PARP14

OR YEHUDA, Israel, May 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Peregrine Ventures, Israel's leading investment firm dedicated to supporting life changing healthcare opportunities, today celebrated the transformative accomplishments of their high-performing portfolio of medical technology companies. The Q1 2023 portfolio achievement highlights include a $25 million equity investment from Pfizer, entering a clinical trial agreement with Merck & Co, and the successful preliminary results of its first-in-human clinical study. "Peregrine prides itself on its ability to identify and invest in first-in-class and best-in-class healthcare companies," said Eyal Lifschitz, Managing Partner and Co-founder of Peregrine Ventures. "These accomplishments are the truest example of why our work is important, and we are proud to be a part of these companies' success stories. We look forward to seeing their future accomplishments on the path to becoming widely accessed, game-changing global healthcare opportunities." Q1 2023 achievements include: BioProtect, a technology platform company that provides innovative bioabsorbable spacers, realized successful Phase I/II clinical study results of company's BioProtect Balloon Implant System. In treating rectal toxicity that is often a result of prostate cancer radiation therapy, the balloon spacer is safe, does not affect patient quality of life, and preserves local control in patients with intermediate-high risk. EndoStream Medical enrolled the first patient in the company's U.S. clinical trial to evaluate the Nautilus™ Intrasaccular System, a revolutionary technology for the treatment of cerebral aneurysms. The Nautilus is a self-conforming intrasaccular flow diverter, maximizing neck coverage and enhancing coil stability, to optimize intrasaccular thrombosis and enable progressive occlusion of the aneurysm. The medical technology was also featured on the cover of Interventional Neuroradiology (INR). Levation Pharma, a pharmaceutical company focused on the development of new therapeutics for the ophthalmology and aesthetic space, received FDA clearance to initiate Phase I and II of LEV102, a proprietary aqueous gel. The clinical trial is designed to determine the preliminary safety and efficacy signals for LEV102 as a potential treatment for drooping of the upper eye lid, Acquired Blepharoptosis, in adults. Nectin Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing novel targeted immunotherapies that address resistance to approved immune oncology treatments, entered a clinical trial agreement with Merck & Co. The trail will assess the safety and efficiency of Nectin's first-in-class anti-PVR treatment as it is used in combination with Merck's anti-PD1 therapy, KEYTRUDA® for the treatment of metastatic solid tumors. Restore Medical saw successful preliminary results of its first-in-human clinical study of the CONTRABAND™ system, the world's first and only Pulmonary Artery Banding transcatheter implant designed to treat left ventricle failure by restoring the heart's efficient structure. The six-month and one-year results of the study demonstrated that the implantation procedure of the CONTRABAND™ device was safe for all participants and improved the quality of life for those treated. Ribon Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapeutics to target stress support pathways, received a $25 million equity investment from Pfizer. This additional funding will support the clinical development of Ribon's potentially first-in-class oral small molecule programs in oncology (RBN-2397, a PARP7 inhibitor) and immunology (RBN-3143, a PARP14 inhibitor). Ribon Therapeutics also announced the dosing of the first patient in the open-label cohort of patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. This testing is part of the company's Phase 1 clinical study of RBN-3143, a first-in-class, oral small molecule inhibitor of PARP14, for the treatment of a range of inflammatory diseases. In addition to these portfolio achievements, Peregrine Ventures has made several new investments in early- and seed-stage companies in the bio-convergence field for incubation in their world-class MedTech incubator. Companies include: OncoRedox, a point-of-care testing device that utilizes AI to detect cancer from urine samples; CTC Therapeutics, an innovative technology for collecting tumor cells which applies a unique manipulation to activate an immune response to attack the cancer cells; EViCure, a unique off-the-shelf anti-tumor exosome treatment that exerts anti-tumor effects; and MilCo, a food tech startup that aims to produce animal-free dairy products by producing functional milk proteins in yeast. DairyX products will be healthier and more accessible with the same taste and cost of traditional dairy products. ABOUT PEREGRINE VENTURES Peregrine Ventures, Israel's first dedicated healthcare fund, is committed to improving patients' quality of life by investing in and supporting game-changing healthcare opportunities. As a leading global life science venture capital fund, Peregrine invests throughout a company's life cycle to help facilitate growth and success and offers creative business solutions to suit the needs of its portfolio companies. From seed-stage opportunities to more mature companies, Peregrine's specifically defined funds offer portfolio companies complete, end-to-end investment solutions that have helped bring healthcare innovations to fruition for over 20 years. Peregrine's robust portfolio includes fast growing global companies, in the fields of biotech, medical devices, and digital health. Peregrine's mature funds maintain their strong position in the upper quartile of the industry's leading benchmarks (Number of exits, DPI, IRR, etc.). For more information, please visit . CONTACT: SARA KLEIN, 212-805-3018 [email protected] SOURCE Peregrine Ventures

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ribon Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapeutics to target stress support pathways, today announced dosing the first patient in the open-label cohort of patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis to measure the pharmacodynamic activity of RBN-3143 and evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of 28 days of administration of RBN-3143 in this target population. “As a first-in-class, oral, small molecule inhibitor of PARP14, RBN-3143 has the potential to treat a range of inflammatory diseases, including but not limited to atopic dermatitis, asthma and ulcerative colitis. Following the successful completion of the single and multiple ascending dose assessment in healthy subjects to assess safety and pharmacokinetics, we are pleased to be advancing this study into patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, the first therapeutic area of focus for the RBN-3143 program,” said Prakash Raman, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, Ribon Therapeutics. “As a leading company focused on novel targets in the field of cellular stress response, the initiation of the atopic dermatitis portion of our Phase 1 study marks an important advancement in evaluating NAD+-utilizing enzymes as targets for inflammatory diseases.” “In preclinical models, RBN-3143 suppresses markers of disease, demonstrating its potential as an oral alternative to biologics in a broad range of inflammatory diseases of the skin, lung and the gastrointestinal system,” said Sudha Parasuraman, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Ribon Therapeutics. “RBN-3143 has demonstrated a favorable safety and pharmacokinetic pro healthy subjects and we look forward to its evaluation in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis and to demonstrate proof-of mechanism.” About PARP14 PARP14 is a NAD+-utilizing monoART (mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase) controlling cell signaling and regulating protein function. PARP14 expression is elevated in tissues of various inflammatory diseases, but it is not highly expressed in normal tissues. Elevated PARP14 expression leads to higher levels of first order cytokines, specifically alarmins, and second order cytokines, Th2 and Th17 cytokines, in the inflammatory lesion, and ultimately the increase in disease tissue eosinophils and neutrophils which drive pathology. About RBN-3143 RBN-3143, a first-in-class, oral small molecule inhibitor of PARP14, has the potential to be a differentiated therapy for the treatment of numerous inflammatory diseases. This is the second program emerging from the BEACON+ platform to enter clinical development. Selective inhibition of PARP14 leads to a decrease in alarmins and dampening of the IL-17 and IL-4/13 signaling pathways. Ribon has demonstrated efficacy in multiple preclinical models of inflammatory disease. RBN-3143 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1 clinical study in healthy volunteers and atopic dermatitis patients. About Ribon Therapeutics Ribon Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapeutics targeting novel enzyme families activated under cellular stress conditions that contribute to disease. Ribon’s portfolio includes two oral, first-in-class clinical programs, RBN-2397 (a PARP7 inhibitor) and RBN-3143 (a PARP14 inhibitor), targeting broad indications in oncology and inflammatory diseases, respectively. The company explores novel areas of biology with the goal of developing effective treatments for patients with limited therapeutic options. Leveraging its proprietary BEACON+ (Blocking the Enzyme Activity Component of NAD+) platform, Ribon is building a pipeline of selective, small molecule inhibitors to numerous NAD+-utilizing enzymes, beginning with monoARTs (mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase), which have applications across multiple therapeutic areas. Ribon is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. For more information, visit .

Massachusetts-based biotech Ribon Therapeutics has roped in a big name for some financial backing. Ribon announced on Monday that Pfizer has invested $25 million into the biotech. Robert Rickert, Pfizer’s head of cancer immunology discovery, will be coming onto Ribon’s scientific advisory board. The startup will use the funds to support the development of its programs for oncology and immunology. Both companies also reached an agreement to have Pfizer provide expertise to support moving forward Ribon’s pipeline, but the biotech will keep the economic rights and control of the development of all programs. Ribon’s candidates include a PARP7 inhibitor that targets solid tumors and a PARP14 inhibitor going after inflammatory diseases. “Pfizer’s capital support and expertise will be instrumental as we work to advance our lead programs—RBN-2397 in cancer and RBN-3143 in immunology—to key clinical milestones and enable further drug discovery and development from our proprietary BEACON+ platform,” said Ribon CEO Rakesh Raman, in a release . The FDA has decided to extend the review for the Belgian-based company argenx. Last week, argenx announced US regulators had extended the review of the BLA for subcutaneous efgartigimod for treating adults with the autoimmune disease generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG). The date has now been pushed back to the summer, specifically June 20. The biotech added that the information submitted for the drug review had a “major amendment” and needed an extension so it could be looked at. However, no additional data or studies will need to be done for now. “We are confident in the profile of SC efgartigimod and the strength of the ADAPT-SC dataset showing noninferiority of our subcutaneous product to VYVGART. “We will continue to work closely with the FDA as it completes its review to bring this important medicine to people living with gMG,” said argenx CMO Luc Truyen, in a release . In November of last year, the company netted a priority review voucher for $102 million from bluebird bio, which planned to shorten the review period from 10 months to around six months. Another biotech looks to be tossing its hat into the IPO ring. Structure Therapeutics, a California-based company, focuses on GPCRs (also the proposed ticker symbol) and has candidates targeting diabetes and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. According to SEC documents , Structure is looking to enter Nasdaq, offering up 8,950,000 shares, and expecting the IPO to be priced between $13 to $15. Structure plans to net around $111.5 million from the IPO, with around $90 million being put toward the development of its GLP-1R program meant to treat diabetes and obesity. The funds will be used to finish a Phase Ib and Phase IIa study. Around $13 million will go to another program, with the remaining cash being used for R&D and other general uses. The IPO is meant to fund the company through 2025. The shareholders include several venture capital firms along with CEO Raymond Stevens and CFO Jun Yoon holding over 3%, among others.