The Venture Codex

Participated · Equity · Jul 2017

Diasome’s core technology is Hepatocyte Directed Vesicles (HDV), which preferentially deliver insulin to liver hepatocytes to better mimic mealtime hepatic insulin exposure. HDV-insulin is described as the most clinically advanced novel pre-meal insulin in the global insulin pipeline and is designed to make commercial insulin more physiological and effective. The company is conducting multiple human clinical trials, including the ISLE-1 Phase 2b study in Type 1 diabetes being run at more than 20 U.S. sites and nearing the end of enrollment. Diasome recently initiated patient enrollment in two additional Phase 2 Type 1 diabetes studies. The pipeline also includes a first-in-class oral compound for Type 2 diabetes based on a novel mechanism of action. Diasome will use the proceeds from the new funding to continue its clinical development program and general operations.

Led · Series A · Feb 2017

Affigen develops a new class of tumor-identifying therapeutics that target cell lineage-specific tumor proteins to maximize anti-tumor activity and safety. The company houses expertise in immuno-oncology, mass-personalized biomolecular engineering, and complex therapeutic development. Affigen plans to advance its lead programs through pre-clinical validation and into Phase 1 clinical studies in several hematological malignancies. Proceeds from the recent financing will fund those near-term development activities. Affigen was founded in 2016 by Frameshift and is headquartered in the Cortex Innovation District in St. Louis, Missouri. The company positions its approach as clinically relevant and commercially viable for cancers with critically unmet medical needs.