Biopharmaceuticals

7TM Pharma
Copenhagen, Denmark
7TM Pharma is a privately held biotech company focusing on discovery and development of new drugs targeting 7TM receptors. 7TM Pharma’s primary therapeutic area is metabolic diseases, including obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. 7TM’s lead compound, Obinepitide, targets the treatment of obesity and is in Phase II clinical studies. A second obesity compound entered Phase I/II studies in early 2006.
Contact: Jean Deleage, Ph.D.
Ablynx NV
Ghent, Belgium
Ablynx is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of Nanobodies® to treat a range of serious human diseases. Nanobodies are a novel class of antibody-derived therapeutic proteins. Because of their small size, unique structure and unparalleled stability, Nanobodies combine the advantages of conventional antibody therapeutics with key features of small-molecule drugs.
Contact: Katya Smirnyagina, Ph.D.
AcelRx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Portola Valley, California
AcelRx Pharmaceuticals is an early stage company developing a novel drug delivery platform technology.
Contact: Guy P. Nohra
Achaogen, Inc.
South San Francisco, California,
Achaogen is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of broad-spectrum antibiotics to treat multi-drug resistant bacterial infections.
Contact: Farah Champsi
Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Bridgewater, NJ
Aegerion Pharmaceuticals is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of pharmaceutical products to treat cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
Contact: Alison Kiley
Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Research Triangle Park, NC
Aerie Pharmaceuticals is a privately held, clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to the discovery and development of novel treatments for glaucoma. Aerie’s internal research and development engine has generated an innovative glaucoma pipeline. In addition to AR-12286, the Company’s Rho-kinase (ROCK) inhibitor, the pipeline includes AR-13165, a novel product candidate with a dual mechanism of action that represents the first of a new proprietary class of glaucoma drugs. AR-13165 is currently in preclinical, IND-enabling studies. An ocular implant for long-term drug delivery is also being advanced towards the clinic. The Company is located in Bridgewater New Jersey and Research Triangle Park North Carolina
Contact: David Mack, Ph.D.
Aerovance, Inc.
Berkeley, CA
Aerovance is a privately held biopharmaceutical company exclusively focused on the development and commercialization of biologics for respiratory and inflammatory diseases. The Company’s lead products are Aerovant™, an IL4/13 receptor antagonist for severe asthma and eczema that is currently in Phase II clinical studies, and Aeroderm, a novel therapeutic for eczema.
Contact: Farah Champsi
Alba Therapeutics Corp.
Baltimore, MD
Alba Therapeutics is focused on the development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of inflammatory and immune mediated diseases caused by the malfunction of tight junctions in body. Initial target diseases are Celiac Disease and Type I Diabetes. The Company is in Phase II studies.
Contact: Dan Janney
Anesiva, Inc.
South San Francisco, CA
Anesiva, Inc. is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel therapeutic treatments for pain management and inflammation. The Company, formerly known as Corgentech Inc., changed its name in 2006 to reflect the company’s robust, advancing pipeline of pain therapeutics.
Nasdaq: ANSV
Contact: Dan Janney
Arete Therapeutics, Inc.
Hayward, CA
Arete Therapeutics focuses on developing and commercializing new molecule drugs directed at novel targets for inflammation and hypertension.
Contact: Dan Janney
Astex Therapeutics Ltd.
Cambridge, England
Astex Technology is a structure-based drug discovery company pioneering the use of High Throughput X-ray crystallography (“HTX”) for the rapid identification of novel drug candidates.
Contact: Dan Janney
aTyr Pharma, Inc.
San Diego, CA
aTyr Pharma is a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on identifying and developing a novel class of naturally occurring protein biologics for human therapeutics.
Contact: David Mack, Ph.D.
Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Inc.
Philadelphia, PA
Avid Radiopharmaceuticals is a leader in the development of molecular imaging products that allow for earlier and more effective detection, diagnosis and monitoring of major chronic human diseases. Avid currently has three clinical-stage molecular imaging product development programs, with the lead program utilizing a PET agent to image amyloid plaques in Alzheimer’s disease.
Contact: Ed Hurwitz
Biovitrum AB
Stockholm, Sweden
Formerly Pharmacia’s Swedish-based metabolic disease research group and its related biopharmaceutical development unit, Biovitrum was spun off in June 2001. Biovitrum’s pipeline is focused on metabolic diseases, including obesity and Type II diabetes.
Stockholm Stock Exchange: BVO
Calistoga Pharmaceuticals
Seattle, Washington
Calistoga Pharmaceuticals is a drug discovery company focused on the development of products for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases. The Company’s initial focus is to leverage a strong proprietary position around the composition and use of drugs against a unique PI3 kinase isoform, p110delta. Calistoga is a privately held organization headquartered in Seattle.
Contact: Ed Hurwitz
Cara Therapeutics, Inc.
Tarrytown, NY
Cara Therapeutics is a private, clinical stage company developing novel, first in class treatments for pain and inflammatory disorders. The Company’s most advanced programs are in the field of kappa opiate receptor agonists and cannabanoid receptor agonists and antagonists.
Contact: Ed Hurwitz
Ceregene, Inc.
San Diego, CA
Using gene therapy delivery systems, Ceregene’s primary focus is the discovery and development of novel growth factor therapeutics for the treatment of neurological disorders. Ceregene has completed Phase I clinical trials in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, and is currently conducting a double blind Phase II trial in Parkinson’s disease.
Contact: David Mack, Ph.D.
Cerenis Therapeutics
Toulouse, France and Ann Arbor, MI
Cerenis Therapeutics is a pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of HDL-related therapies for the treatment of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Based on breakthrough research in HDL therapy, Cerenis is pursuing a range of HDL product candidates that reflect significant commercial opportunities in the treatment of atherosclerosis. The two lead programs are around a synthetic HDL mimetic and a PPAR delta agonist.
Contact: Katya Smirnyagina, Ph.D.
ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals
Melbourne, Australia and Menlo Park, CA
ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals is a pharmaceutical development company dedicated to improving the lives of patients by developing personalized therapeutics in the areas of oncology, diabetes and obesity. ChemGenex’s lead compound, Ceflatonin®, is currently in Phase 2/3 clinical trials for chronic myeloid leukemia and Quinamed® is in Phase 2 clinical trials for several solid cancers. ChemGenex's pipeline also includes several pre-clinical stage anti-diabetes lead molecules.
NASDAQ:CXSP, Australian Stock Exchange:CXS
Contact: Dan Janney
ChemoCentryx, Inc.
MountainView, CA
ChemoCentryx is a focused pharmaceutical company engaged in drug discovery and development of first-in-class small molecule medicines targeting the chemokine system for autoimmune diseases, inflammatory disorders and oncology. ChemoCentryx’s most advanced clinical candidate, Traficet®, a CCR9 antagonist, is in Phase II studies for GI inflammatory indications.
Contact: Ed Hurwitz
Chimerix Inc.
Durham, North Carolina
Chimerix is a privately held drug development company which owns proprietary lipid prodrug technology to improve the efficacy of antiviral drugs. The Company’s lead compound, CMX001, is an active agent against a number of DNA viruses including smallpox and papilloma. Chimerix is also developing programs in CMV and HIV and is pursuing commercial opportunities to broaden the use of its technology.
Contact: Farah Champsi
Corcept Therapeutics, Inc.
Menlo Park, CA
Corcept Therapeutics is developing therapeutics for the treatment of severe psychiatric and neurological diseases. Specifically, Corcept is focused on the clinical development of a pharmaceutical compound, CORLUX, for the treatment of psychotic major depression (PMD). Nasdaq: CORT
Cytokinetics, Inc.
South San Francisco, CA
Cytokinetics is developing novel pharmaceuticals and technologies based on its expertise in cytoskeletal pharmacology and biology. The Company is currently pursuing multiple therapeutic programs in the areas of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. It is in Phase II studies with small molecule therapeutics for solid tumors and for congestive heart failure.
Nasdaq: CYTK
Contact: Farah Champsi
DiscoveRx Corp.
Fremont, CA
DiscoveRx® develops, manufactures, and commercializes reagents and complete assay kits for the drug discovery and screening markets. The Company’s products, biochemical and cell-based assays enable customers to improve research productivity and effectiveness, thus accelerating the discovery and development of new drugs.
Contact: Dan Janney
Esperion Therapeutics (spin-out)
Plymouth, MI
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. discovers and develops therapies to prevent, treat, and reverse cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
Contact: Alison Kiley
Excaliard Pharmaceuticals
Encinitas, California
Excaliard is a private biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of antisense drugs for the local treatment of scarring and other fibrotic diseases.
Contact: Farah Champsi
FoldRx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Cambridge, MA
FoldRx Pharmaceuticals is a development and discovery company focusing on first-in-class, disease-modifying, small molecule therapeutics to treat diseases of protein misfolding and aggregation (amyloidosis). The Company’s lead product, FX-4006, has fully enrolled a Phase II/III study in familial amyloid polyneuropathy.
Contact: Ed Hurwitz
Genedata AG
Basel, Switzerland
GeneData develops and commercializes bioinformatics systems and related services in the functional genomics arena. The Company delivers computational solutions for the management and analysis of large quantities of structurally complex biological data, generated by genome sequencing, microarrays, protein expression profiling, metabolic profiling and high-throughput screening.
Contact: Jean Deleage, Ph.D.
Icagen, Inc.
Durham, NC
Icagen, Inc. is focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel orally-administered small molecule drugs that modulate ion channel targets. Utilizing proprietary research and integrated scientific and drug development capabilities, Icagen has identified multiple drug candidates that modulate ion channels. The Company is conducting research and development activities in several disease areas, including epilepsy, pain and inflammation.
Nasdaq: ICGN
Immune Design Corp.
Seattle, Washington
Immune Design Corp. is a Seattle-based biotechnology company focused on developing a broad platform of novel vaccines (both therapeutic and prophylactic) for the treatment of infectious disease. The Company's technologies regulate immunity by targeting dendritic cell responses with combinations of proprietary viral vectors, TLR agonists, and adjuvants.
Contact: Ed Penhoet, Ph.D.
Innate Pharma S.A.
Marseille, France
Innate Pharma is a biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class drugs targeting innate immunity. The Company is currently developing three product platforms (gamma delta T cells, NK cells and TLR), each directly or indirectly validated in clinical oncology settings. Innate Pharma’s drug candidates also have development potential in the treatment of infectious disease and chronic inflammation. The Company’s most advanced molecule is in Phase II clinical trials in cancer and viral infections.
EuroNext: IPH
Contact: Jean Deleage, Ph.D.
Intarcia Therapeutics, Inc.
Emeryville, CA
Intarcia Therapeutics is a privately owned biopharmaceutical company developing therapeutics for patients with chronic diseases. The Company exclusively licensed the DUROS® delivery technology from ALZA Corporation, enabling development programs in the areas of hepatology, metabolic disorders, multiple sclerosis, and other diseases. Intarcia currently has lead programs in hepatitis C and type 2 diabetes.
Contact: Jean Deleage, Ph.D.
Intradigm Corporation
Palo Alto, California
Intradigm is a privately owned biotechnology drug development company that focuses on RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics for the treatment of human diseases through an advanced targeted systemic delivery technology with initial focus on oncology therapeutics.
Contact: David Mack, Ph.D.
Kiadis Pharma
Groningen, The Netherlands
Kiadis is a private transatlantic company headquartered in Amsterdam with sites in Groningen (the Netherlands) and Montreal (Canada). Its product pipeline is focused on novel treatments for significant unmet medical needs in the field of bone marrow transplants. The lead products are currently in clinical trials, ranging from Phase I/II to entering Phase III.
Contact: Katya Smirnyagina, Ph.D.
LifeCycle Pharma
Copenhagen, Denmark
LifeCycle Pharma has developed a clinically validated drug-delivery platform for overcoming the deficiencies of drugs with low water-solubility, thus improving the bioavailability of marketed drugs and new chemical entities (NCEs). The Company’s clinical pipeline currently focuses on cardiovascular disease and immunosuppression. LCP has a diversified pipeline, including a product ready for US commercialization, five product candidates in clinical trials and three in preclinical stages of development.
Copenhagen Exchange: LCP.CO
Contact: Jean Deleage, Ph.D.
Lithera, Inc.
San Diego, California,
Lithera is a privately held clinical stage developer of pharmaceutical and biomedical products addressing both medical and lifestyle indications in ophthalmology and aesthetic medicine. Lithera’s lead product candidate (LIPO-102) is a novel, injectable pharmaceutical treatment designed to produce local, selective fat tissue reduction (pharmaceutical lipoplasty).
Contact: Dan Janney
MacroGenics, Inc.
Rockville, MD
MacroGenics is developing monoclonal antibodies and vaccines in the areas of oncology, autoimmunity, and infectious disease. The Company has an anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody in Phase III clinical development for type 1 diabetes. MacroGenics has a deep pipeline of clinical and preclinical antibodies enabled by its proprietary Fc-engieering and diabody capabilities.
Contact: Ed Hurwitz
Metabolex, Inc.
Hayward, CA
Metabolex is dedicated to the discovery and development of drugs to treat diabetes and related metabolic disorders. The Company’s lead compound is a novel insulin sensitizer.
Nereus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
San Diego, CA
Nereus Pharmaceuticals is a pioneer in the use of marine microbial sources for the discovery and follow-on development of new therapeutics for cancer and inflammatory and infectious diseases. The Company’s two oncology drug candidates are in Phase I clinical trials. NPI-2358, a tumor vascular disrupting agent, is being evaluated for solid tumors, and a proteasome inhibitor, NPI-0052, is being developed for solid tumors, lymphomas and multiple myeloma.
Contact: Jean Deleage, Ph.D.
Opal Therapeutics, Inc.
Parkvill, Australia
Opal Therapeutics is an immunotherapy company focused on novel therapies for HIV and Hepatitis C based on proprietary technology from the University of Melbourne.
Contact: Dan Janney
PamGene B.V.
Hertogenbosch, Netherlands
PamGene is a European biotechnology company with patented technologies for second-generation microarray products including an innovative transcription profiling system. Its array-based MLPA application accelerates a number of genomic assays. PamGene’s technology and products are for use in pharma-biotech R&D and production, academic research, non-pharma life sciences and health management testing applications.
Contact: Jean Deleage, Ph.D.
Phenomix Corporation
La Jolla, CA
Phenomix is a drug discovery and development company building a therapeutic portfolio for treatment of immune disease and metabolic syndrome. The Company’s lead program is an oral treatment for Type 2 diabetes that is being developed as a treatment superior to existing therapies. Phenomix recently completed successful Phase II clinical studies and is planning to enter Phase III pivotal studies later this year.
Contact: Dan Janney
Plexxikon, Inc.
Berkeley, CA
Plexxikon is a leader in the discovery and development of novel, small molecule pharmaceuticals. With its Scaffold-Based Drug Discovery Platform™, Plexxikon uses compound and target structural data to guide chemistry early in the drug lead generation process within various families of drug targets. The Company has clinical and preclinical stage programs in several therapeutic areas, including metabolic disease, oncology, inflammation, CNS and cardiovascular disease.
Contact: Jean Deleage, Ph.D.
Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
South San Francisco, CA
Portola Pharmaceuticals is dedicated to the discovery and development of innovative small molecule therapeutics for the prevention and treatment of thrombosis and cardiovascular disease. The Company is in Phase II trials with a Factor Xa inhibitor and an ADP receptor antagonist.
Contact: Farah Champsi
Proacta Therapeutics
San Diego, CA
Proacta Therapeutics is developing a new generation of cancer drugs that uniquely target physiological attributes of solid tumors. Proacta’s first lead program, a hypoxia targeted small-molecule prodrug, is designed to improve the outcomes of current treatment regimens, including chemotherapy and radio-therapy. Proacta is currently conducting a Phase II trial in small cell lung cancer.
Contact: David Mack, Ph.D.
Prolacta Bioscience
Monrovia, CA
Prolacta BioScience is a life science company dedicated to the application of science relating to human milk. Prolacta is the pioneer in human milk-based nutritional products for critically-ill and premature infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. It has created the first and only commercially available Human Milk Fortifier made from 100% human milk, Prolact-Plus™.
Contact: Alison Kiley
SARcode
San Francisco, CA
SARcode is a private, San Francisco based biotechnology company focused on the development of small molecule LFA-1 antagonists to treat inflammatory diseases. Targets include topical therapies for T-cell mediated, ophthalmic and dermatologic diseases including dry eye, diabetic retinopathy, eczema and psoriasis.
Contact: Robert Alexander, Ph.D.
Scynexis, Inc.
Research Triangle Park, NC
Scynexis provides a full range of synthesis chemistry processes and technologies to the life sciences industry. The Company has a major drug discovery program with Merial. In addition, the Company is developing novel cyclosporin analogues to treat HCV and HIV infections.
Contact: Ed Penhoet, Ph.D.
Silence Therapeutics
London, England
Silence Therapeutics possesses multiple RNAi discovery, development and delivery technologies, a broad internal and partnered product pipeline and a broad portfolio of intellectual property.
Contact: David Mack, Ph.D.
Sonexa Therapeutics, Inc.
San Diego, California
Sonexa Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing therapeutics for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
Contact: Robert Alexander, Ph.D.
Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
South San Francisco, CA
Sunesis Pharmaceuticals is a public clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel small molecule therapeutics for oncology and other serious diseases. Sunesis has built a broad product candidate portfolio through internal discovery and in-licensing of novel cancer therapeutics. The Company’s most advanced compound, SNS595, has shown promising activity in multiple tumor types including refractory ovarian carcinoma and relapsed/refractory AML.
Nasdaq: SNSS
Contact: Ed Hurwitz
Sutro Biopharma
Menlo Park, California
Sutro Biopharma is creating opportunities for the development of novel protein-based therapeutics and vaccines using a proprietary cell-free protein synthesis technology. Cell-free technology has the potential to overcome many of the significant limitations associated with using whole mammalian and bacterial cells for making protein-based biologics.
Contact: David Mack, Ph.D.
Taligen Therapeutics, Inc.
Aurora, Colorado
Taligen is a development stage biotechnology company focused on the treatment of serious inflammatory diseases including asthma, macular degeneration and immune kidney disease.
Contact: Ed Hurwitz
Threshold Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Redwood City, CA
Threshold Pharmaceuticals is a public biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of small molecule therapeutics for the treatment of cancer. The Company is developing cancer agents that will take advantage of the lack of oxygen in tumors (hypoxia).
Nasdaq: THLD
Contact: Ed Hurwitz
Trevena, Inc.
King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
The biased ligand company. Trevena is a privately held biotechnology company focused on discovery and development of the next generation of GPCR targeted medicines. By designing molecules biased towards specific signaling pathways, Trevena aims to unlock new biology and avoid drug side effects. Trevena’s primary therapeutic areas are cardiovascular, pain and inflammation. TRV120027, the lead program in the Trevena portfolio, is an AT1R beta-arrestin biased ligand in Phase 2a studies for acute heart failure.
Contact: Farah Champsi
ViroBay, Inc.
Menlo Park, California
ViroBay is a biotechnology company focused on developing novel HCV protease and polymerase inhibitors.
Contact: Dan Janney
Zelos Therapeutics, Inc.
West Conshohocken, PA
Zelos Pharmaceuticals is developing a novel parathyroid hormone (PTH) analogue called Ostabolin-C™ for the treatment of osteoporosis which has completed Phase II trials. The Company has other Ostabolin-C™ programs in clinical development.
Contact: Farah Champsi