Sitka Biopharma Inc. Canada

Sitka Biopharma is a preclinical stage company focused on developing a breakthrough nanoparticle platform technology designed to increase absorption of drugs in difficult-to-penetrate tissues. Initially targeting oncology indications, we are developing our lead candidate to address the absorption challenge of intravesical chemotherapy for bladder cancer, and later intraperitoneal delivery for ovarian cancer.

We have demonstrated preclinical proof-of-concept for our lead candidate using in vivo and ex vivo models for bladder cancer.
Our goal is to complete our IND in 2015 and begin a Phase 1/2a Proof-of-Concept clinical trial in nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer in 2016.

Partnership Opportunities for Platform Technology:

Our nanoparticle platform technology offers unique benefits over other nano-delivery systems and has the potential to be combined with a variety of different drugs to improve absorption for therapeutic uses in both humans and animals.

Benefits of Sitka's HPG nanoparticle platform include:

  • unimolecular structure
  • small size (8-10 nm)
  • tailored for a high degree of localized drug bioavailability in large surface applications
  • potential utility with a wide variety of drugs and indications

We welcome opportunities to collaborate with biopharmaceutical companies that wish to take advantage of our platform technology.

Year Founded
2013
Biotech Phase of Development
Technology Overview
Our nanoparticle platform technology offers unique benefits over other nano-delivery systems and has the potential to be combined with a variety of different drugs to improve absorption for therapeutic uses in both humans and animals. Benefits of Sitka's HPG nanoparticle platform include: unimolecular structure; small size (8-10 nm) and low viscosity; tailored for a high degree of localized drug bioavailability in large surface applications; potential utility with a wide variety of drugs and indications
Current Financing Needs
Seed private investment of $500,000; can be leveraged 2:1 up to $1.5M via partnership with CVI founded Accel-Rx (www.accel-rx.com)
Current Timeline
IND/Entry into clinic in early 2016
Current Investors
CDRD Ventures Inc (www.cdrdventures.com)
Michael Parr
President & Chief Scientific Officer 

Sound Affects

Sound Affects is a philanthropic organization based in Westport CT. Sound Affects is a nonprofit crowdfunding platform that will provide non-dilutive research grants to for-profit life science companies developing products in the oncology sector. Sound Affects? grant sizes are variable depending on project needs with current projects seeking to raise between $5 and $5, the amount of funding sought should be sufficient to reach the next product development milestone. Sound Affects is potentially open to funding about 4 further projects and is best placed to work with entrepreneurs based in the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic region of the USA but is also open to proposals from outside this region. In addition to direct crowdfunding Sound Affects will in the future provide additional resources via a matching fund.
Mona Jhaveri
Executive Director 

Symbient Product Development United States

Rapid Development of Injection Molded Medical Devices
From Concept Through Transfer-to-Manufacturing

Symbient specializes in engineering research and development, prototyping and design-for-manufacturing of innovative medical devices that use injection molded components. Our highly experienced team consists of mechanical and biomedical engineers, industrial designers, machinists and molding technicians. They leverage our in-house rapid prototyping, and prototype tooling fabrication and injection molding to create proven, manufacturable designs with unmatched speed, efficiency and precision. These designs make up our deep portfolio of over 300 successful devices that have collectively generated hundreds of millions of dollars. They include FDA Class I, II and III devices, developed under our ISO 13485 certified quality management system.

 

Our Services Include:

  • Concept Development
  • Development Engineering
  • Design-for-Manufacturing
  • Industrial Design
  • Project Rescue
  • Design Control per IOS 13485
  • Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
  • Design Verification Testing
  • Test Method Development
  • Transfer to Manufacturing

 

Our In-House Capabilities and Expertise Include:

  • Stereolithography (SLA) Prototyping
  • CNC Machining / Fabrication
  • Prototype Mold Fabrication
  • Prototype Injection Molding of Devices for Testing, Trials and Studies
  • Liquid Injection Molded (LIM) Silicone Prototype Molding
  • Product Reliability Testing
  • Plastics Assembly Expertise: Ultrasonic and Laser Welding, Heat Sealing, Pressure Sensitive Adhesives, Swaging, Snap Fits, Press Fits, Interlocks.
  • Speed: Prototype Molds in as little as 1 week and Modifications in as little as 1 Day
  • Material Selection Expertise, Research and Testing to Ensure All Product Requirements Are Met.

 

Our Portfolio Includes:

  • Diagnostics / Molecular Diagnostics
  • Sample collection / preparation
  • Life Sciences / Microfluidics
  • OTC Consumer products
  • Respiratory
  • Surgical devices and clinical tools
  • Drug Delivery

 

Year Founded
2004
Unique Capabilities

Our Services Include:

  • Concept Development
  • Development Engineering
  • Design-for-Manufacturing
  • Industrial Design
  • Project Rescue
  • Design Control per IOS 13485
  • Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
  • Design Verification Testing
  • Test Method Development
  • Transfer to Manufacturing

 

Our In-House Capabilities and Expertise Include:

  • Stereolithography (SLA) Prototyping
  • CNC Machining / Fabrication
  • Prototype Mold Fabrication
  • Prototype Injection Molding of Devices for Testing, Trials and Studies
  • Liquid Injection Molded (LIM) Silicone Prototype Molding
  • Product Reliability Testing
  • Plastics Assembly Expertise: Ultrasonic and Laser Welding, Heat Sealing, Pressure Sensitive Adhesives, Swaging, Snap Fits, Press Fits, Interlocks.
  • Speed: Prototype Molds in as little as 1 week and Modifications in as little as 1 Day
  • Material Selection Expertise, Research and Testing to Ensure All Product Requirements Are Met.
Lisa Coyne
Business Development Manager 
Luke Helm
Director of Business Development 

Syncona Partners United Kingdom

Syncona Partners, founded in 2012, is an evergreen investment firm based in London, UK. The firm is an independent subsidiary of the Wellcome Trust who invested the initial £200m capitalization. The firm is mandated to invest in companies with the potential to make major breakthroughs in healthcare. The investment size will usually range from £1M – £20M per company. The firm seeks to create sustainable, profitable businesses, to support them with capital over the long term, for the benefit of patients, and to hold an ownership position to create value for the Wellcome Trust. The firm is actively screening new investment opportunities.

Year Founded
2012
Biotech Phase of Development
Medtech Phase of Development
Capital Structure Preference
Investment Stage Preference
Chris Hollowood
Partner 

SynDevRx Inc. United States

SynDevRx develops new and effective treatments for metabolic-related diseases including pre-diabetes, diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia and fatty liver disease as well as treatments for cancer.  Our treatments are best-in-class MetAP2 inhibitors of the fumagillin drug class.  SynDevRx lead compound, SDX-7320, is a polymer conjugate of a novel fumagillol derivative which releases the pharmacologically active drug in vivo.  Our approach improves both the efficacy and safety of low molecular weight drugs while reducing systemic drug exposure compared to the small molecule drug alone.

Website:
www.syndevrx.com
Year Founded
2007
Biotech Subsector
Biotech Phase of Development
James Shanahan
VP Business Development 

Tech Coast Angels

Founded in 1997, Tech Coast Angels is the largest angel investor group in the United States. Its members provide funding and guidance to more early-stage high-growth companies in Southern California than any other investment group. TCA members invest in companies in a wide range of industries including life sciences, biotech and health IT. TCA has more than 325 members including its venture capital affiliates in five networks in Los Angeles Orange County San Diego Westlake/Santa Barbara and the Inland Empire. The organization will finance on an opportunistic basis as long as substantial disruptive market opportunities exists. The firm has historically invested in Biotech Therapeutics & Diagnostics, Biotechnology R&D Services, Biotechnology Other, Medical Technology companies with sub sectors of Anti-Infectives, Bioinformatics, CRO (Contract Research Organization), Diagnostic Instrumentation, Diagnostic Services, Drug Delivery, Food, Industrial Biotechnology, Small Molecules, Small Molecule Therapeutics, Wound Care and indications including Diseases of the Nervous System, Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Neoplasms/Cancer/Oncology, Respiratory.

Websites:
www.greenwingsbiomedical.com
techcoastangels.com

Investor Type
Biotech Phase of Development
Medtech Phase of Development
Capital Structure Preference
Investment Stage Preference
Richard Koffler
Member 

Telormedix SA Switzerland

Telormedix is a Swiss biotech company focused on small molecules binding to TLR7 for the development in oncology and infectious diseases.
Johanna Holldack
CEO 

Thetis Pharmaceutcals United States

Year Founded
2011
Biotech Subsector
Biotech Phase of Development
Technology Overview

Thetis has discovered and is in the early stages of developing several compounds in the omega-3 arena that are quite differentiated from existing agents based on its proprietary HEALER Technology. 

  • TP-252 is an ionic derivative of eicosapentaenoic acid that delivers EPA with remarkable bioavailability in animal models. Unlike anything known in the omega-3 arena, TP-252 is a solid, stable, free-flowing drug substance that is suitable for tablet formulations and for potential use in fixed dose combination products with statins.
  • TP-113 (bis-metformin glutamate DHA) is a novel oral agent for treatment of T2DM as a 2nd generation metformin product with substantial differentiating pharmacological attributes and intellectual property protection. Its PPP targets significant HbA1c reduction as its primary clinical endpoint with enhanced pharmacological benefits that include insulin resistance resolution, multiple mechanistic effects on hepatic gluconeogenesis that could translate into lower metformin dosing requirements, and reduced serum triglyceride (TG) levels.
  • TP-352, an ionic derivative of docosahexaenoic acid that delivers DHA with remarkable bioavailability in animal models, has prospects for treatment of NASH based on the anti-fibrotic, metabolic and TG lowering effects of DHA.
  • TP-110 (bis-metformin glutamate EPA) has prospects as a first in class agent for treatment of PCOS based on the clinically established effects of its active moeties for ovulation restoration, reduced insulin resistance and enhanced anti-androgenic effects.  
Alliance & Collaborations
Marette Laboratory
Supporting Metrics or Evidence

HEALER Technology applied to already approved APIs with established safety records.

Current Financing Needs

$25 million to fund TP-113 through Phase IIa

Current Timeline

INDs can be opened on lead candidates within 12 months due to non-clinical safety efficiencies based on prototype candidate already vetted by FDA

Current Investors

Connecticut Innovations and Angel Investors

IP Status

Issued patents (US8765811, US8993124, US8901107) and non-provisional patent applications under petition to make special 

Recent Milestones
  • TP-113 preclinical studies in mice showing PDX formation
  • IND allowance establishing non-clinical safety of Thetis compounds
  • Extensive rodent pharmacokinetic studies demonstrating unique PK properties
  • Pre-formulation feasibility studies completed on lead candidates
  • Issued composition of matter patents on metformin compounds (TP-113/110)
Management Team Highlights

Frank Sciavolino, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer

  • former Pfizer R&D executive (Zithromax) and in-licensing (Celebrex)
  • PhD, Organic Chemistry, University of Michigan
  • Over 30 issued patents

Gary Mathias, MBA, Chief Financial Officer

  • Over 25 years as healthcare investment banking and entrepreneur
  • Former SVP, GE Equity, Healthcare
  • MBA, Yale University; BA Economics, Harvard College

Alexander Fleming, MD, Senior Clinical & Regulatory Officer

  • Former supervisory physician, DMEP, FDA
  • Expert in metabolic disease
  • MD, Board Certified, Endocrinology, Emory University

Andre Marette, PhD, Lead Investigator and Scientific Advisor

  • Professor of Medicine, Institute for Heart & Lung Research, Laval University
  • Pfizer Research Chair, Pathogenesis of Insulin Resistance and CVD
  • Recent publication on PDX effect on insulin resistance (Nat. Med. 5/11/2014)

Michael Van Zandt, PhD, Director, Discovery Chemistry

  • Former Director, Institute for Pharmaceutical Discovery (1996-2012)
  • PhD, Organic Chemistry, Wayne State University

Robert Lipper, PhD, Technical Consultant, Formulation

  • VP, Biopharmaceutics, BMS (1984-2008)
  • PhD, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Michigan

Mehar Manku, PhD, Scientific Advisory

  • former Chief Scientific Officer, Amarin Corp.
  • Executive editor, PLEFAs
  • Inventory on 61 patents in polyunsaturated fatty acids
Gary Mathias
CFO 
Frank Sciavolino
CSO 

Torrey Pines Investment

Torrey Pines Investment (TPI) was founded in 22 and is based in San Diego CA. The firm has raised two funds and also invests in drug development via a partnership with BioMotiv. TPI makes venture-stage minority equity investments and prefers act as a co-investor but also leads rounds on occasion. The firm invests internationally.

Ron Demuth
President 

Twin Cities Angels Fund II, LLC United States

Twin Cities Angels is an angel group that was founded in 2006 that is based in Minnesota. The group has raised two funds that are The Twin Cities Angels Fund I and II. The second fund is currently looking to invest in emerging companies. The group typically provides seed and venture capital ranging from $ 25.000 to $2 million to life science companies. The group plans to invest in 4 to 6 companies per year. Twin Cities Angels seeks to invest in companies based in the Twin Cities Area of Minneapolis/St. Paul, the state of Minnesota and within a reasonable distance, such as Western Wisconsin, Northern Iowa, and Eastern Dakotas.

Year Founded
2006
Investor Type
Biotech Phase of Development
Medtech Phase of Development
Capital Structure Preference
Investment Stage Preference
John Alexander
Chairman & Founder