InterWest Partners

InterWest Partners founded in 1979 is a venture capital firm based in Menlo Park California. The firm?s primary focus is providing venture capital to early-stage healthcare and information technology companies. The firm has raised 1 funds to date with over $2.8 billion in committed capital. The firm?s tenth fund closed in 29 at $65 million. The firm generally invests in the Series A and B rounds, initially allocating $8-12 million and up to $2 million over the life of the investment. The firm primarily invests in US-based companies but will also selectively consider opportunities abroad. The firm is actively seeking new investment opportunities.
Doug Fisher
Partner 

IR2Dx United States

IR2Dx Company Overview:

IR2Dx has developed a proprietary, breakthrough analysis and reporting system for multi-marker diagnostic test panels, to provide highly personalized treatment strategies for patients with Type 2 diabetes.  While control of glucose levels remains an important factor in the treatment of the disease, the IR2Dx platform evaluates the individual disease pathways for each patient, providing critical information regarding multiple markers and their overall pattern, all of which contribute to management of underlying disease.  This information can then be used by physicians to guide treatment decisions to deliver precision medicine in diabetes. 

Today, there are approximately 382 million people with diabetes in the world, and this number is expected to grow to 592 million by 2035.  The worldwide available market for early detection and drug response diabetes diagnostics is greater than $20 billion.  IR2Dx can enter the market within the current reimbursement and regulatory environments, and is ready to launch its first products in H1 2015 through commercial laboratories.

The IR2Dx platform provides personalized treatment information and recommendations to physicians based on a proprietary decision tree algorithm, greatly enhancing the clinical utility of a laboratory report.  Existing reimbursement levels for the panel markers in the U.S. and key international markets adequately cover the addition of the IR2Dx analysis and reporting. 

The platform is a software-based decision analysis tool. The analysis is performed on results from commercially available diagnostic tests run using standard laboratory bench top systems, requiring no tailored equipment, no custom design of the test system itself, and no capital investment.  Lab technicians upload the multi-marker panel testing results to the IR2Dx proprietary web portal to access the company’s decision support tool analysis product. In the initial commercialization phase, each laboratory will have a specific customized software product, and will pay for each report on a per-use basis. 

In the current U.S. regulatory environment for such products, with “health management IT functionalities”, such as the IR2Dx analysis and reporting system, near-term requirements for premarket review are unlikely, though the FDA may give additional guidance at any time. The IR2Dx platform is protected by a strong and broad intellectual property portfolio combining substantial data and know-how with issued patents in the U.S. and Europe. The company’s issued patents carry claims for use of its analysis platform and combination of markers for treatment guidance “with all glucose lowering drugs.”

 The company anticipates launch of the proprietary IR2Dx platform in H1 2015, introducing its first clinical decision support products through commercial laboratories. 

Year Founded
2008
Biotech Subsector
Medtech Subsector
Biotech Phase of Development
Medtech Phase of Development
Technology Overview

In 2002, IR2Dx company founders observed that anti-diabetic therapies reduced adverse cardiology events across multiple drug classes, while at the same time, cardiovascular drugs were reducing diabetes conversions. Further, it has long been recognized that cardiovascular disease is a comorbidity of diabetes. IR2Dx founders concluded that cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes are manifestations of the same underlying conditions, and by analyzing information on relevant markers, treating physicians could be provided with information to help guide drug selection and assess drug response, making improved treatment possible. The research identified pathway biomarkers that significantly elucidate the evolution, and optimal treatment, of the disease while continuing to provide glucose control, throughout the treatment process with a patient. These biomarkers are: high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), intact proinsulin, insulin, adiponectin and C-peptide. Through the IR2Dx patented methods and systems of evaluating the baseline and subsequent levels of these markers, the physician is given a previously unavailable, cost effective window into the pathways and causes of his/her patient’s specific disease, with the opportunity to intervene therapeutically before the disease state progresses further. Specifically, the IR2Dx platform, for the first time in diabetes, provides physicians with easily accessible clinical information to aid in: • Assessment of the current state of a patient’s metabolic pathways; • Determination of the likely further progression of disease; and, • Determination of optimal treatment strategies for the patient.

Alliance & Collaborations
Discussions are underway with commercial laboratory and kit development partners.
Supporting Metrics or Evidence

To date, the IR2Dx diagnostic panel markers have been used prospectively on over 14,000 patients across 35 clinical trials, with over 40 publications. These studies validated the use of the panel markers, and covered patients at all stages of disease including prediabetes, across the range of anti-diabetic drug- classes. These studies demonstrated improvements in group mean HbA1c levels, the present standard for clinical success in the diabetes field.

Current Financing Needs

$12 million, can be staged to support commercial laboratory rollout and kit development ($5 million), and further clinical studies ($7 million).

Current Timeline

At commercialization

Current Investors

Friends & Family, Founders, Physicians

IP Status

Patents issued in US and Europe

Management Team Highlights

Highly Experienced Team. CEO has over 40 years in the diagnostics field (including 17 years at Abbott Diagnostics), and all management team members have over 30 years in biotech. Many of our key advisors are well recognized world leaders in diagnostics, diabetes and cancer.

Lesli Fellman
Founder / VP Finance 
Robert Maurer
CEO 

Johnson & Johnson (Medical Devices)

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.

Ibraheem Badejo
Senior Director New Ventures 

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 

JT Pharma

JT Pharma, the Pharmaceutical Division of Japan Tobacco (Akros Pharma, US; Torii, Japan) has broad therapeutic interests with a focus on cutting edge, innovative science and orally active small molecule therapeutics in diabetes, lipid regulation, osteoporosis (small molecule anabolic agents), HIV, HBV, fibrosis, pain, autoimmune diseases, inflammation (RA and OA), urological diseases, allergy, and new drug discovery and development tools. Torii, the marketing division of JT Pharma Division, is interested in late stage, i.e. late Ph3, close to registration drugs for the Japanese market. Torii’s areas of interest are: renal diseases including CKD and complications from hemodialysis, dermatology, atopic dermatitis (preferably given orally), psoriasis, allergy, i.e. antigen-specific immunotherapy, asthma, and rhinitis. JT Pharma and Torii are looking for commercializable technologies or products for collaborative R&D deals or in- licensing deals. 
JT Pharma seeks partnering opportunities, i.e., research and/or development collaborations, contract research and licensing arrangements, to enhance its own internal R&D efforts. Also, Japan Tobacco’s marketing division, Torii Pharmaceuticals, seeks late-stage clinical opportunities for the Japanese Market.
JT Pharma has an interest in early-stage, novel small molecule therapeutics focusing on diabetes,lipid regulation, HIV, HBV, autoimmune disease, inflammation (RA, OA, asthma, allergy), fibrosis, osteoporosis, overactive bladder, and pain (non-CNS) as well as new drug discovery and development tools. Compounds must have composition of matter patents.


Torii Pharmaceuticals is seeking drugs in clinical trials for licensing and marketing in Japan with a focus on dermatology (eczema, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, onychomycosis, ), allergy, and kidney diseases.

JT Pharma is dedicated to the discovery, development, and sales of novel human therapeutics. In addition to the North American facilities mentioned above, most of JT Pharma’s new drug discovery and development work is performed within its Central Pharmaceutical Research Institute, located in Osaka. They also have a molecular biology research laboratory in Yokohama and a toxicology research facility in Hadano, Japan.

Guadalupe Cipres
Business Development 

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 

Life Science Angels

Life Science Angels Inc was founded in 2004 and is based in Sunnyvale CA. The group makes early-stage equity investments in a wide range of life science companies. Life Science Angels invests primarily in California but is open to investing out of state provided a round is being syndicated with a local angel group. Life Science Angels does not rule out investing outside the USA but has yet to do so. The group invests as individuals and allocation sizes are therefore highly varied but are usually of about $2-$6, Life Science Angels usually invests in rounds seeking $3 million or less. The group is interested in syndicating rounds with other angel groups.

Investor Type
Biotech Phase of Development
Medtech Phase of Development
Capital Structure Preference
Investment Stage Preference
Dr Faz Bashi
Chair Digital Health & Sciences 
Karl Handelsman
Founder & Chairman 
Allan May
Founder 

Life Science Nation

Life Science Nation (LSN) is the premier sourcing platform for market intelligence and prospect pipeline development in the life science arena. LSN enables life science professionals to generate a list of qualified global targets that are a fit for their company’s products, services, and fundraising efforts. The ability to generate these Global Target Lists (GTLs) makes life science professionals more effective and efficient. 

Biotech Phase of Development
Medtech Phase of Development
Unique Capabilities

Life Science Investor Profiles, LSN has sourced validated and maintains the largest global database of investor profiles. LSN defined 10 categories of Life Science Investor;

·         Private Equity

·         Venture capital

·         Family Offices

·         Corporate VC

·         Angel Groups

·         Large Pharma/ Biotech

·         Alternative Institutional Investors: Pensions, Endowments

·         Endowments/Foundations

·         Hedge Funds

·         Government Grants

Marketing Services, LSN consults on branding, messaging, and outbound marketing strategies. This includes developing a tagline, elevator pitch, executive summary, corporate power point presentation, and new or updated website design to fit your brand and message. LSN will develop a Global Target List of prequalified candidates to target for marketing initiatives.

Alejandro Zamorano
Tom Crosby
David Mejia
Gwen Lamar
Danielle Silva
Jack Fuller
Marlo Galvez
Laura Chess
Dennis Ford
BIO

Dennis is the founder and CEO of Life Science Nation (LSN) and creator of the Redefining Early Stage Investment (RESI) conference series. Most recently, he launched a broker-dealer entity called Boston Innovation Capital (BIC).

Dennis’s expertise is in creating and facilitating interactive dialogue between buyers and sellers. He is a big proponent of using profiling and matching technology to find that all-important business fit in the marketing and selling process. LSN provides a Match.com-like platform of product and services for scientist/entrepreneurs and early stage investors to connect with each other.

Dennis is the author of The Peddler’s Prerogative, The Fund Manager’s Marketing Manifesto, and most recently, The Life Science Executive’s Fundraising Manifesto. Dennis is an expert in sales, marketing, and business development. Dennis has distinct value in understanding the world of global alternative life science investors and how that relates to financing early stage technologies.

Lilly Asia Ventures China

Lilly Asia Ventures is the venture capital arm of Eli Lilly that focuses on investments in the life sciences in Asia, particularly China. The firm was established in 2008 and is based in Shanghai, China. The firm is stage agnostic; investing in early, growth, and up to pre-IPO opportunities. The firm’s investment size is USD 5-20 million per company. The firm primarily invests in companies in China, but is open to companies across Asia-Pacific as long as there is some sort of China angle. The firm is actively seeking new investment opportunities.

Lilly Asia Ventures primarily focuses on therapeutics but is also interested in medical devices, diagnostics, animal health, and biotech other. The firm is most interested in products that will have a significant impact on medical care in China. For therapeutics, the firm seeks best-in-class or first-in-class products. The firm is opportunistic to the indication and the phase of development and will consider products in pre-clinical up to NDA. Historically, the firm invests in therapeutics for oncology, inflammatory diseases, and metabolic disorders.

Biotech Phase of Development
Medtech Phase of Development
Capital Structure Preference
Investment Stage Preference
Judith Li
Principal 
Michael Zhang
Investment Manager