Basheer Zada
Brace Pharmaceuticals is based in Rockville, MD, and is a strategic investment company formed by Brazil-based pharma company EMS S/A. Brace investment structure varies depending on a company’s development stage; for early-stage opportunities Brace typically makes equity investments and may syndicate with other investors, whereas for clinical-stage opportunities Brace is more likely to form strategic partnerships that involve rights to an asset. Brace is open to considering therapeutic opportunities globally, but only if the company is pursuing the US market.
Brace Pharmaceuticals invests in therapeutics; about 80% of the firm’s investments are in clinical-stage assets, with a preference for companies with some human proof-of-concept data; the remaining 20% of investments are made in preclinical opportunities. Drug-device combinations will also be considered, but Brace does not invest in diagnostics. The firm will invest in both small and large molecules, and has a strong preference for investing in orphan drugs and other niche disease areas. It is preferred that indications have validated clinical endpoints and can be studied using small trials. Indications that require large clinical trials, including as cardiovascular diseases and primary care indications (such as influenza) will not be considered.
Brace Pharmaceuticals
Business DevelopmentAlbert Zamora
Bionure is a late-preclinical company focused at developing First-in-Class SGK agonists for the treatment of orphan ophthalmological diseases.
Bionure's main candidate is BN201, a small molecule, new chemical entity, first-in-class drug that promotes neuroprotection and remyelination by means of a novel MOA.
Our main therapeutic focus is Optic Neuritis (ON), an acute, inflammatory disease of the optic nerve that qualifies for orphan status. BN201 has been granted orphan designation for the treatment of ON and the patent has been granted.
Preclinical efficacy studies have been performed in several animal models and a pre-IND meeting has been held with the FDA to validate our preclinical and clinical development.
BN201 is now through the regulatory toxicology studies to enable IND by Q2 2015.
Bionure Inc.
Managing Partner CEOAlejandro Zamorano
Life Science Nation (LSN) is the premier sourcing platform for market intelligence and prospect pipeline development in the life science arena. LSN enables life science professionals to generate a list of qualified global targets that are a fit for their company’s products, services, and fundraising efforts. The ability to generate these Global Target Lists (GTLs) makes life science professionals more effective and efficient.
Life Science Nation
Dan Zekzer
Immunimed Inc is a clinical-stage Biopharmaceutical company developing innovative egg-derived, oral potclonal antibody therapy to treat gastro-enteric infections/diseases. Our lead product IMM-001 targets super bug, Clostridium difficile, leading cause of hospital-acquired infections.
Currently is Phase II ready with remarkable clinical response in Proof on Concept multi-center clinical studies. Phase II clinical study is planned for Q2 2015.
Immunimed Inc.
PrincipalMichael Zhang
Lilly Asia Ventures is the venture capital arm of Eli Lilly that focuses on investments in the life sciences in Asia, particularly China. The firm was established in 2008 and is based in Shanghai, China. The firm is stage agnostic; investing in early, growth, and up to pre-IPO opportunities. The firm’s investment size is USD 5-20 million per company. The firm primarily invests in companies in China, but is open to companies across Asia-Pacific as long as there is some sort of China angle. The firm is actively seeking new investment opportunities.
Lilly Asia Ventures primarily focuses on therapeutics but is also interested in medical devices, diagnostics, animal health, and biotech other. The firm is most interested in products that will have a significant impact on medical care in China. For therapeutics, the firm seeks best-in-class or first-in-class products. The firm is opportunistic to the indication and the phase of development and will consider products in pre-clinical up to NDA. Historically, the firm invests in therapeutics for oncology, inflammatory diseases, and metabolic disorders.
Lilly Asia Ventures
Investment ManagerSteven Zimmer
MitoDys Therapeutics is a start-up drug discovery company that has developed a highly innovative platform to uncover polypharmacological drugs with existing safety profiles that can be repositioned to a new indcation. The company focuses on the discovery of disease-modifying drugs for neurodegenerative diseases; particularly Parkinson's disease, ALS and MSA.