Iron Horse Diagnostics United States

 

 Iron Horse Diagnostics, Inc., founded in 2012, has developed breakthrough diagnostic tests in neurologic disorders where there is high-unmet medical need.  We generated and validated diagnostic tests for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and developed assays for traumatic brain injury (TBI) and concussion. Iron Horse Diagnostics has a significant  IP portfolio for these biomarkers in ALS and  TBI, which detects specific biomarker signatures in cerebrospinal fluid and blood in these disease states. We currently are performing a prospective validation of our ALS diagnostic in 4 sites in the US and 2 in Europe.

The ALS test will be commercially available by the end of 2015 anticipating over 300,000 test globally per year. TheTBI test is projected to be market-ready in 36-48 months with 8 Mill. concussion tests in the US alone per year.


Iron Horse Diagnostics has received a fast-track small business grant from the NIH  and funding from Biogen Idec to suppport the clinical validation and commerciliazation of the diagnostic tests in ALS.

Its management team  consists of a seasoned, internally recognized team of scientists, clinicians and business development/regulatory experts. Iron Horse is endorsed by the ALS Association and is working with an international network of clinicians to further the clinical adoption of the ALS test and support reimbursement strategies.

Iron Horse Diagnostics is seeking an investment of 1 Mill. USD to further support the commercialization of the ALS diagnostic test and product development of the TBI test.

Year Founded
2012
Biotech Subsector
Medtech Subsector
Biotech Phase of Development
Alliance & Collaborations
Biogen Idec
Current Financing Needs
$1,000,000
IP Status
4 issued patents
Robert Bowser
CEO 
Andreas Jeromin
CSO 

Ischemia Care United States

Ischemia Care (ISC) is a clinical stage, capital efficient, venture capital backed, diagnostic laboratory company commercializing ISCDX, a blood test for cause of ischemic stroke (including atrial fibrillation or “AF”), leading to timely diagnosis and treatment, resulting in hospital cost savings and improved patient outcomes. ISC is executing on the Biomarkers of Acute Stroke Etiology (BASE) study , clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT02014896 to support clinical adoption as an LDT through a company owned CLIA laboratory. ISC's initial focus is on the 40% (320K annually) ischemic strokes which are diagnosed as unkown cause (or "cryptogenic") as these patients typically are undertreaked and at a high risk for recurrence.

Stroke is the third leading cause of death worldwide with 20M annual events. In the US, there are 800K strokes, of which 195K are recurrent. Despite advances in imaging, cardiac monitoring, patient history assessment, and clinical examination, in 40% of ischemic strokes, the cause is unknown (or “cryptogenic”) leading to high recurrence and death.  There are no blood tests for cause of stroke. The identification of cause will change outcomes per Stroke Guidelines by adoption of “cause based” treatment regimen to prevent a more massive, debilitating, and costly recurrence. For example, identifying “undetected” AF in cryptogenic patients provides a 60% risk recurrence reduction.

Website:
www.iscdx.com
Year Founded
2009
Biotech Subsector
Biotech Phase of Development
Medtech Phase of Development
Technology Overview
Blood test for cause of stroke. The test (called ISCDX) detects immune responses by RNA expression related to causes of stroke, including AF, within minutes of event. ISCDX is ordered by a clinician at a hospital after a stroke has occurred, a tube of blood is drawn, sent to the ISC CLIA laboratory, results are reported to the physician during patient hospitalization , and paid through the hospital under existing reimbursement (DRG) codes. ISCDX may reduce cost by $7,000 per patient and increase hospital revenue.
Alliance & Collaborations
Medronic, Affymetric, Cleveland Clinic, MUSC, Allegahany Health Network, Albert Einstein Medical Center, UCLA.
Supporting Metrics or Evidence
14+ years, 600+ patients of data, 5 patents, $5M Federal Funding (pre licensing by ISC), and publications in major peer reviewed journals. Previous research has demonstrated sensitivity/ specificity > 95%. ISC reached milestones faster and with less investment than comparable exits.
Current Financing Needs
ISC is raising a $5M series C at $6.5M pre money, with $2.5M closed. ISC previously raised $2.3M in equity and $1.4M in non dilutive funding, further demonstrating commercial and technical merit.
Current Timeline
ISC is following proven commercial pathway. The BASE clinical trial will serve as a final clinical validation and build sales channel to commercially offer the ISCDX test through the company CLIA laboratory. This strategy is similar to companies such as Veracyte and Foundation Medicine (both 2013 IPOs).
Current Investors
Broadview Ventures, Cleveland Clinic (GCIC grant), Queen City Angels, Ohio Third Frontier, Accelerant Fund, and private individuals.
IP Status
5 patents in various stages of prosecution, international filings as well.
Management Team Highlights
Proven management team and board (2 IPOs, multiple exits, past president of AHA, chief of cardiology at Stanford, 4 VC directors), KOLs in the field of stroke (including author of the Stroke Guidelines), strategic support (Affymetrix, Medtronics), and leading stroke center directors.
Jeff June
Jeff June
LinkedIn logo CEO & Founder 

Johnson & Johnson Innovation United States

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) was founded in 1886 and is based in New Brunswick, NJ, with an Innovation Center in Cambridge, MA. The firm invests in a variety of fields within the life science sector, including medical devices. J&J’s medical device investments are highly varied in both size and structure; the structure may involve milestone payments, or may be an equity investment. J&J is interested in early stage medical device companies located globally.

Thorsten Melcher
New Ventures 

Joslin Diabetes Center United States

Joslin Diabetes Center is a foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts that was founded in 1898, and is the world's largest diabetes and clinical care organization.

Nandan Padukone
Vice President, Office of Commercialization & Ventures 

Jump Capital United States

Jump Capital was founded in 2012 and is based in Chicago, with an additional office in San Francisco. The firm is investing from a $250m fund, and is interested in a variety of sectors including the life science field. For life science investments, Jump Capital typically allocates $2-15 million, and prefers to invest in Series B-C rounds. Jump Capital invests in the USA and Canada, and has previously invested in 6 healthcare companies.

Jump Capital invests in medical devices, diagnostics, digital and mobile health, and healthcare services. The firm is open to opportunities in any clinical indication. Jump Capital is only interested in devices and diagnostics that have in-human data.

Dr Garrett Vygantas
LinkedIn logo Partner 

JVC Investment Partners United States

JVC Investment Partners is a private investment firm that was founded in 2000 and is based in Chicago, Illinois. The firm focuses on investments in the healthcare industry. The investment size can vary greatly and is very flexible depending on each company’s needs. The firm provides venture capital and growth capital to healthcare companies. For early-stage investments, the firm targets companies that provide solutions for hospital acquired infections, medication errors, healthcare system operational efficiency enhancements and cost reductions, and chronic disease management, and it typically invests equity or convertible preferred equity in post series A rounds. For growth investments, the firm targets companies with compelling products and strong position in niche markets and with an EBITDA in excess of $2 million. The firm primarily invests in companies based in US.

David Jonas
Founder, President & CEO 
Jonathan Jonas
Partner 

Kineta United States

Kineta® is a nationally-recognized biotechnology company focused on developing leading edge therapeutics in three large high need therapeutic areas: autoimmune disease, viral disease and chronic pain. Our company is focused on the development of novel drug candidates each the outcome of years of scientific exploration and supported by an extensive body of peer-reviewed NIH-supported research.

Biotech Phase of Development
Technology Overview

Kineta® is developing a pipeline of next-generation medicines to respond to the needs of millions of people facing diseases around the world. Our scientific areas of expertise are immunology and neuropathic pain with research directed at curbing inflammation and returning the immune system to normal function. Kineta has five unique drug programs in development and each program represents a novel mechanism-of-action and has potential to result in a new class of drug. The innovative portfolio is derived from leading edge scientific research that taps into promising recently discovered cellular channels that control the body's defense mechanisms. Kineta’s drug programs are designed to enhance or modulate the natural human immune system and show great potential to be more effective, more tolerable and confer fewer side effects than existing drugs. We anticipate our products will be highly sought after by patients, healthcare providers and the pharmaceutical industry.

Alliance & Collaborations
27 Scientific and academic collaborations
Current Financing Needs

Series B round of $5M with follow on series C for an additional $20M.

Current Timeline

Autoimmune drug successfully completed phase I clinical trials and is currently in a phase 1B extension study to be completed 1st quarter.  In discussions with numerous large pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies around a licensing transaction.

Antiviral and pain programs are currently in pre-clinical development with high industry interest.  We are in significant partnering discussions around several of our anti-viral drug candidates.

Current Investors

We have raised $36M since 2008.  This has been augmented with an additional $52M in NIH funding.

Our current investors are accredited investors, high net worth individuals, Family Offices, a boutique PE group and the Iacocca Foundation.

IP Status
  Protected Pipeline Secured with a
Valuable IP Portfolio ØStrong IP across each development program ØProprietary expertise in innate immunity & autoimmunity Ø27 Patent Families (28 owned, 6 in-licensed) •45 Issued Patents •154 Pending country applications •7 Pre-nationalized PCT or provisional families
Management Team Highlights

Chuck Magness, PhD

CEO

Human Genome Project; Co-founded & Sold Illumigen Biosciences ($17M + 321M); Kineta Enterprise >$60M

Shawn Iadonato, PhD

CSO

Human Genome Project; Illumigen Biosciences; Grew 5 Kineta Programs; 1st Kv1.3 in Clinic; >$35M  R&D Funds

Craig Philips, MBA

Commercial Operations

 VP & GM, Schering Plough, VP & GM, Bayer, President & GM CTI

Blake Ilstrup, JD

General Counsel /

Corporate Dev.

Hundreds of transactions with Cooley and Venture Law Group, General Counsel of Qpass, 6 Kineta transactions

Rob Hedequist

Corporate Development

Major Accounts, Managed Care & Sales/ Marketing Pfizer and Amgen; National Director Schering–Plough

Dan Eramian

Corporate Communications

First VP of communications for Biotech Industry Organization; US DOJ Director of Public Affairs; SBA

Ken North

Corporate Development

Founding CEO Seattle Savings Bank; Past president Seattle Kiwanis, Chamber of Commerce; Seafair Commodores

Dan Burge, MD

Clinical

Trubion (CMO), VP Early Development Immunex, Amgen (early development on Enbrel)

Jeff Fellows

Regulatory

Global Regulatory Lead Amgen,  VP Regulatory Alder, VP Regulatory CTI,  First Kv1.3 in clinic, Sensipar Amgen

Mr Rob Hedequist
Senior Vice President Corporate Development 
Blake Ilstrup
Jacques Bouchy

Life Sciences Alternative Funding United States

Life Sciences Alternative Funding (LSAF) founded in 213 is a direct investment firm based in White Plains New York. The firm focuses exclusively on providing debt capital for commercial-stage medical technology companies. The firm can allocate between USD 1M-5M per investment. The firm looks to provide flexible ?tailor-made? financing solution to companies. The firm can invest globally and is currently seeking new investment opportunities.

Steve DeNelsky
President 

Lipella Pharmaceuticals Inc. United States

Development-stage pharmaceutical company with a platform technology to deliver novel therapeutics to the urinary bladder lumen for the treatment of inflammatory bladder conditions such as overactive bladder and interstitial cystitis. Our portfolio includes prodcuts in pase-I and phase-II clinical trials in the United States and overseas, as well as pre-clinical programs. We also have one program designated as orphan. In addition to therapeutics, Lipella also develops diagnostic agents to be used in connection with medical imaging.

Website:
www.lipella.com
Year Founded
2005
Biotech Subsector
Biotech Phase of Development
Medtech Phase of Development
Technology Overview
Platform technology for the local delivery of novel therapeutics to the urinary bladder
Alliance & Collaborations
Multiple
Current Financing Needs
Can be discussed
Current Investors
Private, non-institutional
IP Status
Multiple US patents, and US and international patent applications
Recent Milestones
LP-09 clinical trial completed 2013, LP-08 IND approved 2014
Management Team Highlights
Small, focused team
Jonathan Kaufman
CEO 

Longevity Biotech United States

Longevity Biotech is a privately held preclinical biotechnology company developing a new class of linear, stabilized, peptide therapeutics called Hybridtides®. 

Our objective for this meeting is to initiate fundraising (Series A) and partnership discussions to progress our preclinical neuroinflammation program into the clinic.  

To date, Longevity Biotech has demonstrated in vivo neuroprotection in a Parkinson's Disease animal model and established preliminary immunological-based biomarker end-point links to on-going clinical trials.     Longevity Biotech is encouraged to continue the development of this differentiated and potentially disease modifying therapeutic candidate to address the unmet needs across a variety of neurological disorders.  

More generally, Longevity Biotech is committed to the development of our current preclinical portfolio as well as expanding the platform breadth via licensing opportunities.  Currently, Longevity Biotech is developing GPCR based Hybridtides® for the treatment of metabolic, cardiovascular, neuroscience and oncology diseases.   In addition, preliminary data (in vitro &  in vivo) suggest the possibility of oral delivery of Hybridtide based therapeutics.

Biotech Subsector
Biotech Phase of Development
Technology Overview
Synthetic Peptide Scaffold that confers unique stability and biological activities
Alliance & Collaborations
University of Nebraska Medical Center,
Supporting Metrics or Evidence
Most recent paper: http://www.nature.com/nbt/journal/v32/n7/full/nbt.2920.html
Current Financing Needs
Series A - $15m
Current Timeline
approximately 18-24 months from clinical trials
Current Investors
Breakout Labs, NetScientific
IP Status
Several patents approved along with several still pending worldwide
Dr Scott Shandler
Dr Scott Shandler
LinkedIn logo CEO