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Benitec is a biotechnology company developing a proprietary therapeutic technology platform that combines RNA interference (RNAi) with gene therapy with a goal of providing sustained, long-lasting silencing of disease-causing genes from a single administration.
Arsanis is a leader in the discovery and development of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for the targeted immunotherapy of serious infections. Monoclonal antibodies have transformed the treatment of a wide range of diseases from cancer to immune system disorders. In infectious diseases, mAbs can target directly specific pathogens or their virulence mechanisms to avoid pathogenic processes in the infected individual, including resistant strains that give rise to serious infections. Unlike traditional antimicrobials that often target both pathogenic and non-pathogenic organisms in a non-specific way (e.g., broadly killing all Gram-positive bacteria), Arsanis` monoclonal antibodies selectively focus on specific pathogens and pathogenic processes. These targeted immunotherapies address critical infections while minimizing the collateral damage from antimicrobial overuse, resistance, and microbiome disruption. We believe that the ability to selectively and safely target causative pathogens provides a new way of preventing and treating infections in high-risk patients, and can generate both clinical and health economic benefits to patients and providers, ushering in a new era in infection prevention and management.
Kezar co-founder Christopher Kirk, Ph.D. began his work on the unique function of the immunoproteasome at Proteolix in 2005, while working on the compound that would become the successful multiple myeloma drug KYPROLIS™ (carfilzomib). As VP of Research at Onyx Pharmaceuticals, which acquired Proteolix in 2009, Christopher led the efforts to develop the first selective inhibitors of the immunoproteasome and designed multiple studies demonstrating their profound immunomodulatory effects. In parallel with this work, Christopher and Kezar co-founder Jack Taunton, Ph.D. collaborated on several research projects involving protein secretion. This collaboration inspired a belief in the strong synergies between protein degradation and protein secretion, two fertile areas for drug discovery with platform potential. In 2014, Christopher and Kezar co-founder John Fowler began developing the business plan for Kezar, acting on a longstanding desire to work together and build a world-class company. In 2015, John and Christopher raised $23M and negotiated a worldwide, exclusive license agreement with Amgen for the Onyx immunoproteasome inhibitor patent estate. Now underway, John and Christopher are excited to leverage their complementary skill sets to build Kezar into a leader in small molecule drug development.
Lynxcom Partners LLC is a Del Mar, CA-based company in the Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, and Biotech sector.