• Epic Sciences

  Participated · Series D · Apr 2017

  Epic Sciences develops and markets liquid‑biopsy diagnostics to guide therapy selection and monitor disease progression in prostate and breast cancers. Its flagship offering, DefineMBC, is a three‑component blood‑based biopsy that reports circulating tumor cell detection, HER2 and ER protein expression and single‑cell sequencing for ERBB2 amplification, alongside a 56‑gene plasma cell‑free DNA panel including ERBB2 and PIK3CA and tumor mutational burden. The company leverages proprietary cell analysis and cell‑free analysis in a CAP/CLIA‑accredited laboratory and provides Comprehensive Cancer Profiling to pharmaceutical partners and major cancer centers. Epic has delivered DefineMBC results to 700 patients and their oncologists through a Clinical Experience Program. In the past twelve months Epic raised $67 million across a $43M Series F and a $24M Series G to fund commercialization of DefineMBC. Proceeds are being used to build commercial infrastructure (sales, product marketing, customer service, medical affairs, payer markets and billing) and to generate additional concordance and outcomes data. Epic Sciences is a diagnostics company based in San Diego that develops and markets liquid biopsy tests and multi-omic cancer profiling to guide therapy selection and monitor disease progression in prostate and breast cancers. Its liquid biopsy platform combines proprietary cell analysis capabilities with cell-free DNA analysis to provide more complete, efficient cancer profiling. The company operates a full-service CAP/CLIA-accredited laboratory and provides research support services, partnering with pharmaceutical companies and major cancer centers worldwide. Epic's DefineMBC™ blood-based test for comprehensively characterizing metastatic breast cancer has been reporting patient results since April 2022 and uses multi-analyte methods to detect circulating tumor cells, assess protein expression (HER2, ER), determine intra-cell CNVs, and identify SNVs, indels, fusions, CNVs, MSI and TMB from plasma. The company plans to use the new capital to continue advancing its multi-omic platform and to expand operations in single-cell sequencing and data analytics infrastructure. Lloyd Sanders serves as President and CEO. Epic Sciences develops diagnostics and decision-support analytics that match patients’ individual cancer cells to individualized drug therapies using computer vision and machine learning. The company’s technology is aimed at prolonging life and reducing treatment costs by avoiding ineffective therapies. Epic is advancing oncology decision-support services in its pipeline and plans to accelerate clinical studies to validate and commercialize those offerings. Proceeds from the recent financing are expected to fund those clinical studies and support execution of its long-term growth plan. Epic is based in San Diego and positions its products for value-based, individualized cancer care. Epic Sciences, based in San Diego, develops blood-based liquid biopsy tests designed to predict drug response in cancer patients. Its core platform is the proprietary No Cell Left Behind technology and a portfolio of blood-based tests that characterize rare circulating cells using digital imaging and big data analytics. The company plans to use the funds to accelerate clinical studies for oncology tests in its pipeline and to enhance No Cell Left Behind to include characterization of rare leukocyte cell populations. These enhancements are intended to drive transformative insights into the cellular drivers of response or resistance to key drug classes such as immuno-oncology therapies. Epic recently partnered with Genomic Health to commercialize the OncotypeDx AR-V7 Nucleus Detect test and to leverage Genomic Health’s commercial channel and enterprise systems. Murali Prahalad, Ph.D., serves as president and CEO. Epic Sciences develops technology that enables comprehensive characterization of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from a liquid biopsy to inform therapy selection and detect early signs of drug resistance. The company is led by Murali Prahalad, Ph.D., president and CEO. Epic offers products and offerings aimed at personalizing and advancing the treatment and management of cancer. The company expanded available capital under an existing credit facility, giving it optionality to accelerate expansion of research capabilities and product development efforts. The amended credit facility increases available capacity and extends the financing maturity, improving near‑term liquidity and runway for R&D. Epic is a private diagnostics company based in San Diego, CA.

• Binx Health

  Participated · Series D · Jan 2017

  Binx Health is a medical technology and diagnostic services provider. The company supplies testing, diagnostic and treatment services to clinics using its binx io testing instrument and a cartridge-based system. The binx io instrument and its cartridge are presented as the company’s core diagnostic products. According to the article, Binx Health recently completed a $65 million Series F financing. The reported financing round involved outside investors led by Hildred Capital with participation from EQT Life Sciences. binx health develops the binx io rapid molecular point-of-care testing platform, a CLIA‑waived solution that enables testing, diagnosis and treatment for chlamydia and gonorrhea during the same visit. The company supplies in‑clinic and at‑retail locations with its testing instrument and single‑use cartridges and is led by CEO Jeff Luber. It is expanding the platform into COVID‑19 testing by combining proprietary electrochemical detection with CRISPR methods. binx health plans to use recent funding to ramp manufacturing, scale its instrument and cartridges, expand sales in the U.S. and abroad, and further build out its proprietary software platform and data infrastructure. The company describes itself as a healthcare technology and diagnostics firm focused on rapid molecular point‑of‑care testing. Atlas Genetics is a Bath, England–based company that develops ultra-rapid point-of-care (POC) molecular diagnostic tests for infectious diseases. Its io® system is a molecular diagnostic platform built on a patent-protected electrochemical sensor technology. The system uses an integrated cartridge containing all reagents designed to accept an unprocessed clinical specimen; each cartridge can detect up to 24 different genetic targets. The company plans to use recent financing to support clinical trials and the commercial launch of a second test for detection of both Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea, targeting US regulatory approvals around the end of 2017. Atlas also intends to further develop its diagnostics menu and expand cartridge manufacturing capacity at Bespak. The company maintains a commercial office in Boston and is led by CEO Dr. John Clarkson. The firm reported closing a $35m Series D to fund these activities. Atlas Genetics develops the io(R) system, a novel point-of-care molecular diagnostic platform based on a patent‑protected electrochemical sensor technology that combines speed, accuracy and low manufacturing costs. The fully integrated cartridge contains all reagents, accepts an unprocessed clinical specimen and completes sample preparation, DNA amplification and electrochemical detection. Each cartridge can run up to 24 different tests from a single patient sample. The system is at an advanced stage of development and is expected to launch in Europe with a Chlamydia test later this year. The company plans to use the new funding to launch the io(R) system, initiate U.S. clinical trials and expand its test menu in STI and HAI markets. Atlas is led by CEO Dr John Clarkson. Atlas Genetics develops rapid decentralized and point-of-care (POC) molecular diagnostic tests for a range of infectious diseases, including sexually transmitted and hospital-acquired infections. Its Atlas io™ system is a patented electrochemical sensor–based molecular diagnostic platform that combines speed and accuracy while removing the need for costly optical components. The company is led by CEO Dr John Clarkson. Atlas intends to use the new funding to complete the transfer to manufacture of the Atlas io™ system and to file for European approval of its first Chlamydia test. The article reports a Series B financing, reflecting an active fundraising stage to support product commercialization and regulatory approval.

• Syndax Pharmaceuticals

  Participated · Series C · Aug 2015

  Syndax Pharmaceuticals is focused on treating cancer and develops entinostat, an oral small‑molecule drug candidate with direct effects on both cancer cells and immune regulatory cells. Entinostat is intended to potentially enhance the body’s immune response across multiple cancer indications. The company’s initial clinical focus includes tumors that have shown sensitivity to immunotherapy, including lung cancer, melanoma and triple‑negative breast cancer. Entinostat is being evaluated in combination with Merck’s anti‑PD‑1 inhibitor KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) in a Phase 1b/2 trial for patients with advanced non‑small cell lung cancer or melanoma. It is also being evaluated in a pivotal Phase 3 trial in combination with Aromasin (exemestane) to treat advanced HR+ breast cancer. Syndax is led by CEO Briggs Morrison, M.D., and Chairman Dennis Podlesak and is based in Waltham, Massachusetts. The company closed an $80M Series C to support continued development of entinostat. Syndax is developing entinostat, an oral, weekly or bi-weekly selective histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor intended to treat treatment-resistant cancers. Entinostat has been described in the S-1 as well-tolerated in clinical trials to date and acts on epigenetic regulation of gene expression. The drug received FDA breakthrough therapy designation based on Phase IIB data in metastatic breast cancer and the company began a Phase III trial in June, expected to complete by mid-2017. Syndax has several other Phase II and Phase I breast cancer trials ongoing and is also testing entinostat in lung cancer. The company is collaborating with the National Cancer Institute on development. Financially, Syndax recently raised about $5 million in debt financing and has refiled for an IPO to raise $60 million. Syndax Pharmaceuticals develops epigenetic-based combination therapies targeting treatment-resistant cancers. It holds worldwide rights to entinostat, an oral, highly selective histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor in late-stage clinical development for advanced breast and lung cancers. The company plans to use the financing to advance its late-stage pipeline and to support activities preparing for an NDA-enabling Phase 3 study of entinostat in metastatic breast cancer. That Phase 3 study is being developed by the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group under sponsorship of the Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute (NCI). Led by CEO Arlene M. Morris, Syndax is pursuing registration-directed clinical work for entinostat. Founded in 2007 and based in Waltham, MA, the company has raised $81.6M to date. Syndax Pharmaceuticals is a Waltham, MA-based clinical-stage epigenetics oncology company formed in 2005. Its lead program is entinostat, a class I isoform selective HDAC inhibitor being developed for advanced and metastatic breast cancer. The company's intellectual property is based on work from scientific founder Ronald Evans, PhD, a professor at the Salk Institute and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. Syndax issued $6m in convertible notes and warrants to its Series A investors in the reported financing. All existing Series A investors—Domain Associates, MPM Capital, Avalon Ventures, Forward Ventures, Pappas Ventures and MC Life Sciences—participated in the securities offering. The financing brings total investment to date to $55m and will be used to complete a randomized Phase 2 study of entinostat.

• Celtaxsys

  Participated · Series D · Jun 2015

  Celtaxsys is a privately-held, clinical-stage drug discovery and development company building a pipeline of first-in-class immuno-modulators for serious inflammatory diseases. Its lead candidate, acebilustat, is a once-daily oral small-molecule inhibitor of Leukotriene A4 Hydrolase (LTA4H) designed to reduce neutrophil-driven inflammation. Acebilustat is in Phase 2b testing for cystic fibrosis (CF); the Phase 2b trial is fully enrolled and top-line results were expected in mid-2018. Acebilustat has Orphan Drug Designation for CF in both the United States and the European Union. Two-week dosing in a Phase 1b study showed reductions in sputum neutrophils, neutrophil elastase, DNA and serum CRP. The company has scientific and financial support from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the recent financing is intended to accelerate Phase 3 clinical and manufacturing preparatory activities. Celtaxsys is a clinical-stage drug development company advancing therapies for inflammatory diseases. Its lead candidate, CTX-4430, is a once-daily, oral anti-inflammatory being developed to preserve lung function in cystic fibrosis patients. CTX-4430 has received Orphan Drug Designation in both the US and the EU. The company is preparing a Phase 2 trial assessing the safety and efficacy of CTX-4430 in patients with moderately severe acne vulgaris, with top-line results expected by the end of Q1 2016. The recent financing will support that Phase 2 program. Greg Duncan serves as President and CEO.

• Clearside Biomedical

  Participated · Series B · Sep 2014

  Clearside Biomedical is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class drug therapies to treat blinding diseases of the eye using its proprietary SCS™ (suprachoroidal space) Microinjector to deliver drugs to the posterior segment. The company’s lead formulation, CLS-TA (triamcinolone acetonide), is being tested across three ongoing clinical trials. Clearside has initiated enrollment in the Phase 3 Peachtree trial for macular edema associated with non-infectious uveitis, and its Phase 2 Tanzanite trial is assessing CLS-TA used concomitantly with an intravitreal VEGF inhibitor for macular edema associated with retinal vein occlusion. The Dogwood Phase 2 trial recently completed enrollment and evaluated CLS-TA in patients with macular edema associated with non-infectious uveitis. Clearside holds intellectual property protecting delivery of drugs through the SCS to reach the back of the eye. The company is headquartered in Alpharetta, GA, and recently completed a $20 million Series C financing to support further clinical development of its pipeline. Clearside Biomedical is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class drug therapies to treat chronic, blinding diseases of the eye. Its product candidates target diseases affecting the retina and choroid, especially conditions associated with macular edema. Clearside administers drugs non-surgically into the suprachoroidal space using its proprietary microinjector and SCS drug administration approach. The company is advancing lead programs CLS-1001 and CLS-1003 toward Phase 2. Clearside completed a $16 million Series B financing to fund continued development of its SCS platform and these programs. The company is headquartered in Alpharetta, GA. Clearside Biomedical is a clinical-stage ophthalmic pharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes targeted therapeutics by delivering drugs through the suprachoroidal space using a proprietary microinjection dosage form to access the retina and choroid. Its microinjection platform is designed for in-office injections that avoid complicated surgical techniques and aims to improve delivery to retinal disease sites. Clearside's lead program, CLS1001 (triamcinolone acetonide) Suprachoroidal Injectable Suspension, has an FDA-allowed IND to pursue clinical testing for ocular inflammatory conditions and was scheduled to begin clinical testing in Q1 2013. The company plans to advance CLS1001 into pivotal testing and to expand its pipeline targeting ocular choroidal neovascularization and posterior-segment inflammatory diseases. To support these plans, Santen Ltd. and other investors committed to fund an additional $7.9 million and entered a research collaboration for posterior ocular disease development. Clearside is headquartered in Alpharetta, GA, and emphasizes rapid translation of its delivery technology into clinical products. Clearside Biomedical develops a proprietary ocular microinjection platform to non‑surgically deliver drugs into the suprachoroidal space for posterior‑segment and retinal therapies. Its lead product candidate, CLS1001, is being developed for retinal applications including macular edema and retinal vein occlusion. The company launched to advance initial development and to support clinical testing of its lead therapy, with plans to begin U.S. clinical trials in less than 18 months. Clearside was founded and is led by ophthalmic veterans Daniel White (President & CEO) and Ben Yerxa, Ph.D. (VP, R&D). The company will operate from headquarters in Atlanta, GA and maintain substantial clinical and preclinical activity in the Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina. Its platform originated from multi‑year collaborations involving Mark Prausnitz (Georgia Tech) and Henry Edelhauser (Emory), both of whom hold equity in the company and whose arrangements were reviewed by their institutions.

No current team members are available.