Portfolio |
CURRENT |
[now Espero Biopharma]
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About: Armetheon is a cardiovascular focused late-clinical stage specialty pharmaceutical company developing a potentially best-in-class, novel, orally active anticoagulant (tecarfarin) for all patients who need an oral anticoagulant including a targeted patient population with major unmet need. Unlike non-monitored oral anti-coagulant (NOAC) drugs that are direct inhibitors of thrombin or Factor Xa, tecarfarin (with one Phase III completed) could be used in patients with (i) prosthetic heart valves (especially mechanical heart valves), and/or (ii) who have renal dysfunction (ESRD) and atrial fibrillation (Afib) (an orphan indication). The second drug candidate under development is budiodarone (obtained from Budiodarone, LLC*) which is an oral Phase 2 clinical-stage drug candidate that is being investigated for its potential to suppress ventricular arrhythmias and device firing in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) and for the treatment of patients with refractory Afib. In Q2, 2017, Armetheon agreed to merge with Espero Pharmaceuticals, to create Espero Biopharma, a cardiovascular focused commercial stage pharmaceuticals company with marketed products and a potential blockbuster pipeline. The merger was completed in Q3, 2017. www.esperobio.com
Founded: October, 2011 (Sunnyvale, CA) Total funds raised; $33 MM Other Investors: Capital TEN II, Hercules Bioventures, CDIB Healthcare, CDIB & Partners, AshHill Biomedical Investments, iD SoftCapital, AmKey Ventures, Lee’s Pharmaceutical (Hong Kong) and eminent biotech entrepreneurs and pharmaceutical executives. Strategic partners: Lee’s Pharmaceutical (Hong Kong) |
About: Renexxion* is a pharmaceutical company developing potentially a best-in-class safe and effective 5HT4 agonist, naronapride, for gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. The company has adopted a pipeline-in-a-pill strategy. Phase 3 ready naronapride has successfully completed several Phase-2 clinical trials for the treatment of multiple gastrointestinal disorders including CIC, GERD, and functional dyspepsia. The FDA DGIEP now has agreed formally to a rapid and low-risk pathway to approval in chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) that does not require extensive cardiovascular safety testing. In addition to the chronic oral formulation enabled by the recent FDA interaction, an intravenous formulation (or single use oral solution formulation) can be developed for the growing and important unmet needs in ICU and ventilator units of enteral feeding intolerance (EFI), acute GP, short bowel syndrome (SBS) and postoperative ileus (POI). Today there are currently no FDA-approved treatment options available and these acute care indications impact several millions of Americans with EFI alone affecting one million Americans. www.renexxion.com
Founded: September, 2014 (Menlo Park, CA) Total funds raised: Not Disclosed Other Investors: Founders and angel investors Strategic partners: Sinovant Sciences, (China) (part of the Roivant Sciences Group of Companies) |
Affiliates
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About: Auxesia Orion is a San Francisco bay area based new generation of pharmaceutical-healthcare companies focused on therapeutic management. The goal of this company is to focus on tech-enabled patient-centric therapeutic management and commercialization for orphan diseases where drugs are only part of a solution. The company offices are in Santa Clara, CA, San Francisco, CA and New York, NY.
Founded: August, 2018 (Santa Clara, CA) Total funds raised: Not Disclosed Other Investors: Founders |
About: Helios Orion is a San Francisco bay area based execution-focused corporate strategy advisory firm that partners with innovative healthcare companies in key global markets to assist in their growth. Our people have deep domain-specific expertise in all areas of product development from discovery to commercialization in the global healthcare industry. Our experienced plug and play team will work with the founders and leadership team to execute on their vision. Where necessary, working with affiliates, we provide a comprehensive one-stop solution. Our key focus areas include drug, diagnostics, medical devices, digital therapeutics, AI, and therapeutic foods as well as cross-border ecosystem collaboration and development in these innovation areas. The company has a presence in a number of cities (to cover various regions) worldwide. These are Santa Clara, CA (North America), Barcelona, (Europe), Singapore (South East Asia) and Hong Kong (North East Asia). In 2019-2020, we plan to have a presence in Sydney, London, Taipei and, other innovation-focused cities..
Founded: September, 2018 (Santa Clara, CA) Total funds raised: Not Disclosed Other Investors: Founders |
PAST |
About: Athenagen (later renamed CoMentis)* is dedicated to the discovery and development of small-molecule drugs to treat Alzheimer’s disease.
Founded: April, 2005 (renamed CoMentis following merger with Zapaq, Inc. in 2007) (South San Francisco, CA) Total funds raised; $87 MM Other Investors: Sanderling Ventures, Clarus Ventures, Index ventures, Charter Life Sciences, Astellas Pharma, Inc. and Astellas Venture Capital LLC |
*previously funded/separately funded directly by the general partner and currently managed on behalf of general partner
“So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then,
when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable.” - Christopher Reeve |