CELL AND GENE THERAPY
Curi Bio Inc. | December 30, 2021
Curi Bio Inc., a leading developer of human stem cell-based platforms for drug discovery, announced the second closing of a $10 million oversubscribed Series A financing. New investors include UTC Investment and DS Asset Management, joining current Curi Bio investor and Series A lead Dynamk Capital. The investment will be used to scale Curi’s existing business and accelerate the development of its innovative engineered tissue analysis platforms, including its Mantarray™ platform.
“Curi Bio is thrilled to partner with the distinguished teams at UTC Investment, DS Asset Management, and Dynamk Capital to fuel our next stage of growth. To discover new therapies requires human-relevant disease models. Curi is working to close the gap between preclinical results and clinical outcomes, not only in small molecule discovery, but also in frontier areas like next-generation genetic medicines and cell therapies.”
Michael Cho, JD, CEO of Curi Bio
With costs to develop a single new medicine now exceeding $2Bn, the need for more human-relevant disease models to improve translational efficiency in the drug development process has never been greater. Curi’s core platform – the Curi Engine™ – integrates human stem cells, tissue specific biosystems, and A.I./M.L.-enabled data analysis to accelerate the discovery and development of new therapeutics. With this three-pronged strategy — human cells, systems and data — Curi is rapidly becoming a market leader in creating high-fidelity models of human diseases for drug discovery, especially for striated muscle, including cardiac and skeletal muscle, and neuromuscular models.
“Curi Bio’s technology platforms create significant value for pharma and biotech companies by accelerating discovery timelines and increasing the chances of success for new therapies in development,” said Dr. Gustavo Mahler, Managing Partner, Dynamk Capital. “We look forward to strong growth in Curi Bio’s customer portfolio.”
Curi Bio’s core technologies and products include NanoSurface™ Plates for structural maturation, Cytostretcher™ cell-stretching instruments, and the Mantarray platform for contractility analysis. The Mantarray platform enables researchers to generate and analyze 3D engineered human muscle tissues, providing clinically relevant functional readouts, and reducing reliance on poorly predictive animal models. Curi also offers a suite of customized research services utilizing the Curi Engine, including new assay and model development and phenotypic screening. Curi Bio counts all of the top-ten global pharmaceutical companies among its clients, customers, and partners.
About Curi Bio
Curi Bio’s preclinical discovery platform combines human stem cells, systems, and data to accelerate the discovery of new medicines. The Curi Engine is a seamless, bioengineered platform that integrates human iPSC-derived cell models, tissue-specific biosystems, and A.I./M.L.-enabled phenotypic screening data. Curi’s suite of human stem cell-based products and services enable scientists to build more mature and predictive human iPSC-derived tissues—with a focus on cardiac, musculoskeletal, and neuromuscular models—for the discovery, safety testing, and efficacy testing of new drugs in development. The company’s proprietary technologies are supported by over 100 publications and 19 patents. By offering drug developers an integrated preclinical platform comprising highly predictive human stem cell models to generate clinically-relevant data, Curi is closing the gap between preclinical data and human results, accelerating the discovery and development of safer, more effective medicines.
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MEDICAL
Controlant | December 16, 2020
Controlant, an leader in real-time supply chain monitoring and perceivability technologies for vigorously controlled ventures, for example, pharmaceuticals and life sciences and food and drink areas, today reported it is giving observing and Supply Chain Visibility administrations to Pfizer, comparable to the conveyance of Pfizer's mRNA-based Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine's worldwide circulation.
In addition to the visibility and monitoring arrangements that Controlant is providing to Pfizer to mRNA-based Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine distribution supply chain, the organization is likewise working straightforwardly with the U.S. Government and wellbeing authorities, for example, the Center for Disease Control (CDC), U.S. Division of Health and Human Services (HHS), and stakeholders in Operation Warp Speed, to give nearby observing at U.S. Government-preferred designated vaccination areas to help consistently guarantee coherence during hand-off, actionable communication, and visibility, all through the entirety of the U.S. supply chain journey of the vaccines.
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INDUSTRIAL IMPACT
Vaxess Technologies | October 27, 2021
Vaxess Technologies, a biotechnology startup developing the MIMIXTM sustained-release intradermal microneedle patch, celebrated the grand opening of their 3,600 square feet pilot GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) manufacturing facility on Monday. The facility, which is located in Woburn, MA at one of the Cummings Park properties, will feature a state-of-the-art cleanroom where manufacturing of vaccine patches for clinical trials will take place. Using the clinical-grade patches produced in the facility, Vaxess plans to enter the clinic in 2022. In addition to the manufacturing suite, Vaxess has announced plans to expand their Woburn footprint by another 6,300 square feet to provide additional GMP space as well as lab space for a host of other development activities to further the MIMI“ platform.
After years of development, the company is thrilled to establish GMP manufacturing capabilities in Massachusetts for both our lead MIMIX-Flu vaccine program as well as a host of other pipeline products to follow,” said Vaxess CEO Michael Schrader.
Vaxess has experienced tremendous growth over the past year beyond the opening of the manufacturing facility including technological advancement of the platform and the expansion of the organization from 15 full time employees to 35 with additional future growth planned. All the progress that Vaxess has made this past year would not have been possible without the help of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC), which has supported Vaxess’ efforts since its inception. MLSC President and CEO, Kenn Turner, attended the Grand Opening and shared a few words.
“I want to congratulate the Vaxess team on their latest expansion to Woburn Since the Life Science Center’s initial investment in Vaxess, the company has exemplified the type of growth trajectory we aim to accelerate here in the Commonwealth. We will continue to lean in, and support companies seeking to create jobs and expand their footprint regionally, particularly in the manufacturing space.”
Massachusetts Life Sciences Center President and CEO Kenn Turner
In addition to Turner, numerous other individuals from both the Massachusetts biotechnology and political communities attended the event, including Joe Boncore, President of MassBio, Bill Cummings, Founder of Cummings Properties, Eric Anderson, President of Cummings Properties, Scott Galvin, Mayor of Woburn, Representative Richard Haggerty and Senator Cindy Friedman.
“I want to congratulate Vaxess Technologies on their continued job growth and expansion, which offers further proof that opportunities for innovation in life sciences are truly statewide in Massachusetts,” said Massachusetts Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy, who serves as Co-Chair of the MLSC Board of Directors. “The Baker-Polito Administration remains committed to supporting life sciences companies that recognize Massachusetts as the ideal place for companies to grow and thrive.”
About the MIMIX™ Technology
The MIMIX patch is designed to be the easiest and most effective way to deliver vaccines and therapeutics. The patch releases treatments to the body at their most beneficial rate and duration. For vaccines, the controlled release simulates the pace of a natural infection, helping the body produce a slow, strong, and enduring ramp-up of immune response, ultimately boosting a vaccine’s effectiveness. Engineered for stability, Vaxess’ patch does not require refrigeration and can be shipped to and applied in low resource settings. It is virtually painless and resembles an adhesive bandage. After the minutes-long prescribed wear time, the MIMIX patch is removed and discarded while leaving behind microscopic intradermal depots to present the therapeutic payloads to the immune system over ensuing days or weeks.
About Vaxess Technologies
Vaxess Technologies is developing the MIMIX™ sustained release patch technology, originally conceived at MIT and Tufts University. MIMIX™ uses the unique qualities of silk proteins and breakthrough immune activating biology to enable best-in-class vaccines and therapeutics. Vaxess has raised more than $60M in grant and venture capital funding from groups such as The Engine, BARDA, DARPA, NIH, NSF and the Gates Foundation. A MIMIX Phase I proof-of-concept trial using seasonal flu and COVID-19 antigens is slated to begin in the first half of 2022.
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