Presenting Companies
June 2022 Conference
Amplified Sciences is a clinical stage diagnostics company unlike other companies due to their ultra-sensitive molecular-sensing technology with composition of matter IP exclusively licensed from Purdue University. The company is focused on accurately detecting debilitating diseases sooner. The first application – early detection of pancreatic cancer - is an in-vitro diagnostics assay that will quickly prove the investment thesis due to large unmet medical need and favorable reimbursement path. Closed a $1.8M Seed Round in early 2021, and launching Series A summer 2022.
Apricity Health is a first of its kind precision medicine company built to deliver “Better Care Today” and develop “Faster Cures Tomorrow”. Powered by its Virtual Cancer Center as a perpetual human insight engine, Apricity’s drug discovery platform brings Dynamic Precision to discovery and development of next-generation IO based on continuous learning from real world patients receiving standard-of-care treatments. Apricity’s Virtual Cancer Center is powered by an extensible digital health platform with over 50K active users, and its R&D pipeline has advanced to launch a first biotech NewCo with a portfolio of thematically aligned and highly credentialed target assets.
Aravive, Inc., is a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing new therapies that target important survival pathways for both solid tumors as well as hematologic malignancies. Our primary therapeutic focus is the GAS6-AXL pathway, where AXL receptor signaling plays a critical role in multiple types of malignancies by promoting metastasis and cancer cell survival. Our technology, originated in the laboratories of Drs. Amato Giaccia and his colleagues at Stanford University, uses genetic screening to identify critical targets for the development of therapeutic molecules for cancer therapy while sparing healthy cells. This strategy is designed to enable us to interrupt oncogenic signals and, using our high-affinity decoy receptors, outcompete cancer’s ability to grow, metastasize and acquire resistance to treatments. We believe our unique cancer therapies may hold promise as a monotherapy or in combination with other cancer treatments, augmenting the anti-tumor activity of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immuno-therapeutics and cancer vaccines. By targeting advanced or metastatic disease, our approach has the potential to significantly improve survival rates while simultaneously reducing toxicity in cancer patients.
BAKX Therapeutics is a New York and Boston based company developing safer, more effective therapeutics that fully realize the potential of the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. BAKX brings together a renowned team with the world’s most comprehensive knowledge of the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway, industry leading structure-based drug design, computational drug design, integrated closely with medicinal chemistry and oncology drug discovery expertise. BAKX takes a unique approach of targeting pro-apoptotic proteins and their interactions, which overcomes the limitations of other apoptosis targeting approach. The company’s leading asset BKX-001 (partnered with Ipsen Pharma) is focused on targeting the BAX protein, with broad applications across hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. In addition, the BAKX platform is deployed towards drugging other undisclosed apoptosis targets implicated in various solid tumors and the build-up of resistance. To find out how BAKX is unlocking the full therapeutic power of the biologic pathways that control cell life and death, visit bakxtx.com
Canget BioTekpharma (Canget) is an innovative drug development company committed to advancing a NEW class of oncology products that eliminate cancer and address multiple mechanisms of drug resistance. Our portfolio is a series of targeted (not cytotoxic) small molecule drugs that are Triple Target Inhibitors of known drug resistance pathways - DDX5 / USP2a / UbE2T. Our lead product FL118 has demonstrated high efficacy for pancreatic, colorectal, and prostate cancers with favorable safety profiles in multiple animal models.
Concarlo Therapeutics is a preclinical stage oncology company developing transformative therapeutics to target drug-resistant cancers. Our platform develops therapies to drug p27, the indirect inhibitor of CDK4/CDK6 and CDK2, and we aim to enter the market as an alternative to chemotherapy for patients who have failed off prior lines of CDK4i therapies (the lucrative post CDK4i-space) or are resistant to SOC, such as breast, ovarian, or advanced melanoma cancers. Our vision is to create a world of possibility and time, where cancer is a treatable, manageable and survivable condition.
Cytimmune is a phase 2 ready oncology company that uses immune system molecules called cytokines and proprietary nanoparticles to create safer, more effective combination therapies to treat solid tumor cancers. The National Cancer Institute has agreed to fund and run multiple phase 2 clinical studies using Cytimmune’s lead nanomedicine asset. The company’s pipeline includes multiple pan-solid tumor therapies that attack cancer cells directly, reprogram the tumor micro-environment, and stimulate an anti-cancer immune response.
Early Detection has developed the 1st point-of-care cancer screening tests. The tests identify an altered sugar molecule that is only produced by precancerous tissues and cancers. Identifying patients at risk at the earliest stages of cancer, even tissue at risk of becoming cancerous is the most significant benefit of this technology. Thousands of patients in multiple published clinical trials have typically shown an accuracy of 80 to 95%.
ExoProTher Medical is a preclinical stage company developing a first in class acellular therapeutic platform targeting cancers with mutation in gene TP53 - the most frequently observed genetic alteration in human cancer. ExoProTher fully owns its unique technology. The company actively pursues strategic collaborations with business, scientific and clinical partners.
Geneius is a private biopharmaceutical company run by the Former CEO of Bluebird Bio focused on the discovery and clinical development of adoptive T cell therapy products that address the treatment of cancer and infections. The company has created a good manufacturing process, or GMP, for the production of T cells from peripheral blood for infusion into the patient, allowing for manufacturing at a price of 1/10th that of traditional CAR-T. Geneius' targeted DiversiTy™ platform is a novel ex vivo approach that re-educates T cells to become responsive to multiple, previously overlooked tumor antigens. Geneius' lead product candidate, GNS-TEBV-001, is currently in preclinical testing for EBV+, NHL, gastric and nasopharyngeal cancers. Geneius also has two additional products, GNS-TGBM-002 and GNS-TPC-003, in preclinical testing for glioblastoma and pancreatic cancer, respectively. IND-Enabling Studies.
RNA Platform for Next Generation Cures: By analyzing RNA we can detect disease, monitor health and design the Next Generation Cures.
IMPACT Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery and development of targeted anti-cancer therapeutics based on synthetic lethality mechanism. IMPACT Therapeutics has assembled one of the most comprehensive DNA damage response (DDR) global pipeline of novel drug candidates generated by in-house discovery efforts and is expanding to other novel synthetic lethality targets to broaden its pipeline. The lead clinical program, PARP inhibitor (Senaparib/ IMP4297), is in Phase II/III studies for ovarian cancer, small cell lung cancer and other indications worldwide, including China. Phase I studies of WEE1 inhibitor (IMP7068) and ATR inhibitor (IMP9064) are both conducted globally. Hedgehog pathway inhibitor (IMP5471) has received IND approval from NMPA to initiate clinical studies in China.
KAHR is a clinical-stage oncology company developing novel, dual-targeting fusion protein therapeutics that are engineered to activate both the innate and the adaptive immune systems simultaneously and localize that response in the tumor microenvironment. The Company employs its Multifunctional Immune Recruitment Protein, or MIRP platform, to design and optimize product candidates that have two distinct extracellular targeting domains to interact with a specific transmembrane protein located on tumor cells on one end and on immune cells on the other end. KAHR’s lead fusion protein candidate, DSP107, targets CD47 and 4-1BB and is about to begin phase II clinical trials. KAHR is also developing DSP502, a PVR x PD-L1 fusion protein and DSP216, an HLA-G x CD47 fusion protein, both of which are in preclinical development.
Kintara Therapeutics is dedicated to the development of novel cancer therapies for patients with unmet medical needs. Kintara Therapeutics has teamed up with outstanding academic and clinical research institutions from around the world to support the development of our novel cancer therapies. VAL-083 is a first-in-class small molecule DNA-targeting agent that exhibits a novel mechanism of action that results in DNA double strand breaks and cancer cell death. Published pre-clinical and clinical data suggest that VAL-083 may be active against a range of tumor types.
Lantern Pharma is a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on leveraging artificial intelligence (“A.I.”), machine learning and genomic data to streamline the drug development process and to identify the patients that will benefit from our targeted oncology therapies. Our portfolio of therapies consists of small molecules that others have tried, but failed, to develop into an approved commercialized drug, as well as new compounds that we are developing with the assistance of our proprietary A.I. platform, RADR® , and our biomarker driven approach. This data-driven, genomically-targeted and biomarker-driven approach allows us to pursue a transformational drug development strategy that identifies, rescues or develops, and advances potential small molecule drug candidates at what we believe is a fraction of the time and cost associated with traditional cancer drug development.
MEDIC Life Sciences is a SF bay area based biotech startup which has the best-in-class target/biomarker discovery platform for solid tumor indications. Its POC work was first published in Nature, 2020. MEDIC's platform has been recognized by several major US pharmas and MEDIC recently signed a platform partnership with a major US TOP10 pharma and have on-going discussions with other major pharmas for platform partnerships. MEDIC also has early internal drug programs based on novel targets identified from its platform.
MedSec is a cybersecurity technology and compliance company, uniquely focused on healthcare systems. MedSec partners with medical device manufacturers and healthcare delivery organizations to ensure the safe delivery of care via secure clinical systems, including the security of medical devices. Regulatory requirements within healthcare are increasing, with hospitals now required to share cybersecurity and risk management information with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. To tackle this, the MedSec team leverages its specialized expertise in healthcare and medical device security to deliver security solutions to healthcare delivery organizations of all kinds. Reach MedSec at invest@medsec.com
NexPlasmaGen has developed the Convertible Plasma Jet, a patented portable, handheld, safe, versatile and efficient medical device that generates a jet of reactive but short-lived gases that kills topically and with precision cancer cells in the tumor bed once the tumor is removed. The objective is to reduce patient reoperation and cancer recurrence and save lives. We have completed a 3-year preclinical trials program for breast cancer including animal models and are preparing the first-in-human safety clinical investigation for breast cancer for the end of 2022 and to be completed early 2023. We are looking for a Seed investment of $9M to design and build the commercial device in 2023, conduct the efficacy clinical investigation for breast cancer in US and Canada in 2024 and sell the device to KOL in 2025. For breast cancer, we evaluate our market to $1B and afterward, we will optimize and commercialize our platform technology to treat several other cancers.
NKore BioTherapeutics LLC has licensed a portfolio of patents from UCLA that includes a proprietary method of activating or “supercharging” allogeneic or autologous Natural Killer cells (scNK cells). Our activation method makes the scNK cells significantly more potent by enhancing the cytotoxic function of primary NK cells and increasing the secretion of functional gamma interferon to induce the differentiation of those cancer stem and stem-like cells in the tumor microenvironment that avoid cell death. The novel mechanism of action of these cells combine to slow or reverse the progression of disease and reduce the metastatic potential of the remaining tumor cells. In addition to being more potent, the scNK cells are significantly more robust to survive longer in the suppressive tumor microenvironment and have demonstrated the potential to restore normal immune function in vivo. Our therapeutic approach was developed by Anahid Jewett, Ph.D., Professor and Director of the Tumor Immunology Laboratory in the Division of Oral Biology and Medicine at UCLA.
OncoXome is an oncology biotech startup using exosomes to deliver death messages to cancer cells harboring a driving oncogene mutation. We focus on overcoming cancer's resistance to treatments, the biggest challenge faced in oncology today. We combine two platforms: a proprietary scalable production of natural exosomes loaded with gene therapy, all in all leading to a precision targeted therapeutic delivery. As a first step, we target KRAS mutations in advanced lung, followed by colorectal and pancreatic cancers.
Pacylex Pharmaceuticals is a clinical stage company developing a first-in-class, daily, oral cancer therapy with a novel, broad, mechanism of action. PCLX-001 is a small molecule, N-myristoylation inhibitor that selectively kills human leukemia and lymphoma cells. In an ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial, PCLX-001 has excellent bioavailability, half-life, and drug exposure with an acceptable safety profile to date when administered orally once daily to patients with relapsed advanced solid tumors or refractory B-cell lymphomas. Pacylex plans to expand the clinical program to AML at MD Anderson this fall in a DoD-supported Phase 2 study, as well as start two Phase 2 studies in DLBCL and solid tumor patients.
Rampart Health is a clinical service-based, development-stage company that has developed a personalized intra-tumoral cancer vaccine therapy AbscopalRXTM-- that optimizes the patient’s immune system to destroy primary and metastatic cancer; this breakthrough treatment is currently in phase II trial. Early results to date with this novel Multiplex Combination Immunotherapy in multiple cancers have been encouraging (over 40% complete response), with remarkably few adverse events.
Rapa Therapeutics is a developer of a healthcare technology platform intended to cure cancer and autoimmune diseases. The company is working on a series of cutting-edge technologies focused on curing cancer, neurodegenerative and autoimmune diseases with the help of cell therapy, thereby helping patients to cure their diseases with medical technology.
Revere is a Boston-based, oncology-focused biotech company, started in 2017 with an experienced biopharma team. We are the leaders in developing Rac1 and other Rho (RAS homologous) GTPase inhibitors for treating cancer. Our proprietary platform for identifying small molecule Rac1 inhibitors is unique in the industry and enables us to develop a drug pipeline to address areas of high, unmet needs for cancer patients. We expect to designate our first Rac1 targeted development candidate in 2022 and file an IND in 2023.
Sanavia’s platform reveals novel biology that tumors use to become inaccessible and invisible to current therapies, allowing the discovery of first-in-class, highly specific and clinically safe targets for diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
SciTech Development, LLC (“SCI”) is a clinical stage, biopharmaceutical company that has developed unique nano-delivery systems (SciTech Drug Delivery Vehicle - SDV) to enable intravenous (IV) delivery of water-insoluble drugs. One such challenged drug is fenretinide which has been shown in extensive clinical trials to be a safe and effective anticancer therapy with targeted cancer destroying activity. The combination of the new SDV and fenretinide has led to SCI’s first drug product, ST-001 nanoFenretinide. The FDA has recently accepted SciTech Development’s Investigational New Drug (IND) Application for ST-001 nanoFenretinide treatment of T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). The FDA has also granted ST-001 nanoFenretinide Orphan Drug Designation for two NHL indications. Phase I/II.
Siva Therapeutics is developing a safe and effective cancer treatment, Targeted Hyperthermia™ (THT), that generates therapeutic heat within solid tumors using SivaRods™ gold nanorods and a SivaLum™ infrared light device. THT has multiple beneficial effects on treating tumors, it is more selective than chemotherapy, less destructive than radiation, and doesn’t have the risks of surgical treatment. For certain cancer types, where surgery is an undesirable option, this may be the ultimate solution. Siva’s THT is an interventional cancer therapy employing the systemic injection of non-toxic polymer-coated gold nanorods (SivaRods) into the patient and illumination of the affected region with a near infrared light device (SivaLum). The SivaRods concentrate in tumors, absorb the infrared light, and convert it into therapeutic heat, which emanates from within the tumor mass. Therapeutic heat stimulates the immune system, kills drug resistant cancer stem cells, and enhances drug efficacy, and shrinks tumors (benefits that ablation does not convey).
SIWA Therapeutics is a privately held preclinical stage biotechnology company that has a monoclonal antibody that targets and destroys senescent cells. Our current therapeutic focus is on certain rare and fast track diseases, including cancer metastasis and muscle wasting diseases, such as muscular dystrophy. Beyond these indications, senescent cells are causally implicated in a wide variety of diseases including: neurodegenerative diseases; autoimmune conditions, and infectious diseases. SIWA is currently optimizing its lead antibody, SIWA 318, and in parallel, seeking partnerships to advance SIWA 318 and other related technologies to broaden and accelerate its development pipeline.
SmartBreast empowers women with dense breasts to defeat cancer through early detection. We are the only Dense-Breast Management company, offering both highly effective dense-breast imaging devices and AI software solutions. Our first breast imager provides FDA-cleared and reimbursed MBI (Molecular Breast Imaging), which is over 95% sensitive and specific for cancer in dense breasts. After our Series A round, we intend to acquire two AI software startups that also address the dense-breast challenge. We will develop AI software to assess the personal risk of breast cancer and to advise a woman and her physician of her optimal screening, diagnostic, or treatment monitoring plan.
Stellarray develops and manufactures flat panel radiation sources and systems to solve problems in irradiation and imaging.
SynDevRx leads the emerging field of metabo-oncology - metabolic hormones that drive tumor cell energy pathways and growth (e.g., prediabetic/diabetic or overweight/obese cancer patients). Lead asset: Evexomostat (SDX-7320) showed significant and clinically relevant changes in key metabolic hormones, plus anti-angiogenic, anti-metastatic effects in phase 1 oncology study. Status: evexomostat is in 2 Phase 2 studies in metastatic breast cancer - TNBC (collaboration with Memorial Sloan Kettering) and in HR+/HER2-. Opportunity - 300,000+ obese/diabetic cancer patients without an effective treatment option. We’re meeting with potential investors to fully exploit this opportunity.
TRIO Pharmaceuticals is a cancer therapeutics company with a mission to improve efficacy, reduce toxicity and increase treatment affordability of cancer drugs. We are an experienced team in cancer drug discovery and development. Team members have invented and developed drugs that are approved for cancer treatment. Our approach to eradicating cancer is distinct from the current standard of care. Current approaches involve single agent single action drugs that either inhibit cancer cell growth or inhibit immunosuppression, and hence, they are ineffective. These drugs are combined in a bid to improve efficacy. But combination leads to toxicity, poor efficacy, and high cost. We are developing single agent dual action treatments inhibiting both cancer growth and immunosuppression. We are not targeting the immune checkpoint axis. Our approach will be effective for cancer patients that failed immune checkpoint treatments due to resistance or low expression of PD1, PDL1, CTLA4 etc..