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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.

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.

 

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. 

AdVax is an inter/multi-disciplinary team of individuals who have developed major paradigm-shifting science, research, technology and new clinical data sets demonstrating previously unidentified bacterial infections are able to translocate to the brain and be linked to the induction of Alzheimer’s disease.

We have developed novel and proprietary real time molecular diagnostics to identify these non-culturable bacteria and then apply novel immune refocusing technologies to create both monoclonal antibodies that could be used in treatments and a first of its kind vaccine for the prevention of both cardiovascular and Alzheimer’s disease.

Our program is well on its way to identifying the major disease-inducing bacteria, which are then ready to be put into the immune refocusing technology for the derivation of human monoclonal antibodies and vaccines.

Advent Life Sciences

We invest predominantly in early and mid-stage life sciences companies.  We seek to back truly innovative companies that have a first-in-class or best-in-class approach and who are looking for a well-connected partner on the road to success.

Our investments cover a range of sectors within life sciences, including new drug discovery, enabling technologies, med tech and diagnostics.Advent Life Sciences is one of Europe’s leading venture teams investing in life sciences businesses. We are a deliberately small, and highly focused team of senior individuals, with long-standing track records of entrepreneurial and investment success across the UK, Europe and the USA.

Real people. Real insight. Real value.

Innovation. Clarity. Execution.

 

 

AFH Holding & Advisory LLC is a boutique investment banking firm that offers financial advisory services. The firm focuses on alternative public offerings marketing strategy planning capital structuring and mergers and acquisitions advisory. Its clientele include Carlisi Natural Gas Inc. Fossil Energy Group LLC Kaikai Technology Co. Ltd. and Yi Xin Copper Co. Ltd. AFH Holding & Advisory LLC is based in Beverly Hills California with an additional office in Pudong China.

Aisling Capital is a private equity group based in New York with over $1.6 billion in assets under management. Aisling is currently looking for new firms for potential investments for the firm?s third fund. The firm looks to make investments in companies seeking to raise a total round of $2-5 million. The firm looks to invest in companies globally with a focus on companies located in the United States.

Alexion was founded in 1992 and is based in Cheshire CT. Alexion specializes in the development of treatments for ultra-orphan diseases (diseases with under 2 patients in the USA or EU) and is seeking to in-license assets in this field. Alexion prefers to acquire global rights to assets.