Mr Takuro Wakabayashi Japan

ASTEC is a Tokyo-based, accelerator-type investment firm focused on company creation and seed-stage investment. We have been solely investing in Japan but now plans to launch a new fund, together with Tokyo-based FinTech Global Capital, that also invests in other geography leveraging our Japan connection, both academic inventions and pharmaceutical companies. ASTEC deeply gets involved with the management of its portfolio companies and represents some of them for BD activities.

Year Founded
2001
Biotech Phase of Development
Investment Stage Preference
ASTEC
LinkedIn logo Managing Partner 

Conrad Wang United States

Medtronic was founded in 1949 and is based in Minneapolis Minnesota. Medtronic makes strategic investments and acquisitions in the medical device sector and is focused on cardiovascular diseases diabetes diseases of the nervous system (including Parkinson's disease and dystonia) and musculoskeletal conditions. The firm has acquired a number of medical technology and biotechnology companies. Medtronic is also interested in orthopedic products sports health products and telehealth/connected medical devices (particularly consumer apps for health management). Medtronic also makes grants to non-profit organizations. Instructions on applying for investment or grants can be found at Innovate With Medtronic: http://www.medtronic.com/innovation/innovate-with-medtronic.html

Medtronic
Senior Director Corporate Development 

Daniel Wattier Canada

ImStar Therapeutics is a private biotechnology company headquartered in Vancouver that is developing new approaches to treat patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

The company is developing compounds directed at a proprietary new therapeutic target for ALS discovered by co-founder Dr. Jean-Pierre Julien called TANA (i.e. TDP-43 Associated NF-kB Activation). The lead drug candidate, IMS-088, is a novel small molecule compound targeting the NF-kB activation pathway currently in preclinical development for ALS.

IMS-088 is the first in a series of novel compounds derived from withaferin A (WA), a natural withanolide isolated from the leaves of the winter cherry plant (withania somnifera).  In preclinical animal studies, WA showed promise but lacked suitable pharmacologic characteristics to be developed as a therapeutic drug.

Therapeutics targeting the TANA pathway could treat multiple neurodegenerative diseases expressing TDP-43 pathology such as ALS, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Dementia.

TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) was recently identified as a major disease-associated protein in ALS. Under normal conditions, TDP-43 regulates RNA and is predominantly localized in the nucleus. However, in ALS-affected neuronal cells the protein is misprocessed resulting in aggregation in the cytoplasm and a loss of motor function.

A recent discovery has shown that, in patients with ALS, TDP-43 unexpectedly associates with and activates nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), an inflammation-regulating protein. This leads to exaggerated immune responses and motor neuron destruction. Inhibition of the pathway in an ALS disease model produced substantial improvements in disease and motor function illustrating this is an important new drug target.

Novel Withanolides

ImStar chemists have designed novel withanolides related to WA that have superior drug like properties. IMS-088 is the lead drug candidate in this series that is currently being developed for ALS. These compounds are covered by a new composition of matter patent filing.

TANA Inhibitors

ImStar is also developing various approaches to block TDP-43 activity and has identified novel single chain variable domain antibody fragments (scFv) that inhibit TDP-43 and block it's associated NF-kB activation. 

Website:
www.imstartx.com
Year Founded
2012
Biotech Phase of Development
Current Timeline
Anticipate initiating formal IND-enabling studies by mid 2015
Current Investors
Management and angel investors
IP Status
Worldwide PCT and provisional filings covering compositiona of matter, use and target
Recent Milestones
Preclinical POC using novel compounds in transgenic models of ALS
Management Team Highlights
Daniel Wattier President & CEO, Co-Founder Co-founded Valocor Therapeutics and led company as CEO until its acquisition by Dermira in 2011. Previously with QLT as President of QLT Specialty Medicine, and at J&J / Centocor, where he was responsible for the US launch of Remicade, achieving over $4B in annual sales. Jean-Pierre Julien, PhD Chief Scientific Officer, Co-Founder Canada Research Chair in Neurodegeneration at Laval University. Internationally recognized leader in ALS research. Member of: The Robert Packard Center for ALS at Johns Hopkins University, the Gairdner Medical Review Panel. Recipient of the prestigious Sheila Essey Award for ALS research from the American Academy of Neurology. Julia Levy, PhD Director and Chairman Co-founder & CEO of QLT. Recipient of many awards for achievements in business and science including: the Order of Canada, the Female Entrepreneur of the Year, the Friesen-Rygiel prize for medical research and the Prix Galien Canada research award. Chris Fibiger, PhD Director and Scientific Advisor CSO MedGenesis Therapeutix. Recently served as CSO of Biovail Corporation until its acquisition by Valeant. Previously VP & Global Therapeutic Area Head Neuroscience at Amgen and VP Neuroscience Discovery Research & Clinical Investigation at Lilly. Until 1998, Professor and Head of the Division of Neurological Sciences at UBC. Ian Massey, D.Phil, Chemistry Director and Scientific Advisor Co-founder & CEO of Synosia Therapeutics until its acquisition by Biotie Therapies Corp in 2011. Currently COO & President US Operations of Biotie. Previously Sr VP Head of Research & Preclinical Development at Roche Palo Alto and VP Head of Neurobiology Roche Bioscience. Prior VP Preclinical Research at Syntex
Daniel Wattier
ImStar Therapeutics
CEO 

Kristian Werling United States

McDermott Will & Emery is a premier international law firm with a unique focus in representing life sciences companies and investors in a wide variety of transactional, intellectual property and regulatory matters.  Through our Life Sciences Entrepreneurs Acceleration Program ("LEAP") we provide early stage medical device, pharmaceutical, biotechnology and diagnostic companies access to sophisticated legal services.  Learn more here: http://www.mwe.com/leap/

Website:
www.mwe.com
Service Provider Type
Medtech Phase of Development
Unique Capabilities
Life Sciences Entrepreneurs Acceleration Program (LEAP)

McDermott Will & Emery is dedicated to investing in innovation and serving the early stage life sciences community that creates new and revolutionary products and services. We understand that sophisticated legal services are necessary to help these groundbreaking individuals and organizations succeed. McDermott is proud to have created the Life Sciences Entrepreneurs Acceleration Program (LEAP) to help qualifying entrepreneurs and young companies avoid costly mistakes and chart their courses to success by providing support and affordable access to strategic legal advice. We provide these organizations with high quality legal services during the earliest stages of corporate life through engagement incentives in the form of deferred fees, discounts, fixed-fee arrangements and/or awards.

We understand that early stage life sciences clients need legal advice in such complex areas as corporate formation, financing, intellectual property, licensing and collaborations, and employee benefits. Our Life Sciences Industry Group has a deep bench of lawyers that are highly regarded in these specific practices. Our corporate lawyers have demonstrated success in advising life sciences companies on the full range of transactional legal needs, including licensing and partnering, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital, public offerings and royalty stream financing. Our intellectual property lawyers are renowned for protecting the IP rights of our clients both in and out of court. Finally, McDermott is a pioneer in the field of employee benefits and has been advising life sciences companies on various compensation strategies to both secure and maintain leadership.

McDermott Will & Emery
Partner 

John Westwick

Investor Type
Biotech Subsector
Biotech Phase of Development
Capital Structure Preference
Investment Stage Preference
Mercury Fund
Venture Advisor 

Bill Whitaker

Golden Seeds is an investment group that was founded in 25 and is headquartered in New York with other offices in Boston Silicon Valley and Texas. The group currently invests out of the Golden Seeds angel network and the Golden Seeds venture funds. The group has managed 3 venture funds that are Golden Seeds Fund LP Golden Seeds Fund 2 LP and Innovate New York LP Fund. The Golden Seeds angel network has 32 members of which 1 are life science investors. Golden Seeds invests in companies with a female founder or CEO or with women in other C-level positions or with at least 1% of equity owned by women. Golden Seeds prefers to invest in companies with a valuation under $5 million, the group?s first-round equity investments generally range from $ .25 million to $2 million. The group invests in companies based across the US and Canada.
Golden Seeds
Managing Director Co-Chair Life Science Section 

Colin Widen

Boston Innovation Capital