RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Oct. 21, 2024 -- It is with deep sadness that Pappas Capital announces the passing of Dr. Ernest Mario, Senior Venture Partner and one of the founders of Pappas’ venture capital business. Ernie joined Pappas Capital in 2002 as a member of the firm’s Scientific Advisory Board, becoming a Senior Venture Partner in 2011. He helped to build Pappas Capital into a leading life science venture capital firm and was a friend and mentor to the entire Pappas team. His counsel and legacy will always remain with us.
Pappas Capital Announces the Passing of Senior Venture Partner Dr. Ernest Mario
Aura Biosciences Reports Multiple Clinical Complete Responses Demonstrated in Ongoing Phase 1 Trial
BOSTON, Oct. 17, 2024 -- Aura Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: AURA), today announced positive early data from an ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial of bel-sar (AU-011) in patients with NMIBC. To date, the trial includes 13 patients, with the primary endpoints of evaluating the safety and feasibility of local administration of bel-sar alone (n=5) and bel-sar with light activation (n=8). The secondary endpoints are to evaluate biological activity and immune mediated changes in the tumor microenvironment (TME). 10 of 13 study participants had low grade disease, approximating the 70% incidence of this patient population among all NMIBC patients. The other 3 study participants had high grade disease. In patients receiving bel-sar with light activation (n=8), 4 out of 5 patients with low grade disease demonstrated a clinical complete response with no tumor cells remaining on histopathological evaluation. 2 out of 3 patients with high grade disease demonstrated visual tumor shrinkage observed on cystoscopy.
Aktis Oncology Announces $175 Million Oversubscribed Series B Financing to Further Advance its Proprietary Radiopharmaceutical Pipeline
BOSTON, Sept. 30, 2024 -- Aktis Oncology, a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the discovery and development of novel targeted alpha radiopharmaceuticals to treat a broad range of solid tumors, today announced the successful closing of an oversubscribed and upsized $175 million Series B financing. The financing was led by RA Capital Management, and co-led by RTW Investments and Janus Henderson Investors. A select syndicate of additional new investors joined the financing, including funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., Avidity Partners, and an undisclosed life sciences-focused investment fund. All existing institutional investors participated, as well as existing strategic investors Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly and Company, and MRL Ventures Fund, the therapeutics-focused corporate venture fund of Merck & Co., Inc.
BioAtla and Context Therapeutics Announce Exclusive Worldwide License Agreement to Develop and Commercialize BA3362
SAN DIEGO and PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 23, 2024 -- BioAtla, Inc. (“BioAtla”) (Nasdaq: BCAB), a global clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development of Conditionally Active Biologic (“CAB”) antibody therapeutics for the treatment of solid tumors, and Context Therapeutics Inc. (“Context”) (Nasdaq: CNTX), a biopharmaceutical company advancing T cell engaging (“TCE”) bispecific antibodies for solid tumors, today announced that the companies have entered into an agreement under which Context has obtained from BioAtla an exclusive, worldwide license to develop, manufacture and commercialize BA3362, BioAtla’s Nectin-4 x CD3 TCE. Context will assume and fund all development and commercialization activities.
Glycomine Receives FDA Fast Track Designation for GLM101 for the Treatment of PMM2-CDG
SAN CARLOS, Calif.--September 18, 2024--Glycomine, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on developing new therapies for orphan diseases, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track Designation for GLM101, a mannose-1-phosphate replacement therapy in development for the treatment of patients with phosphomannomutase 2-congenital disorder of glycosylation (PMM2-CDG).
Aura Biosciences Reports Positive Phase 2 End of Study Results Evaluating Bel-sar as a First-Line Treatment for Early-Stage Choroidal Melanoma
BOSTON, Sept. 12, 2024 -- Aura Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: AURA), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing precision therapies for solid tumors designed to preserve organ function, today announced positive Phase 2 end of study results evaluating bel-sar (AU-011) for the first-line treatment of early-stage choroidal melanoma (CM), a vision and life-threatening ocular cancer. The results were presented at The Retina Society Annual Meeting, on Thursday, September 12, 2024, in Lisbon, Portugal.
Sorriso Pharmaceuticals Completes Enrollment in Phase 1b Clinical Trial of Patients with Ulcerative Colitis
SALT LAKE CITY, UT, UNITED STATES, September 3, 2024 -- Sorriso Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company developing novel oral antibodies for immune-mediated disease, today announced the completion of patient enrollment in its Phase 1b clinical trial evaluating the safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of SOR102, a bispecific oral dual-acting biologic for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.
EarthOptics, Pattern Ag Merge to Digitize Soil Health for Climate and Agriculture
ARLINGTON, VA and EMERYVILLE, CA – August 28, 2024 – EarthOptics and Pattern Ag have merged, creating a category leader in soil digitization to power advanced crop management and climate sustainability. The newly combined soil intelligence company will operate under the name EarthOptics and be the authoritative source of soil insights and the leader in Predictive Agronomy. Its comprehensive data will enable farmers and advisors to know their soil's exact physical, chemical, and biological properties, helping them plan their most impactful input and management decisions to maximize profitability and sustainability goals. The combination pairs Pattern Ag’s cutting-edge lab-based analysis with proprietary field-based sensing technologies from EarthOptics to create a high-resolution digital twin of the soil, giving farmers insights into pests and pathogens, biofertility, nutrients, soil compaction, carbon levels, moisture, and more.
Veralox Therapeutics Announces EMA Orphan Drug Designation for VLX-1005
Frederick, MD., Aug. 14, 2024 -- Veralox Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing first-in-class therapies targeting the 12-lipoxygenase (12-LOX) pathway, announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has granted Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) to VLX-1005, a small molecule 12-LOX inhibitor for the treatment of platelet-activating anti-platelet factor 4 (PF4) disorders. VLX-1005 previously secured ODD from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for prophylaxis of thrombosis in patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) as well as FDA Fast Track Designation. This latest decision in Europe represents another regulatory achievement and builds on the successful development of VLX-1005 that has progressed through completed Phase 1 clinical studies, and into the ongoing Phase 2 trial ALATHEA (“A study of VLX-1005 to evaluate thrombocyte change in HEpArin-induced thrombocytopenia”).
Leriglitazone halts disease progression in adult patients with early cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy in compassionate-use study published in Brain
Mataró, Barcelona, Spain, 11 June, 2024 - Minoryx Therapeutics today announced that results from a compassionate use study of leriglitazone for treatment of progressive cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy (cALD) in adult male patients, published1 in the peer-reviewed journal Brain.
