Participated · Series B · Jul 2021

Frontier Medicines is a clinical-stage precision medicine company that leverages its proprietary Frontier Platform, a chemoproteomics-powered drug discovery engine using covalent chemistry and machine learning, to unlock hard-to-treat disease-causing proteins. The company is advancing a diversified pipeline of wholly-owned precision medicines focused on oncology and high-value immunology targets. Its lead candidate, FMC-376, is a dual ON+OFF KRASG12C inhibitor currently in the Phase 1/2 PROSPER trial (NCT06244771) and is designed to overcome resistance seen with single-acting KRASG12C inhibitors. Frontier has stated a goal of filing one IND per year as it progresses its programs. The company recently raised additional capital to support development of FMC-376 and to accelerate other preclinical and pipeline programs. Headquarters are listed as Boston and South San Francisco, California. Frontier Medicines is a clinical-stage precision medicine company based in Boston and San Francisco focused on therapies for genetically-defined patient populations in oncology and immunology. Its core product is the Frontier™ Platform, a chemoproteomics-empowered drug discovery engine that leverages covalent chemistry and machine learning to target hard-to-treat disease-causing proteins. The company is advancing a diversified pipeline of wholly-owned precision medicines, with lead candidate FMC-376, a dual inhibitor of on- and off-state KRASG12C. Frontier intends to use the new capital to advance multiple programs, including FMC-376, into clinical studies. The firm is led by CEO Chris Varma and emphasizes transforming treatment for genetically-defined patients. No revenue or user metrics were disclosed in the article. Frontier Medicines deploys integrated technologies in chemoproteomics, covalent drug discovery, and machine learning to generate medicines against proteins previously considered undruggable. The company is advancing a wholly-owned precision oncology pipeline, with a lead program that uniquely targets both the activated and inactive forms of KRASG12C. Frontier intends to use its platform to expand pipeline opportunities across therapeutic areas by leveraging identified protein hotspots. Proceeds from the recent financing are designated to advance research and development of its pipeline and to accelerate foundational technologies across chemoproteomics, covalent discovery, and machine learning. The company also announced a distinguished Scientific Advisory Board to support its programs and highlighted a substantial protein degradation partnership with AbbVie announced late last year. Frontier is expanding operations with a new Boston facility integrated with its South San Francisco headquarters to support bi-coastal growth and R&D capabilities. Frontier Medicines is a pre-clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing medicines to redefine the course of debilitating diseases, starting with cancer. The company uses a proprietary chemoproteomics platform to chemically interrogate proteins in living systems and identify new binding pockets accessible to small-molecule drug discovery. Its platform also integrates advanced computational approaches and machine learning to accelerate drug discovery. Frontier intends to advance multiple therapeutic programs leveraging this platform. The company closed a $67M Series A to fund research and development, talent acquisition, and advancement of its platform and programs. Co-founders include Chris Varma (CEO), Roberto Zoncu, Ph.D., and Daniel K. Nomura, Ph.D.

Participated · Series B · Mar 2021

Immune-Onc Therapeutics is a private, clinical-stage cancer immunotherapy company developing novel myeloid checkpoint inhibitors targeting the LILRB family. Its lead clinical candidates are IO-108, an antagonist antibody targeting LILRB2 (ILT4) in Phase 1 for advanced solid tumors, and IO-202, a first-in-class antagonist antibody targeting LILRB4 (ILT3) in Phase 1 for AML, CMML and solid tumors. Additional pipeline assets include IO-106 (a LAIR1 antagonist), IO-312 (a bispecific targeting LILRB4) and multiple undisclosed programs. The company has collaborations and supply agreements with Regeneron and BeiGene to evaluate IO-108 and IO-202 in combination with anti-PD-1 therapies, and has received research grants from the NCI and CIRM. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Immune-Onc has also received strategic investment from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Therapy Acceleration Program (LLS TAP) and Wuxi Biologics HealthCare Venture. Management highlighted ongoing clinical milestones including dose escalation and expansion cohorts, FDA Fast Track designation for IO-202 in relapsed or refractory AML, and plans to further characterize biomarkers and mechanisms of action. Immune-Onc Therapeutics is a clinical-stage cancer immunotherapy company focused on developing novel biotherapeutics that target immunosuppressive myeloid checkpoints, specifically the LILRB family. Its lead program, IO-202, is a first-in-class antibody against LILRB4 (ILT3) being developed for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), and solid tumors; preclinical data indicate it can activate T-cell killing and enhance tumor cell detection. IO-202 entered a Phase I trial in September 2020 for AML with monocytic differentiation and CMML and received FDA Orphan Drug Designation for AML in October 2020. The company’s IO-108, an antagonist antibody targeting LILRB2 (ILT4), is in the IND‑enabling stage with plans to submit an IND in mid‑2021; other preclinical assets include IO-106 (anti-LAIR1) and multiple undisclosed programs. Immune-Onc has invested in proprietary models, assays and tools to interrogate myeloid biology and maintains strategic research collaborations with The University of Texas, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Financially, the company has raised over $110 million since beginning operations in 2016 and is advancing its pipeline toward additional clinical milestones using newly raised capital. Immune-Onc Therapeutics is focused on the discovery and development of novel biologic treatments that target the tumor microenvironment and immune suppressive pathways. The company aims to translate unique scientific insights into first-in-class biotherapeutics and has a pipeline built on collaborations with The University of Texas, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Immune-Onc is preparing to move from translational research into the clinic. To support that transition it received Series B funding of more than $33 million to advance its pipeline programs. The company recently appointed Dr. Adrian Jubb as Chief Medical Officer and Dr. An Song as Senior Vice President of Development Sciences to lead clinical, regulatory, and translational development efforts. Immune-Onc describes a leadership team with deep drug-development experience drawn from leading biotechnology and pharmaceutical organizations. Immune-Onc Therapeutics is a Palo Alto, CA-based biopharmaceutical company co-founded in 2016 by Charlene Liao, Ph.D., and Guo-Liang Yu, Ph.D. The company focuses on discovering and developing novel therapeutic antibodies for cancer treatment. It applies scientific insights and drug-development expertise to advance immuno-oncology products. Immune-Onc plans to use its new financing to support discovery and development activities for its antibody programs. In June 2016 it raised $7M in a Series A to provide initial funding to advance its pipeline.

Participated · Series B · Jan 2021

Werewolf Therapeutics advances a pipeline of INDUKINE™ molecules, a novel class of systemically delivered, conditionally activated proinflammatory immune modulators. The company uses its proprietary PREDATOR™ protein engineering platform to create therapeutics that are inactive in circulation and selectively activated within the tumor microenvironment. Its lead candidates, WTX-124 (IL-2) and WTX-330 (IL-12), aim to deliver full cytokine potency in tumors while minimizing off-target toxicities that limit systemic cytokine therapies. Preclinical studies reportedly showed anti-tumor activity and favorable pharmacokinetic and safety profiles. Werewolf plans to advance its lead programs into Phase 1 clinical proof-of-concept studies and to progress additional programs to IND-readiness using proceeds from the financing. The company is building its team for clinical development, including recent appointments of Randi Isaacs as Chief Medical Officer and Ellen Lubman as Chief Business Officer. Werewolf Therapeutics is a Cambridge, Mass.-based oncology biotherapeutics company advancing a pipeline of cancer treatments built on its PREDATOR™ protein engineering platform. The platform produces biologics that can be systemically delivered in an inactivated format and are selectively activated within the tumor microenvironment to unleash cytokines and immune stimulatory antibodies. Initial drug development efforts focus on INDUKINESTM, conditionally activated cytokines designed to safely and effectively deliver potent antitumor immunity. The company is led by President and CEO Daniel J. Hicklin, Ph.D., with co-founder Luke Evnin, Ph.D. serving as Chairman. Werewolf plans to use the financing to invest in research, talent acquisition and to advance its platform and therapeutic programs toward early clinical development. The company completed a $56M Series A financing to support these efforts.

Participated · Equity · Oct 2020

LianBio’s mission is to catalyze development and accelerate availability of paradigm‑shifting medicines to patients in China and major Asian markets through partnerships that provide access to science‑driven therapeutic discoveries. The company says it collaborates with world‑class partners across a diverse array of therapeutic and geographic areas to build a pipeline based on disease relevance and the ability to impact patients with transformative mechanisms and precision‑based therapeutics. LianBio describes a global innovation mining platform and says the platform has been validated by a syndicate of institutional investors. The company is building commercial and development capabilities to advance partnered programs in China and other major Asian markets. Management cited the success and momentum of the company’s recent launch and said the new financing will provide additional support for those efforts. LianBio is referenced from Shanghai and Princeton, N.J., and emphasizes addressing significant unmet medical needs in the region.

Participated · Series C · Aug 2018

Orchard Therapeutics develops autologous ex vivo gene therapies targeting rare diseases. Its portfolio includes Strimvelis, an EMA-approved therapy for ADA-SCID, and multiple clinical programs across primary immune deficiencies, neurometabolic disorders and hemoglobinopathies. The company has three advanced registrational studies for ADA-SCID, metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) and Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome (WAS), plus clinical programs for X-linked chronic granulomatous disease and transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia and an extensive preclinical pipeline. Orchard says it will use new funding to advance its most advanced programs—OTL-101, OTL-200 and OTL-103—toward registration and commercialization. It also plans to support broader clinical and preclinical development across its rare disease gene therapy pipeline. The company operates from offices in the U.K. and the U.S., including London, San Francisco and Boston, and is led by president and CEO Mark Rothera and CFO/chief business officer Frank Thomas. Orchard Therapeutics is a drug developer advancing gene therapies to treat rare inherited disorders. The company is preparing to launch its gene therapy for a rare inherited disorder. It raised $110 million in a second round of funding to support these plans. Investors in the round included Baillie Gifford, ORI Capital, and Singapore's Temasek. Orchard said the proceeds will be used to launch the therapy and to beef up its manufacturing facilities. No further financial details were provided in the article. Orchard Therapeutics focuses on ex vivo autologous haematopoietic stem cell gene therapy, modifying a patient’s own stem cells with a functional gene copy before reintroduction. The company launched with operations in London and the U.S. and has formed formal partnerships with UCL, Great Ormond Street Hospital, the University of Manchester, UCLA, and Boston Children’s Hospital. Its lead development programs target primary immune deficiencies such as ADA-SCID, with interim data showing significant immune reconstitution and 100% survival in 32 patients treated at GOSH and UCLA as of March 2016. Orchard is also exploring lentiviral stem cell gene therapy for mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA (MPS IIIA). Management includes senior pharma and gene therapy leaders, including founders Andrea Spezzi and Nicolas Koebel, and scientific leadership from Bobby Gaspar and other UCL/GOSH investigators. The company says it uses a collaborative development model to translate preclinical and early clinical research into commercial medicines.