Companies To Watch

Synspira is developing glycopolymer drugs for infection, inflammation, and congestion in the lungs. According CEO Shenda Baker, “We would like to see more companies in this space. But we are also looking forward to leading the way.”

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.