Pharma Investment Roundup 11-Feb-2022

Pfizer to extend collaboration with Cytoreason

10 Feb 22

Cytoreason, an Israeli company specializing in Machine Learning, announced an extension of its partnership with Pfizer earlier this week. Cytoreason’s data capabilities and powerful computational disease models seek to further enhance drug discovery and development platforms. Pfizer has used models built by Cytoreason to reinforce its understanding of the immune system and improve its pipeline across 20 different diseases. Cytoreason CEO, David Harel, expressed confidence regarding the success of their continuing partnership with Pfizer in a forward looking statement:

 “Our work with the Pfizer team has demonstrated how our computational models can potentially match the right treatment to the right patient groups, across multiple therapeutic areas. Through this collaboration and our growing customer base worldwide, we aim to establish our platform as the gold standard for drug discovery, development and portfolio management.”

Imagia Cybernetics to merge with Canexia Health

9 Feb 22

Canadian firm, Imagia Cybernetics, announced its merger with Canexia Health, a company specializing in the use of genomic data to optimize patient treatment and selection for oncological trials. Imagia is an AI-driven healthcare firm specializing in improving oncological solutions through real world data. The combined company will aim to improve the accessibility of precision oncology, with targeted treatments being currently available only to 15% of patients, through their existing partnerships with large pharmaceutical companies, and their network of integrated hospital systems and reference laboratories. Michelle Scarborough, a Managing Partner at BDC’s Women in Technology Venture Fund – one of the funding partners of the company, highlighted the importance of the move:

“Combining two advanced technology companies to bring affordable access to the best cancer treatments closer to the patient is exactly the kind of opportunity that we want to invest in.”

AiCuris embarks on collaboration with Hybridize for RNA therapeutics

9 Feb 22

AiCuris, a German company focusing on the discovery and development of drugs against infectious disease, announced a new licensing agreement with Hybridize Therapeutics. The latter company specializes in the development of RNA-based therapies for acute and chronic kidney conditions. The two companies will work together to combat BK virus using an RNA approach, with a particular focus on patients who have received kidney transplants. As part of the move, AiCuris will retain exclusive rights for the development and commercialization of the product – with Hybridize receiving an upfront payment and up to $100m in milestone payments, in addition to royalty payments. Dr. Holger Zimmerman, CEO of AiCuris, highlighted the importance of innovation in the BKV space:

 “BK virus is difficult to treat as it is not addressable using conventional approaches such as classical enzyme inhibitors. We believe that antisense oligonucleotides are a promising novel approach to block BKV replication. If shown to be safe and effective, this approach could be a true game changer in transplantation medicine with the potential to prevent kidney transplant patients from developing graft rejection and organ loss due to BKV.”

Microbiome Therapeutics Innovation Group to be joined by Arc Bio

9 Feb 22

Microbiome Therapeutics Innovation Group, a coalition of companies working on the development of microbiome-related drugs and products, announced the addition of Arc Bio to their ranks. Arc Bio aims to revolutionize microbial profiling through their proprietary Galileo platform that utilizes next generation sequencing. Galileo enables the detection and quantification of over 1300 microbial species – including DNA & RNA viruses, fungi, bacteria and protozoa. The microbiome remains a trending topic across a wide breadth of therapeutic areas, from oncology to dietary conditions – and further innovation in the field will likely only increase its relevance. 

Healx to collaborate with Ovid Therapeutics for Fragile X Syndrome

8 Feb 22

Healx, an AI-driven firm focusing on drug discovery, announced a licensing agreement with Ovid Therapeutics for the development of gaboxadol. Healx will be investigating the agent as a treatment for Fragile X syndrome, as well as other conditions, in combination with other compounds. The combination agents will be identified by Healx’s innovative AI platform, as will the other diseases that gaboxadol can potentially target. As part of the move, Ovid will receive milestone payments in the eventuality of Healx exercising their option rights, although Ovid retains the option to become a development and commercialization partner in lieu of milestone and royalty payments. Ovid Therapeutics CEO, Jeremy Levin, highlighted the importance of exploring gaboxadol’s unique mechanisms of action:

“We’re impressed by the capabilities that Healx has developed and are optimistic that they can unlock effective drug combinations that will take advantage of the unique mechanism that underlies the effects we see when patients take gaboxadol.”

Pfizer to enter data sharing agreement with Iterative Scopes

8 Feb 22

Iterative Scopes announced an AI-driven data sharing partnership with Pfizer to improve Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) treatment development. The primary aim of the agreement is to implement worldwide standards for endoscopic interpretation, which will increase collaboration and transferability of clinical data and investigations. Iterative will receive access to one of Pfizer’s IBD clinical databases to enrich its disease severity scoring algorithm models. Disease severity currently depends on a host of highly subjective criteria, which present challenges at all stages of preclinical and clinical investigation. Iterative seeks to use its AI-driven models to automate the scoring process through visual diagnostics based on endoscopies, increasing standardization and, hopefully, the speed of diagnosis. 

Element Biosciences to acquire Loop Genomics

8 Feb 22

DNA sequencing platform developer, Element Biosciences, announced its acquisition of Loop Genomics earlier this week. Loop Genomics specializes in enabling short-read sequencers to obtain long-range information in a highly scalable fashion. Element seeks to provide this capability to its own short-read platforms and introduce disruptive technologies to the market – a sentiment shared by Molly He, CEO of Element Biosciences:

“Loop Genomics has successfully commercialized innovative products that bring long-read resolution to short-read platforms in a wide variety of genetic analysis applications. We are thrilled to have the Loop Genomics team join us on our journey to open the world of biology to new possibilities”

Thermo Fisher to partner with Medidata Acorn AI for Clinical Trials

7 Feb 22

Thermo Fisher made public plans for a collaboration with Medidata Acorn AI to improve its offerings in clinical trials through predictive models and advanced analytics. Medidata Acorn’s platform is enhanced by its machine learning capabilities, which it uses to optimize patient recruitment, site performance and selection, trial enrolment and study cycles. Thermo Fisher has collaborated with Medidata to develop TrueCast PPD, which is the enterprise application for the implementation of its technologies. Medidata Senior Vice President, Fareed Melhem, highlighted the importance of AI in the future of clinical development:

“AI and advanced analytics play an increasingly critical role in a rapidly changing clinical trial environment,” said Fareed Melhem, senior vice president, Medidata Acorn AI. “We’re delighted to be working side by side with Thermo Fisher’s clinical research business to combine our technology, data and expertise. Together, we are now offering companies new ways to rethink their clinical trials through access to live, cross-industry site performance data.”

Second Sight merges with Nano Precision Medical for leading implant solutions

7 Feb 22

Second Sight Medical Products announced its intention to merge into Nano Precision Medical earlier this week, a move that will see the combined entity concentrate its efforts on the development of innovative drug and medical implants to tackle neglected chronic diseases. Nano Precision’s proprietary NanoPortal implant addresses non-adherence to pharmaceutical schedules, one of the main reasons for poor clinical outcomes. The implant aims to deliver therapeutic agents with low variability across a spectrum of different drug modalities. This is in addition to their current pipeline, which includes a hypodermal implant for the treatment of Type II diabetes for up to six months at a time. Second Sight Chairman, Gregg Williams, highlighted the high aspirations of the company in a forward looking statement:

“The merger with NPM aligns with our expanded vision to become a top device and drug implant company, allows us immediate access to NPM’s experienced executive leadership team, and provides the two companies with a myriad of opportunities to leverage potential synergies.”

Nick Zoukas, Former Editor, PharmaFEATURES