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The Problem: Pharmaceutical development has traditionally focused on intense study of an explicit molecular target related to a specific disease of interest. This strategy is costly and inefficient.

The Solution: We have developed technology that can be scaled to quickly, precisely, reliably, and simultaneously model thousands of genetic diseases in human cells and evaluate the effect of thousands of individual drugs on those disease models. We've built a computational platform that recognizes structural changes in millions of diseased cells and then identifies drugs that return those diseased cells to a healthy state.

Proof of Concept: We have already used an early version of this platform to discover a potential treatment for one genetic disease. We have IP for this drug, and have already been approached about licensing.  We are scaling our platform now to enable us to achieve our goal of discovering and partnering to bring to market treatments for at least 100 genetic diseases in 10 years.

River Cities Capital Fund is a private equity firm founded in 1994 and based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The firm manages approximately $500 million under management and is currently investing out of its 2014 vintage $200 fund. The firm looks to make investments of $5-$15 million initially up to $20 million over the investments lifetime. The firm is willing to invest throughout the United States and is looking to make approximately 4-6 equity investments over the next 6 to 9 months.

RiverVest Venture Partners is a venture capital firm that was founded in 2000 and is based in St. Louis, Missouri with additional office in Cleveland, Ohio. The firm currently has managed over $208 million of total assets. RiverVest has raised two investment funds with total committed capital of $165 million since inception. The recent fund closed at $75 million. RiverVest typically makes equity investments into global companies, and has no specific geographic preferences. The firm will consider making investments at all the stages, and focuses on investments in seed, early-stage and select later-stage companies. The typical investment size is around $6 million, though the firm can invest more or less, depending on the opportunity. 

RiverVest is extremely opportunistic when it comes to investments in the life sciences space; with that being said RiverVests specified sectors and sub sectors of interest may or may not be an area in which RiverVest is currently looking to allocate capital to. The firm invests in companies in the biotech therapeutics and diagnostics, as well the medical technology space. 

Some of the firms investments have included companies developing biotech therapeutics and diagnostics targeting diseases of the blood and blood forming organs, neoplasms, cancer, and oncology, skin and subcutaneous tissue, cardiovascular diseases, diseases of the ear, and infectious diseases. The firm has also invested in companies developing anti-body based therapeutics. The firm has also invested in firms developing medical technologies such as therapeutic radiation devices, active implantable devices, non active implantable devices, hospital hardware, and imaging devices.

F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. is a Swiss global health-care company that operates worldwide under two divisions: Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics. Roche is looking for first-in-class or best-in-class opportunities that address diseases of unmet medical need and have the potential to revolutionize the standard of care. Roche focuses on their main disease therapy areas – oncology and Immuno-oncology, ophthalmology, infectious diseases and neurosciences–as well as looking at opportunities in promising technologies and early-stage collaborations. Beyond the asset, Roche always look for the right partnership and cultural fit. Roche also seeks collaboration in diagnostics, specifically biomarkers.

SENS Research Foundation is based in Mountain View, CA. The foundation provides grants for research into rejuvenation biotechnologies that prevent or reverse age-related tissue damage. Historically grants have ranged from $40,000 to $200,000 although this range may change in the future. Grants are available to researchers worldwide. SENS requests that grants not be used to cover overhead/facilities costs. At present, 15 projects are being supported.