| Name | Title | Contact Details |
|---|---|---|
Abhinav Shukla |
Chief Technical Officer | Profile |
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.
Genome Sciences Centre is a Vancouver, BC-based company in the Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, and Biotech sector.
Phycotransgenics, LLC is a Bloomington, IN-based company in the Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, and Biotech sector.
At Illumina, our goal is to apply innovative technologies and revolutionary assays to the analysis of genetic variation and function, making studies possible that were not even imaginable just a few years ago. These studies will help make the realization of personalized medicine possible. With such rapid advances in technology taking place, it is mission critical to have solutions that are not only innovative, but flexible, scalable, and complete with industry-leading support and service. As a global company that places high value on collaborative interactions, rapid delivery of solutions, and prioritizing the needs of its customers, we strive to meet this challenge. Illumina`s innovative, array-based solutions for DNA, RNA, and protein analysis serve as tools for disease research, drug development, and the development of molecular tests in the clinic.
Rani Therapeutics has developed the RaniPill™, a platform technology for the oral delivery of biologic drugs. Millions of patients with chronic conditions require biologic drugs that today can only be injected. These injections are painful and inconvenient and often affect both patient compliance and quality of life. The pharma industry has been searching for decades to convert injectables into pills, and we believe the solution is the RaniPill™ capsule. We have demonstrated bioavailability similar to subcutaneous injections in both preclinical and clinical studies. Rani has an internal pipeline of molecules, and active collaborations with Novartis and Takeda. The research and technology behind Rani Therapeutics came out of InCube Labs, a multi-disciplinary life sciences R&D lab focused on breakthrough medical innovations. InCube is led by Mir Imran, a prolific medical inventor, entrepreneur, and investor.