The Companies to Watch column spotlights small, entrepreneurial biopharma companies that are developing their own products (not just a platform) with little or no press coverage to date, and offering an interesting story involving useful business lessons.
Athersys is mass-producing off-the-shelf stem cells for multiple conditions in the cardiovascular, neurological, inflammatory, and immune disease areas.
Symbiotix Biotherapies is an early pioneer of the microbiome space, preparing to enter clinical-stage development of its lead compound for treating MS and IBD.
“We are a vaccine company,” says CEO Mei Mei Hu. “We’re developing a new class of vaccines for endogenous proteins, leveraging a commercially successful technology platform in which we’ve invested more than 20 years.”
Acceleron has four drugs in development in the hematology, neuromuscular, and pulmonary disease areas. Its lead drug luspatercept has completed Phase 3 trials for treating myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).
This French company is addressing vertigo and hearing loss inside the inner ear.
Our company to watch this month is Landos Biopharma, which is aiming for better targeting and better delivery of treatments for GI and other autoimmune diseases.
CytoDyn’s expressed ambitions seem bold but reasonably free of hyperbole. It is only natural to hope for the best possible outcome here, considering the obvious need for new HIV and other immunological therapies.
AmpliPhi Biosciences is pushing bacteriophage-therapy development for drug-resistant infections — not to replace, but possibly to augment antibiotics.
We check in with the companies we profiled from this section in 2017 to see what has changed … if anything.
This month’s Company To Watch is 10-person Zavante, which is challenging drug resistance with a retooled antibiotic and a broad mechanism of action.
Bridging to commercialization of women’s reproductive health products — starting with a novel contraceptive.
With 24 employees, Paris-based Abivax is in Phase 2 clinical development of its lead drug candidate, which is a potential functional cure for HIV infection. It has also recently spawned an early clinical program in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Madrigal Pharmaceuticals is taking on NASH and other liver diseases by targeting the thyroid hormone beta receptor. The company expects to begin seeing top line Phase 2 trial results in late 2017, with more released in 2018.
By early 2016, Arena’s board decided to remake the company, beginning with new management and a new strategy. Since then, the company has evolved back to a core drug development platform.
Rob Wright shares a personal anecdote about his experience of breaking into the biopharmaceutical industry, along with insight from three biopharma CEOs on what can be done to save the industry’s
Liz Barrett, CEO of Novartis Oncology, discusses taking a proactive approach toward mentoring tomorrow’s leaders.
Novartis Oncology CEO, Liz Barrett, on career advancement and family, a common challenge for women in the workplace.
Rob Wright shares what makes the CNS Summit the best conference he has ever attended.
What sets the Netherlands biopharma sector apart from the rest of the world? That’s what Chief Editor Rob Wright hoped to find out as he began his press tour of the country’s biopharma industry.
