Prolog Ventures United States

Prolog Ventures is a venture capital firm based out of St. Louis Missouri that was founded in 2001. The firm is currently making investments out of its vintage 2013 4th fund of approximately $100 million. The firm is looking to make equity investments in companies ranging from $500,000 to $3 million. The firm will invest in companies across the United States and plans to make approximately 3-4 investments over the next 6-9 months.

Brian Clevinger
Managing Director 

Quintessence Bioscience United States

Quintessence Biosciences, Inc. is a private, clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel anti-cancer compounds based on our patented EVade™ Ribonuclease technology. The lead candidate, called QBI-139, completed a first in human dose escalation Phase I clinical trial in patients with solid tumors. Quintessence is looking for funding for a proof of concept clinical trial (Phase Ib/IIa) with a defined patient population.

Biotech Subsector
Biotech Phase of Development
Technology Overview
EVade™ Ribonucleases (RNases) are the only proteins under development to target the RNA in cancer cells. These RNases are based on naturally occurring human RNases, which have a few amino acid substitutions to evade their natural inhibitor inside cells. The lead candidate, QBI-139, is 95% identical to human RNase I. The EVade™ RNases are taken up by endocytosis. Relative selectivity has been demonstrated with a good therapeutic window in xenograft models. QBI-139 has a strong therapeutic window against a variety of in vivo xenograft models including: colon, non-small cell lung, ovarian, pancreatic and prostate cancer.
Alliance & Collaborations
The Phase I trial of QBI-139 was done at MD Anderson Cancer Center and University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Supporting Metrics or Evidence
Dose escalation of QBI-139 in a Phase I trial has recently been completed. The drug showed a distinct safety profile relative to already approved drugs. The exposure profile in patients was similar to animal models. Based on encouraging indications of efficacy, an expansion cohort in a defined patient population is being planned. Based on pre-clinical and clinical results as well as market and regulatory considerations, the company is particularly interested potential expansion cohorts in: - Second or third line non-small cell lung cancer regardless of mutation status in combination with a platinum doublet, - Second line platinum refractory/resistant ovarian cancer in combination with a platinum doublet or - Post-androgen receptor antagonist in hormone resistant prostate cancer (HRPC) in combination with a SOC agent.
Current Financing Needs
Quintessence is looking for $8M to fund a proof of concept (Phase Ib/IIa) clinical trial.
Current Timeline
Once funding is available, QBI-139 can be advanced to manufacturing for the next clinical trial.
Current Investors
Quintessence has been funded by individual investors as well as some support from NCI SBIR grants.
IP Status
The company has a strong portfolio of intellectual property related to the use of human RNases as therapeutic agents, including composition of matter patents running through 2029.
Recent Milestones
QBI-139 has completed a first-in-human, dose escalation Phase I clinical trial in patients with solid tumors.
Management Team Highlights
Ralph Kauten, CEO, has been founder or senior management at a variety of successful biotech companies, including Promega, PanVera (now part of ThermoFisher), and Mirus Bio (now part of Arrowhead Research). Laura Strong is a scientist by training and overseen advancement of the RNase from discovery to end of Phase I clinical, including managing the communications with FDA.
Laura Strong
Laura Strong
LinkedIn logo President & COO 

RiverVest Venture Partners United States

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.

Year Founded
2000
Investor Type
Medtech Phase of Development
Capital Structure Preference
Investment Stage Preference
Karen Spilizewski
VP 

Roche / Genentech Switzerland

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.

Shafique Virani
Global Head Partnering (Neuro) 

Sand Hill Angels

Sand Hill Angels is an angel group that was founded in 2 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale California. The group focuses on investments in early-stage (from seed to series C) companies in the Life Sciences IT Internet and Clean Tech sectors. The group prefers to make equity and convertible notes investments and the typical investment size ranges from $.1million to $.5million. The group will consider syndicating with other investors for larger investments. The group will consider companies across the US.
Stephen Pollitt
Board Member Membership Chair 

Sanofi-Genzyme BioVentures

Sanofi-Genzyme BioVentures (SGBV) is the corporate venture arm of Sanofi based in Cambridge Massachusetts USA. Originally established in 21 as Genzyme Ventures SGBV is mandated to invest directly in private early-stage life science companies with promising new products that may be future Sanofi pipeline candidates. The firm seeks to invest across the more expansive business footprint of Sanofi. The firm has a global mandate and is currently seeking new equity investment opportunities.
Jason Hafler
Director of Investments 

Science Futures

Science Futures Management is an investment firm based in California USA. In the Life Sciences the firm focuses on biotech therapeutics and diagnostics. The firm typically provides series A financing (equity) in the range of $25K to $5K. The firm is geographically agnostic but generally invests in companies based in the USA and Europe. The firm has no current mandate for the number of allocations it plans to make and will evaluate relevant opportunities as they surface.
Nola Masterson
Managing Director 

Seroba Kernel Life Sciences Ireland

Seroba Kernel is a venture capital firm based in Dublin, Ireland, with representatives in the United Kingdom. The firm has approximately €100M AUM and focuses solely on the life sciences. The firm has 2 funds and plans to raise a third fund in the near future. The firm typically allocates between €5-7M of equity over the life of the investment. The firm primarily invests in companies that are based in Ireland and Europe. Exceptional opportunities in North America will also be considered. The firm is actively seeking new investment opportunities.

Year Founded
2001
Biotech Phase of Development
Medtech Phase of Development
Capital Structure Preference
Investment Stage Preference
Daniel O'Mahony
Partner 

Shire

Shire is an Irish-headquartered global specialty biopharmaceutical company. Originating in the United Kingdom with a large operational base in the United States, its brands and products include Vyvanse, Adderall XR, Intuniv, Lialda, Pentasa, Fosrenol, Replagal, Elaprase, VPRIV, Firazyr and Dermagraft. 

Shire is currently interested in several therapeutic areas for business development opportunities. The company is most interested in the following products: rare disease therapeutics, pre-clinical to on the market; neuroscience therapeutics, on the market; gastrointestinal, on the market; ophthalmology, post proof-of-concept; and hematology; post proof-of-concept.

Jane Daun-Tremblay

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