Vor BioPharma, a company purportedly developing a method of cell therapy for cancer based on the work of Columbia University professor and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Siddhartha Mukherjee. Vor’s technology is meant to advance on existing approaches to “CAR-T”—a method of turning T cells into cancer killers—but PureTech hasn’t disclosed exactly how, as of yet. The second startup is Alivio Therapeutics, which is developing a hydrogel material meant to deliver drugs to inflamed tissue and thus, treat inflammation more precisely than systemic steroids or immunosuppression.
—Cambridge-based Wave Life Sciences (NASDAQ: [[ticker:WVE]]) inked its first partnership, a collaboration with Pfizer (NYSE: [[ticker:PFE]]) to develop RNA-based drugs for metabolic diseases. Wave got $40 million up front as part of the deal—$30 million of which came via an equity investment—and could get an additional $871 million in downstream payments if things break right.
—Boston-based biosimilars developer Epirus Biopharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EPRS]]) has made sweeping strategic changes. It’s suspended lead program BOW15, a biosimilar version of autoimmune disease drug infliximab (Remicade)—largely due to competition—Pfizer has already made it to market with a biosimilar of infliximab. Epirus will instead target biosimilar drugs for rare diseases, and will cut 40 percent of its workforce as part of the new plan. Additionally, CEO Amit Munshi has left the company to join Arena Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARNA]]), and has been replaced, temporarily, by 5AM Ventures managing partner Scott Rocklage. Shares of Epirus plummeted more than 50 percent.
—Shares of Aegerion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AEGR]]) also fell close to 17 percent after the company disclosed that, as part of a settlement, it will pay the Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission $40 million and plead guilty to two misdemeanor charges.
—Parsippany, NJ-based Medicines Co. (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MDCO]]) sold a group of drugs it deems “non core assets”—cardiovascular drugs clevidipine (leviprex), cangrelor (Kengreal), and its rights to argatroban—to Cary, NC-based Chiesi USA in a $792 million deal. The company is focusing its cash on drugs like the cholesterol-lowering RNA interference PCSK9 drug PCSK9si, and the experimental anesthetic ABP-700.
—Cambridge-based startup Acer Therapeutics raised $8.15 million in new cash from a Series B round led by TVM Life Science Venture VII. The company is developing drugs for Ehlers-Danos syndrome, a rare connective tissue disease, and maple syrup urine disease, a genetic disorder in which the body doesn’t properly metabolize certain critical amino acids.
—Cambridge-based EnBiotix, an antibiotics startup from the labs of MIT’s James Collins, closed an unspecified Series A round led by Wired Holdings Investment Corp. and Apeiron Holdings. It also teamed with Wired Holdings to form a joint venture in Brazil to help sell its products in Latin America.
—Scientists including MIT’s Bob Langer published a paper in Nature Materials this week describing a type of silicone-based polymer they’ve developed that might be able to smooth out wrinkles. Cambridge-based startup Olivo Laboratories aims to use the technology to deliver drugs to the skin for diseases like eczema, according to MIT news. Olivo is backed by Polaris Partners, and its CEO is managing partner Amir Nashat.
