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20/20 GeneSystems is a revenue stage diagnostics company that markets a blood test for the early detection of lung cancer.  Several marketing partnerships entered in late 2014 should permit a nationwide expansion in 2015.  A JV with a multi-billion dollar Chinese company is expected to lead to commercialization of the lung cancer test in China in the near term.   20/20 also is developing companion tests to targeted cancer therapies.   

In 2014 we raised $1.2 million from our existing shareholders and members of the Keiretsu Forum, the nation's largest network of Angel investors.   A Term Sheet and Due Diligence package has been prepared by Keiretsu Forum members with expertise in healthcare investing and molecular diagnostics.  

2M Biotech is a family office investment vehicle founded in 29 and based in Dallas Texas. The firm manages an evergreen structure and is looking to make equity investments into companies ranging from $.5 ? $5 million with a preference for the middle of that range. The firm is also willing to co-invest with investors they either know well or are able to get a strong reference for. The firm looks to invest in Seed and Series A rounds and looks to take a significant stake in the company?s equity. The firm prefers to invest in companies that are not located in an areas highly saturated with venture capital. The firm plans to make 3-4 new investments over the next 12 months.

5AM Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on building next-generation life science companies. The firm has offices in Menlo Park, CA and Waltham, MA. Formed by successful industry executives and experienced venture capitalists, the 5AM team takes a focused, hands-on approach to company building.  In addition to leading investments and contributing as board members of its portfolio companies, 5AM is directly involved in company strategy, management recruiting, business development and fundraising and often takes on short-term operating roles.

The 5AM portfolio, built on advanced life science technologies, is diversified by two key categories: sector & type.  In the sector category, companies are diversified by innovative platform technologies, corporate spin-offs, and products with shorter development cycles.  In the type category, companies are diversified by product discovery, drug development, and medical technologies.

AbbVie was founded by Abbott Laboratories in 213 and is based in Chicago IL. The firm partners with developmental-stage biotech companies and is actively seeking to in-license therapeutic assets. AbbVie generally seeks global rights to assets and will consider partnerships worldwide, the firm licenses assets opportunistically with no set rate of allocations. AbbVie also has a venture arm that makes equity investments AbbVie Venture & Early-Stage Collaborations.

AbCellera has developed a next generation technology for the analysis and screening of naturally derived immune repertoires. This platform uses high-throughput single cell analysis to enable the discovery of naturally derived monoclonal antibodies with unmatched speed, efficiency, and assay flexibility. By eliminating the need to culture cells this approach may be applied to antibody discovery from non-traditional host species, including rabbits and llamas, and achieves industry-leading capabilities in isolating antibodies from patient samples, with applications in infectious disease and autoimmunity.

AbCellera is engaged in antibody discovery projects with early partners, including biotech and pharma companies, and is also initiating internal programs aimed at using immune profiling for target identification and lead molecule discovery.

We are looking for Series A financing from strategic investors, as well as new partnerships with antibody drug development companies.

 

Action Potential Venture Capital is an evergreen strategic venture capital fund of GlaxoSmithKline which closed at $1 million in 213 and is managed by a small dedicated team based in Cambridge Massachusetts and Palo Alto California. The fund focuses on investments in companies developing pioneering bioelectronic medicines (essentially neuromodulation devices) and related enabling technologies. The initial investments are typically ranging from $5-$7 million in Series A and the fund will also consider follow-on investments. Action Potential Venture Capital looks for investment opportunities globally.

Acumen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Direct to Brain Soluble Aβ Oligomer Selective Immunotherapy

First/Best in Class Therapy for Alzheimer’s Disease

Right Target - Right Patients - Right Delivery.  ACU-193 is Acumen’s monoclonal antibody drug candidate that targets soluble amyloid-beta oligomers (sAβo) with high affinity and selectivity.  Acumen is developing ACU-193 for direct intrathecal delivery to the brain via a device collaboration designed to increase the probability of early clinical success and enhance long term commercial potential.

The Only Alzheimer’s Immunotherapy Specifically Targeting Toxic sAβo Using Direct Brain Delivery.  ACU-193 is a late-preclinical, fully humanized monoclonal antibody that selectively targets sAβo, the primary pathologic agent in Alzheimer’s.  Composition of matter and use patents for ACU-193 run through 2030; and further IP protection is available.

Acumen is establishing an exclusive collaboration for access to FDA/CE approved chronic infusion pump systems for direct to brain drug delivery.  ACU-193 and direct brain delivery positions the program as a scientifically and clinically differentiated approach to Alzheimer’s with attractive long-term commercial and therapeutic potential.

Program Profile & Positioning

Indication:	Early Alzheimer’s dementia (Mild AD, aMCI)
Therapy:	Symptomatic + Disease Modifying
Drug:	ACU-193
Delivery Route:	Intrathecal, Direct to Brain
Device:	FDA/CE Approved Implantable Infusion Pump and Intrathecal Catheter
Refill Rate:	Every 14-21 Days
Duration:	Life-Long (Chronic Delivery)
Expected Effects:	Improved Memory Decreased Soluble Aβ Toxicity Slow Disease Progression (Aβ and tau)
Stage of Development:	Pre-clinical – IND Enabling
Development:	ACU-193 is poised to reach clinical proof-of-concept (Phase 1b) with short (26 week) clinical studies based on improvements on memory and cognitive measures.

Scientific Background & Program History.  SAβo are widely recognized as the primary neurotoxins responsible for the acute cognitive deficits and progressive neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease.  SAβo are non-fibrillic assemblies of Aβ peptides, and are distinct from protofibrils, fibrillar Aβ, and β-amyloid plaques.  Brain levels of sAβo are 3-8 orders of magnitude lower than levels of β-amyloid plaques or monomeric Aβ.  They are elevated in the Alzheimer’s brain, and studies suggest a correlation between levels of sAβo and cognitive deficits in Alzheimer’s.  SAβo bind with high affinity to mature synapses, most likely to a small number of highly selective neuronal receptors.  Binding to these receptors interferes with normal neuronal function leading to memory loss and neurodegeneration.  Because sAβo are present at concentrations that are 3-8 orders of magnitude lower than non-toxic monomeric and fibrillar Aβ, they are an optimal immunotherapeutic target.  However, because only approximately 0.1-0.2% of peripherally administered antibodies cross the blood-brain-barrier and reach the brain, brain exposure of peripherally administered antibodies may limit their therapeutic efficacy.  Acumen is pursuing intrathecal delivery of ACU-193 to ensure therapeutic levels of the drug candidate reach the brain and achieve effects.

Effects of sAβo.

Inhibition of long-term potentiation	Tau missorting in cell bodies and dendrites
Disappearance of dendritic spines	Tau hypo-phosphorylation
Elevation of intracellular calcium	Increased Tau targeting kinases
Increased cytosolic calcium	Decreased microtubules
Increased missorted neurofilaments	Decreased mitochondria density

Acumen pioneered research on sAβo.  The company’s anti-sAβo antibody program was licensed to Merck & Co. in 2003 for significant upfront and milestone payments.  ACU-193 is a third generation product of the ~8 year/~$70M partnership with Merck.  Merck advanced the program to a late preclinical development stage.  In November 2011, as part of Merck’s restructuring following its merger with Schering Plough, Acumen reacquired all rights to the program including ACU-193, backup molecules, and substantial IP with no financial or take-back rights obligations to Merck.

ACU-193 Details.  

• Humanized, affinity-matured, IgG2 monoclonal antibody with uniquely high selectivity for sAβo.

• Prevents binding of sAβo to neurons and sAβo toxic effects at synapses.

• Brain penetration, target engagement and robust biochemical and behavioral efficacy demonstrated in mouse models of Alzheimer’s.

• Excellent pharmacokinetics, bio-distribution and brain penetration demonstrated in 4 animal species.

• Excellent safety profile in exploratory studies in rhesus monkeys.

• GMP production cell lines and the necessary analytics established.

• Drug delivery collaboration with Medtronic for direct brain delivery.

• Companion diagnostic biomarker assay established.

• Composition of matter and use patent protection through 2030.

The Addario Lung Cancer Medical Institute (ALCMI), founded in 2008 as a 501c(3) non-profit organization, is a patient-centric, international research consortium driving research otherwise not possible, evidenced by ALCMI's current clinical studies CASTLE, INHERIT EGFR T790M, Genomics of Young Lung Cancer and others. ALCMI overcomes barriers to collaboration via a world-class team of investigators from 21+ institutions in the U.S., France, Italy, Spain and U.K., supported by dedicated research infrastructures such as centralized project management, tissue banks and data systems. ALCMI directly facilitates research by combining scientific expertise found at leading academic institutions with patient access through our network of community cancer centers – accelerating novel research advancements to lung cancer patients. 

“AdeTherapeutics’ approach has potential to become standard of care,” says Dr. Greenberg, Vice Chair Obs & Gyn at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School.

Our platform technology which KOL’s have pointed out as a game changer in the area of preventing post operative fibrosis, is poised to create significant value.  The pipeline contains a phase II drug for prevention of post operative fibrosis following pelvic and abdominal surgeries, med devices (collaboration with DSM Biomedical) for spinal surgery and additional opportunities in orthopedics.  

The Company has built a world class team, utilized a capital efficient, highly targeted and focused approach and brought on the necessary strategic partners to bring first-in-class products to the market and establish standard of care for millions of surgeries worldwide.Key value propositions:

•             useful in more procedures than current medical devices

•             significant higher efficacy vs market comparators

•             attractive safety profile & accelerated regulatory pathway

Key Milestones achieved:

• Phase II trial started
• Key markets patents issued: USA, EU, Japan
• Efficacy shown in different tissues areas
• Two peer reviewed publications in 2014