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Pappas Ventures Names Franz B. Humer as Venture Partner and Senior Advisor

Pappas Ventures Names Franz B. Humer as Venture Partner and Senior Advisor

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Dec. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Pappas Ventures, a life science venture capital firm, announced today the appointment of Franz B. Humer as a Venture Partner and Senior Advisor with the firm. Dr. Humer is currently the Chairman of Roche Holding Ltd, a position he will retire from in March 2014.

Dr. Humer brings a wealth of leadership experience from the pharmaceutical and life science industry, including a transformative 15-year tenure as Chairman and/or Chief Executive Officer of Roche. He previously served as Chief Operating Officer and Head of Pharmaceuticals for F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.

Uncategorized - 12/10/2013

Ultragenyx Initiates New Development Program Studying Triheptanoin (UX007) for the Treatment of Glucose Transporter Type-1 Deficiency Syndrome (Glut1 DS)

 
Phase 2 Trial Initiation Planned for Year End

NOVATO, Calif., Aug 05, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE via COMTEX) -- Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc., a biotechnology company focused on developing treatments for rare and ultra-rare genetic disorders, today announced its plan to develop triheptanoin (UX007) for the treatment of seizures in glucose transporter type-1 deficiency syndrome (Glut1 DS). Glut1 DS is a rare and severely debilitating disease caused by mutations in the SLC2A1 gene, which encodes for a protein called glucose transporter type-1 (Glut1). The disease is characterized by seizures, developmental delay and movement disorders. The Glut1 protein transports glucose from blood into the brain. Because glucose is the primary source of energy for the brain, this defect in the Glut1 transporter results in a chronic state of brain energy deficiency. The company is planning to initiate a Phase 2 trial studying triheptanoin in Glut1 DS by the end of 2013.

Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical - 08/05/2013

Plexxikon’s Glaub: personalized medicine is ‘the wave of the future’

 
October 7, 2011

They came from all parts of North Carolina’s Research Triangle, and several of them from far beyond, to hear the story of how a small biotechnology company developed a breakthrough cancer treatment, blazed a path for future development of personalized medicine treatments and was purchased in a deal valued at $935 million — the biggest venture-backed acquisition this year.

The company is California biotech Plexxikon. And one of its investors was Durham, North Carolina-based Pappas Ventures, which saw a return greater than 10 times its original investment. Plexxikon President Kathy Glaub was the guest speaker at a packed house for Pappas Ventures’ annual life sciences symposium. Pappas was one of Plexxikon’s early investors, pumping money into the company shortly after its 2001 launch. Art Pappas, founder and managing partner of the firm, said the investment was as much in founder and CEO Peter Hirth as it was in the science. Pappas said he thought Hirth could do with Plexxikon what he had done with previous company Sugen, whose cancer drug Sutent is now a blockbuster drug for Pfizer (NYSE:PFE).

Plexxikon - 10/07/2011

Pappas Ventures closes on fourth fund

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., March 10, 2009 — Pappas Ventures today announced the final closing of its fourth fund, a $102 million venture capital fund focused on the life sciences sector. Like its immediate predecessor funds, Pappas Ventures IV will invest in product-oriented biopharmaceutical companies, with a secondary focus on medical technologies.

Uncategorized - 03/10/2009
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