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Excision BioTherapeutics is a private company focused on developing advanced gene editing therapeutics to address the medical need for the treatment of life-threatening disease caused by viral infections. Our mission is to advance gene editing therapeutics for our indications into safe and efficacious medicines that will greatly improve the lives of infected individuals around the world.
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.
DSM PTG, Inc is a Berkeley, CA-based company in the Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, and Biotech sector.
Volastra aims to extend the lives of patients with cancer by leveraging unique insights into chromosomal instability. Moving away from primary tumor models to target the site of metastasis in the toughest-to-treat solid tumors, we are altering the treatment paradigm for metastatic cancers.
Alexza Pharmaceuticals, located in Mountain View, CA, is focused on the research, development and commercialization of novel, proprietary products for the acute treatment of central nervous system conditions. Alexza`s products are based on the Staccato system, a hand-held inhaler designed to deliver a drug aerosol to the deep lung, providing rapid systemic delivery and therapeutic onset, in a simple, non-invasive manner.