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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.
Blue Sky Biotech Inc is a Worcester, MA-based company in the Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, and Biotech sector.
Prosetta Biosciences, Inc. is an 11-year old biotechnology company developing novel small-molecule antiviral therapeutics based on over 25 years of basic research on the Cell-Free Protein Synthesizing Systems (CFPSS) by scientists at the University of California, San Francisco and the University of Washington, Seattle. The incorporation of the CFPSS in our drug discovery platform, has lead to the identification of small molecules which disrupt or alter the key protein-protein interactions involved with the assembly of viral capsids (the protein shell that protects the DNA or RNA genome of a virus). Prosetta has successfully produced highly potent compounds which display activity against multiple strains of many viral families including lead series of molecules that are effective antiviral agents against Influenza, HIV and HCV.
AES OPTICS is a Senatobia, MS-based company in the Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, and Biotech sector.
MBio Diagnostics is now LightDeck Diagnostics! LightDeck Diagnostics believes in a new approach to healthcare, where fast, accurate, simple, low-cost diagnostic tests will be run wherever and whenever they are needed, without compromise. The company`s proprietary LightDeck® platform combines an advanced laser waveguide with novel materials and patented manufacturing techniques to deliver lab-quality results anywhere, in minutes. LightDeck is introducing a portfolio of in vitro diagnostic panels, the first is an on-the-spot test for COVID-19. The LightDeck platform is currently commercialized in veterinary diagnostics and for environmental testing. Learn more at www.LightDeckDx.com Platform Technology The LightDeck platform consists of a robust, portable fluorescence analyzer and disposable, multiplex test cartridges. The LightDeck® platform was designed to meet customer requirements: • Quality: Highly sensitive tests that deliver lab-quality results • Quick: Actionable data in as little as 5 minutes with a simple procedure • Quantitative: More data to inform treatment decisions • Multiplex: Multiple related tests for better precision plus internal quality control to maximize safety The test procedure is simple enough that an untrained user can perform testing almost anywhere. Panels can be configured to run multiple related tests simultaneously to help diagnosis or rule-out a specific condition. Internal quality control runs with every test to ensure quality and not report questionable results.