OrphoMed is a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on the development of best-in-class therapies for the treatment of inadequately-controlled gastrointestinal disorders. The company's strategy is to take molecules that have proven mechanisms of action and to engineer improved pharmacological properties via a proprietary platform technology. OrphoMed's lead program is aimed at treating irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D), a seriously debilitating disorder that affects the intestinal tract. IBS-D has no identifiable cause and represents an important unmet medical need.
OrphoMed
Optherion
Optherion's intellectual property was based on genetic discoveries linking certain genes to AMD and orphan renal diseases strongly influenced by components of the alternative complement system. Sequenom is currently marketing a predictive test based on Optherion technology that identifies patients who are predisposed to late stage age-related macular degeneration.
Meanwhile, Baxter, which acquired the rights to Optherion's therapeutic program via an asset purchase and license agreement, is exploring recombinant and plasma-derived complement Factor H as a therapeutic targeting the treatment of AMD.
NuVasive
Relentlessly innovative, NuVasive develops and markets minimally disruptive surgical products and procedures for the spine. From its inception, it has focused on creating products, such as its nerve avoidance monitoring system, that contribute to faster, less invasive surgical procedures, speedier recovery times for patients, and shorter hospital stays.
NuVasive went public in 2004.
Nereus
Nereus is focusing on the oceans and marine environments as a source of small-molecule compounds for the treatment of inflammation, cancer, and infectious diseases. Nereus utilized specialized research out of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
Mirati Therapeutics
Mirati Therapeutics (formerly MethylGene) is a targeted oncology company developing a pipeline of oncology therapeutics for precisely defined patient populations. Mirati is currently advancing three drug candidates through clinical development for multiple oncology indications.
Milestone Pharmaceuticals
Headquartered in Quebec, an emerging biotechnology market, the company is a clinical stage cardiovascular drug development company developing novel small molecule therapeutics based on clinically validated mechanisms. Milestone’s lead product, MSP-2017, is a novel and potent short-acting calcium channel antagonist for the treatment of acute episodes of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) in an unmonitored setting. MSP-2017 is a derivative of verapamil, an approved drug for the target indication, but is expected to have a better safety profile.
Milestone is premised on this unmet medical need - currently there are no competing short-acting products for terminating acute PSVT episodes in an unmonitored setting.
Marina Biotech
Marina Biotech is a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on development and commercialization of therapeutic products for rare diseases based on RNA interference (RNAi). The company is developing proprietary single and double-stranded nucleic acid therapeutics including siRNAs, microRNA mimics, antagomirs, and antisense compounds intended to trigger various RNA-based mechanisms of action including RNA interference, microRNA replacement therapy, microRNA inhibition and mRNA translational inhibition, respectively.
Lumena Pharmaceuticals
Pappas Ventures established Lumena in 2011 in order to address liver diseases characterized by impaired bile flow and retention of bile in the liver and the body – diseases that can lead to progressive liver damage and intractable itching. The company’s lead candidate, LUM-001, is specifically designed to have limited systemic exposure and targets the Apical Sodium-dependent Bile Acid Transporter (ASBT), which is localized on the luminal surface of the lower portion of the small intestines. LUM-001 works by preventing recycling of bile acids, thereby reducing bile acid accumulation, improving liver function and potentially relieving the extreme itching associated with cholestatic diseases.
Pappas Capital venture partner Mike Grey served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Lumena. The company was acquired by Shire plc in June 2014.
Liquidia Technologies
Developed out of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and located right around the corner from our office, Liquidia has developed a proprietary PRINT (Pattern Replication In Non-wetting Templates) technology platform, a system for precision molding of nano- and microparticles that allows for the delivery of biological and small molecule vaccines and therapeutics. The company’s technology makes it possible to design vaccines and therapies with precise control of particle size, shape and composition. In 2011, the Gates Foundation made its first-ever biotech equity investment in Liquidia, recognizing its potential in the field of vaccine development.
The PRINT platform allows Liquidia to create precisely engineered vaccines, therapeutics and other health-related products.
LipoScience
The company is developing a new class of personalized diagnostics based on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology. LipoScience’s proprietary NMR LipoProfile® test, its first marketed product, measures the number of low density lipoprotein particles(LDL-P) in blood to personalize management of risk for heart disease. The company recently received FDA clearance for Vantera®, an automated clinical analyzer that simplifies and automates. The company’s automated clinical analyzer, Vantera®, was cleared by the FDA in 2012.
LipoScience raised $45 million in its initial public offering in January 2013.
