is on chronic diseases, e.g. neurodegenerative disorders, endometriosis,

autoimmune diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Systemic Lupus

Erythematosus and Multiple Sclerosis as well as selected cancer indications,

e.g. Prostate-, Breast-, Ovarian-, Colon- and Pancreatic Cancer.

PROTAGEN Protein Services GmbH (PPS)

is a reliable partner for GMP compliant characterization of biotherapeutics

(NBEs) and biosimilar comparability, including stability and release testing.

PPS combines unique expertise in bioinformatics for protein mass spectrometry

with a long track record in protein chemistry and protein analytics in order to

provide the best quality available. In addition, we provide customer support for

all relevant regulatory issues to match with current regulatory requirements

(FDA, EMA, KFDA) for protein drugs.

Selcia Ltd., headquartered in Ongar, Essex, UK and with a branch in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, is a leading worldwide provider of contract research services. Selcia operates two divisions, Selcia Discovery and Selcia Radiochemistry. Whilst Radiochemistry specializes in 14C GMP radiolabelling, Selcia Discovery provides integrated small molecule drug discovery to pharmaceutical and biotech clients. Besides general medicinal chemistry and biology capabilities applicable across all target classes, Selcia Discovery has a particular strength in three unique and highly synergistic technologies: (1) medicinal chemistry on complex natural products, (2) capillary electrophoresis-based fragment and natural product screening, (3) peptidyl-prolyl isomerase targets (cyclophilins, FKBPs, Pin1, together called PPIases). Whilst relatively neglected by pharmaceutical companies in the past, understanding of the involvement of PPIases in many diseases is currently emerging. All PPIase inhibitors presently in clinical use or in development are natural products, natural product derivatives or have structures inspired by natural products.

The combination of these technologies has enabled Selcia to deliver several clinical PPIase inhibitors to clients, but has also generated IP for Selcia, which was recently demerged into a new company, Mitopharm Ltd. Mitopharm is in advanced license negotiations for a breakthrough drug in the field of acute and chronic neurodegenerative diseases. Other applications in the fields of chronic inflammatory diseases, oncology, COPD, and virus infections will be developed by Mitopharm either via investment or via joint R&D programs with pharmaceutical companies. 

Launched in 2007 and backed by Santé Ventures, Terapio is a biopharmaceutical company developing clinical applications based on the naturally-occurring RLIP76 protein. RLIP76 is a membrane-associated cellular transport protein that is an integral part of the cell’s normal process of removing toxic metabolites formed by oxidative insults. However, in cases of elevated oxidative stress, such as occurs with exposure to radiation and chemical toxins, the endogenous RLIP76 system can be overwhelmed, leading to cell death. Supplementing cellular levels of RLIP76 through exogenous administration of Terapio’s liposomal formulation of the RLIP76 protein promotes protection by relieving this cellular stress and allows recovery by tissue cells. This mechanism of action has broad applicability to a variety of additional clinical indications, including the treatment of the toxic side effects of therapeutic radiation and chemotherapy in oncology patients and CNS diseases – a key part of Terapio’s commercial pipeline.

For biodefense applications, Terapio has accumulated a large body of data demonstrating that the protein is effective in protecting and rescuing animals exposed to otherwise lethal exposures of whole body radiation. Therefore, the company is pursuing the prevention and treatment of Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS) as a lead indication. No effective countermeasures for ARS exist today, making this a highly unmet need.

Terapio has performed multiple 30-day survival studies with the RLIP76 protein in animal models of ARS and demonstrated that administered either before and/or after exposure to lethal doses of radiation results in greater than 90% survival of treated animals, versus 20% survival of controls.

Terapio is seeking a lead or syndicate investors to participate with Santé Ventures in Terapio’s Series B financing. Terapio plans at least $10M in Series B financing where Santé Ventures, the Series A lead investor, will participate on a pro rata basis. The use of proceeds for Series B will be primarily used for drug development, preclinical and nonclinical programs, and regulatory activities required to fund the company to the valuation inflection point associated with completing the pivotal nonhuman primate efficacy trial under the FDA Animal Rule.