Peter Ho is joining Boston Pharmaceuticals as chief medical officer. He comes to the Cambridge, MA-based drug developer from Epizyme (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EPZM]]), where he also served as chief medical officer. His experience includes posts at Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: [[ticker:JNJ]]), the National Cancer Institute, Novartis (NYSE: [[ticker:NVS]]), and DuPont Pharmaceuticals.
Author: Frank Vinluan
Xconomy Editor Frank Vinluan is a business journalist with experience covering technology and life sciences. Based in Raleigh, he was a staff writer at the Triangle Business Journal covering technology, biotechnology and energy before joining MedCityNews.com as North Carolina bureau chief. Prior to moving to North Carolina’s Research Triangle in 2007 he held business reporting positions at The Des Moines Register and The Seattle Times.
OncoResponse Names Singal Chief Scientific Officer, Puri VP of R&D
OncoResponse has named Anil Singhal chief scientific officer of the Houston-based cancer drug developer. He comes to the company from AbbVie (NYSE: [[ticker:ABBV]]), where he was vice president, early oncology development. OncoResponse has also appointed Kamal Puri vice president of research and development. Puri was most recently director, immunology & inflammation, at Celgene (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CELG]]). … Continue reading “OncoResponse Names Singal Chief Scientific Officer, Puri VP of R&D”
Selecta Biosciences CEO Werner Cautreels to Retire
Werner Cautreels, president and CEO of Selecta Biosciences (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SELB]]), plans to retire at the end of the year. The Watertown, MA-based drug developer says it will hire an executive search firm to find a successor. As part of the succession process, Omid Farokhzad, a member of the company’s board of directors and a co-founder … Continue reading “Selecta Biosciences CEO Werner Cautreels to Retire”
After Strong 2017, Biotechs & Medtechs Start ’18 with Venture, IPO News
Life science companies are continuing to raise cash, keeping pace with the financing trends of recent years. Fourth quarter figures are still being tallied but in the third quarter, 171 companies raised $3.2 billion, according to the Healthcare Moneytree report from PricewaterhouseCoopers and CB Insights. Those totals compare to 166 companies that raised $3.3 billion … Continue reading “After Strong 2017, Biotechs & Medtechs Start ’18 with Venture, IPO News”
Ocular Therapeutix Hit by Subpoena, SEC Seeks Eye Pain Drug Documents
Federal securities regulators are asking questions about an Ocular Therapeutix eye pain product that was rejected by the FDA in July. Ocular (NASDAQ: [[ticker:OCUL]]) received a subpoena from the Securities and Exchange Commission dated Dec. 15, the Bedford, MA, company said Friday after the markets closed. The subpoena seeks documents and information regarding the company’s … Continue reading “Ocular Therapeutix Hit by Subpoena, SEC Seeks Eye Pain Drug Documents”
Flexion Therapeutics Promotes Scott Kelley to Chief Medical Officer
Scott Kelley has been appointed chief medical officer of Flexion Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:FLXN]]). Kelley was previously vice president of medical affairs for the Burlington, MA, drug developer. He succeeds Yamo Deniz, who has left the company. Before joining Flexion in 2016, Kelley was vice president of global medical affairs at Sanofi (NYSE: [[ticker:SNY]]). Flexion develops … Continue reading “Flexion Therapeutics Promotes Scott Kelley to Chief Medical Officer”
Achaogen’s Blake Wise to Succeed Kenneth Hillan as CEO
Blake Wise is set to become CEO of Achaogen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AKAO]]). Wise, who is currently president and chief operating officer of the South San Francisco, CA, drug developer, will start his new role on Jan. 1. He will succeed Kenneth Hillan, who will move into the newly created position of president, R&D, in addition to … Continue reading “Achaogen’s Blake Wise to Succeed Kenneth Hillan as CEO”
Bio Roundup: Tax Cuts, Drug Approval Record, New Flagship Cash & More
[Updated 12/22/17, 2:37 p.m. See below.] This year is wrapping up as one of the strongest on record for FDA drug approvals. As of this morning, the regulator has approved 46 novel drugs in 2017—a total that beats the mark set two years ago. With one week left in the year, the FDA could add … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Tax Cuts, Drug Approval Record, New Flagship Cash & More”
Biogen, Eisai Alzheimer’s Drug Fails First Test But Study Continues
The lead drug in a wide-ranging Alzheimer’s disease collaboration between Biogen and Eisai has flunked its first test, falling short of its main goal in a mid-stage clinical trial. Biogen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]) and Eisai said Thursday an independent interim analysis at 12 months found that the drug BAN2401 failed to show enough of a change … Continue reading “Biogen, Eisai Alzheimer’s Drug Fails First Test But Study Continues”
Zimmer Biomet Hires Medtronic Exec Bryan Hanson for CEO Role
After a five-month search, Zimmer Biomet announced that medical device industry veteran Bryan Hanson is now the company’s top executive. Warsaw, IN-based Zimmer Biomet (NYSE: [[ticker:ZBH]]) said Hanson’s appointment was effective Tuesday. He replaces interim CEO Daniel Florin, who will resume his duties as senior vice president and CFO. Zimmer Biomet sells musculoskeletal medical devices … Continue reading “Zimmer Biomet Hires Medtronic Exec Bryan Hanson for CEO Role”
FDA OKs Spark’s Gene Therapy for Rare Blindness, But No Price in Sight
The FDA has approved a landmark gene therapy for vision loss—the first ever to fix a faulty gene within a patient’s body—but the therapy’s owner isn’t yet saying how much the drug will cost. The approval goes to Philadelphia-based Spark Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ONCE]]) for voretigene neparvovec (Luxturna) to treat patients who have inherited a mutation … Continue reading “FDA OKs Spark’s Gene Therapy for Rare Blindness, But No Price in Sight”
Aura Biosciences Taps Cadmus Rich for Chief Medical Officer Post
Cadmus Rich has joined Aura Biosciences to become the Cambridge, MA, company’s chief medical officer. Rich most recently worked at Inotek Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ITEK]]) in Lexington, MA, where he was vice president, medical affairs and clinical development. Aura’s lead drug, AU-11, is in early-stage clinical testing for ocular melanoma, a rare eye cancer.
AstraZeneca’s Anthony Johnson Named CEO of Goldfinch Bio
Goldfinch Bio has appointed Anthony Johnson president and CEO. Johnson joins Cambridge, MA-based Goldfinch from AstraZeneca (NYSE: [[ticker:AZN]]), where he was head of early clinical development for the company’s Innovative Medicine and Early Development Biotech Unit. Last year, Goldfinch raised $55 million in a Series A round of financing to develop new kidney disease treatments … Continue reading “AstraZeneca’s Anthony Johnson Named CEO of Goldfinch Bio”
Jnana Therapeutics Emerges with $50M to Find Cellular Protein Drugs
Drug discovery startup Jnana Therapeutics has come out of stealth mode with $50 million in funding that it plans to use to search for new drugs that target proteins that move substances across cellular membranes. The Boston company says drugs that focus on this family of proteins, called solute carrier (SLC) transporters, could address a … Continue reading “Jnana Therapeutics Emerges with $50M to Find Cellular Protein Drugs”
Roche’s Jennifer Cook Appointed CEO of Grail
Grail has appointed Jennifer Cook to serve as CEO of the cancer screening company. Cook comes to Menlo Park, CA-based Grail from Roche, where she is head of clinical operations in product development for the company’s pharmaceuticals division. She will start at Grail on Jan. 2, and will also gain a seat on the company’s … Continue reading “Roche’s Jennifer Cook Appointed CEO of Grail”
Relay Tx Raises $63M to Advance Protein Motion Drugs Into the Clinic
Proteins play important roles in cells, folding and changing their shape to perform various biological functions. While many of these shapes are important to healthy cell function, some shapes are linked to disease, says Sanjiv Patel, CEO of Relay Therapeutics. Relay has developed a way to see this protein motion, and use that moving image … Continue reading “Relay Tx Raises $63M to Advance Protein Motion Drugs Into the Clinic”
What’s Hot in Bay Area Biotech 2017: Photos and Takeaways
Healthcare is a technologically driven industry and some of those advances are apparent in the products now reaching consumers directly. From the convenience of home, consumers can order tests that allow them to gain insight about what their genes or their microbiomes can tell them about their health or the risk of developing a particular … Continue reading “What’s Hot in Bay Area Biotech 2017: Photos and Takeaways”
Pacira Pharmaceuticals Promotes Braunstein to COO, Scranton to CSO
Scott Braunstein, who has been senior vice president of strategy and corporate development for Pacira Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:PCRX]]) since 2015, is now the company’s chief operating officer. The new role adds oversight of the company’s commercial and medical affairs to Braunstein’s prior responsibilities. Parsippany, NJ-based Pacira also promoted Richard Scranton to chief scientific officer. Scranton … Continue reading “Pacira Pharmaceuticals Promotes Braunstein to COO, Scranton to CSO”
Vir Biotechnology Names Herbert Virgin Chief Scientific Officer
Herbert “Skip” Virgin is joining Vir Biotechnology to become executive vice president of research and chief scientific officer of the San Francisco-based drug developer. Virgin, who will start his new post on Jan. 1, comes to Vir from Washington University’s School of Medicine, where he has been a professor and chair of the department of … Continue reading “Vir Biotechnology Names Herbert Virgin Chief Scientific Officer”
Lilly Nixes Expansion of Stomach Cancer Drug After Mixed Study Results
Eli Lilly is dropping plans to seek expanded FDA approval for ramucirumab (Cyramza) in stomach cancer after the drug missed a key goal in a late-stage study. The Lilly (NYSE: [[ticker:LLY]]) drug is already approved, in combination with the drug paclitaxel, as a second-line treatment for patients whose stomach cancer has progressed despite chemotherapy. The … Continue reading “Lilly Nixes Expansion of Stomach Cancer Drug After Mixed Study Results”
In Biggest Biotech IPO of 2017, Denali Raises $248M for Neuro Drugs
Denali Therapeutics has raised more than $248 million in its stock market debut, marking the largest biotech IPO of the year. The company will use the cash to support work on its experimental drugs for Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. South San Francisco, CA-based Denali priced its offering of 13.8 million shares at $18 … Continue reading “In Biggest Biotech IPO of 2017, Denali Raises $248M for Neuro Drugs”
Gilead Bets on Cell Therapy Again with $567M Cell Design Labs Deal
Gilead Sciences is deepening its capabilities in cell therapy with a deal valued at up to $567 million to acquire Cell Design Labs, a company that discovers and develops such treatments. The announcement late Thursday comes a little more than four months after Foster City, CA-based Gilead (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GILD]]) jumped into cell therapy in a … Continue reading “Gilead Bets on Cell Therapy Again with $567M Cell Design Labs Deal”
Mitsubishi Tanabe’s Ian Mills Becomes CMO of Outpost Medicine
Outpost Medicine has named Ian Mills chief medical officer. Mills comes to Indianapolis-based Outpost from Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Europe, where he was head of clinical development. Before Mitsubishi, Mill spent 15 years at Pfizer (NYSE: [[ticker:PFE]]) in various roles. Outpost’s lead drug candidate, OP-687, is a treatment for overactive bladder and irritable bowel syndrome. Mills … Continue reading “Mitsubishi Tanabe’s Ian Mills Becomes CMO of Outpost Medicine”
David Spellmeyer Joins Circle Pharma as Chief Scientific Officer
Circle Pharma of South San Francisco, CA, has named David Spellmeyer chief scientific officer. Spellmeyer’s experience includes executive posts at Bay Area biotechs Nodality and Signature BioScience, as well as research work at IBM (NYSE: [[ticker:IBM]]). Circle is developing macrocyclic peptides, drugs that the company says could hit molecular targets that had previously been considered … Continue reading “David Spellmeyer Joins Circle Pharma as Chief Scientific Officer”
After Humanitarian Honor, Flagship’s Afeyan States Case for Immigration
They embrace the unfamiliar, overcome adversity, and through it all, make the most of limited resources. These characteristics describe many entrepreneurs. But they also describe immigrants, says Noubar Afeyan, CEO of Cambridge, MA, venture capital firm Flagship Pioneering. It’s no coincidence that many successful company founders in the U.S. originally came from other countries, Afeyan … Continue reading “After Humanitarian Honor, Flagship’s Afeyan States Case for Immigration”
Bio Roundup: Migraine Data, Cancer Drug Combos, Azar Hearing & More
A pair of migraine drugs made a splash in biotech news this week with published data suggesting that they can reduce the frequency of headaches. These drugs still await an FDA decision, and their impact on patients over the long term are being watched closely. As many as 38 million Americans suffer from migraines, according … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Migraine Data, Cancer Drug Combos, Azar Hearing & More”
Drug Prices, Industry Ties Take Spotlight at HHS Nominee Azar Hearing
If Wednesday’s hearing for Health and Human Services Secretary Nominee Alex Azar is any indication, reining in drug prices and insurance premiums are the policy priorities that will guide Congress’s interaction with the department under a new leader. For the better part of the three-hour hearing by the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee, … Continue reading “Drug Prices, Industry Ties Take Spotlight at HHS Nominee Azar Hearing”
Chemo Tops Pfizer, Merck KGaA Drug in Big Stomach Cancer Test
Pfizer and Merck KGaA’s bid to have a stomach cancer treatment that could leapfrog rival immunotherapies has fallen short. The companies announced Tuesday that a Phase 3 study testing avelumab (Bavencio) didn’t do better than chemotherapy at extending the lives of patients with gastric cancer. The drug was given to patients whose cancer could not … Continue reading “Chemo Tops Pfizer, Merck KGaA Drug in Big Stomach Cancer Test”
Xconomy’s Diversity Award Winners Show How to Foster an Inclusive Workforce
How did Joan Reede, Harvard Medical School’s head of diversity, decide to pursue a medical career? Credit television. As a young girl, Reede says she was interested in nursing. Her aunt was a nurse and she thought nursing was a woman’s job. But while in junior high, she stumbled upon the popular 1960s TV medical … Continue reading “Xconomy’s Diversity Award Winners Show How to Foster an Inclusive Workforce”
Cytokinetics Pivots to Another ALS Drug After Phase 3 Failure
Cytokinetics’ bid to offer a new drug for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was dealt a setback after the company’s lead experimental treatment for the disease failed in a late-stage clinical trial. The results mean the end for tirasemtiv, one of the drugs furthest along in clinical development for the muscle-weakening condition also known as Lou … Continue reading “Cytokinetics Pivots to Another ALS Drug After Phase 3 Failure”
Acorda Scraps One Parkinson’s Drug, Puts Its Cash Behind Another
Acorda Therapeutics said Monday that it will stop work on an experimental treatment for Parkinson’s disease, spelling the end for a drug the Ardsley, NY, company added to its pipeline last year in a $363 million deal. The announcement follows the recent emergence of safety problems for the Acorda (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ACOR]]) drug, tozadenant. Acorda said … Continue reading “Acorda Scraps One Parkinson’s Drug, Puts Its Cash Behind Another”
Ionis Pharma Promotes Brett Monia to Chief Operating Officer
Brett Monia, a founder of Ionis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IONS]]), is set to become chief operating officer of the Carlsbad, CA, company. Monia is currently head of drug discovery, where his oversight includes inotersen, a potential treatment for transthyretin amyloidosis. The rare disease causes the buildup of amyloid protein in the body’s organs and tissues. Earlier … Continue reading “Ionis Pharma Promotes Brett Monia to Chief Operating Officer”
Celgene Oncology Exec Pehl Named Immunomedics President and CEO
Michael Pehl has been appointed president and CEO of cancer drug developer Immunomedics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IMMU]]). Pehl comes to the Morris Plains, NJ, company from Celgene (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CELG]]), where he was president, hematology & oncology. He will start his new position at Immunomedics on Dec. 7. Immunomedics is moving forward with sacituzumab govitecan, a breast cancer … Continue reading “Celgene Oncology Exec Pehl Named Immunomedics President and CEO”
FDA Approves Genentech Hemophilia Drug, But Adds Safety Warning
The FDA has approved a Genentech drug meant to prevent or reduce bleeding in hemophilia A patients who have developed an immune response to currently available treatments for the condition. But Thursday’s approval of emicizumab-kxwh (Hemlibra) comes with a warning about severe blood clots. In clinical trials testing the drug from Genentech, the South San … Continue reading “FDA Approves Genentech Hemophilia Drug, But Adds Safety Warning”
X4 Pharma Pulls In $27M for Immune Drug in Cancer, Rare Diseases
The immune system can’t fight disease if its cells don’t reach their targets. In some cancers and rare immune deficiency disorders, immune cell levels are too low. X4 Pharmaceuticals has developed drugs that it says can help restore these counts to normal, and the company now has $27 million to test them in key clinical … Continue reading “X4 Pharma Pulls In $27M for Immune Drug in Cancer, Rare Diseases”
Locus Bio Raises $19M for CRISPR-Cas3 Antimicrobial “Smart Bombs”
A growing number of companies are using CRISPR technology to try and develop more precise treatments for a wide range of diseases, and Locus Biosciences is joining the mix, embracing the platform to tackle drug-resistant bacteria. Now the startup has $19 million to test its “precision antimicrobial” tech in humans. ARTIS Ventures, a San Francisco-based … Continue reading “Locus Bio Raises $19M for CRISPR-Cas3 Antimicrobial “Smart Bombs””
With $25M, Torque Aims for a More Targeted Cell Therapy for Cancer
Genetic engineering a patient’s own immune cells to make them better cancer fighters is the latest tool in oncology, following FDA approvals of two such therapies this year. But executives at Torque Therapeutics say cell therapy can be further improved by enlisting T cells to carry a drug payload that prompts a more targeted and … Continue reading “With $25M, Torque Aims for a More Targeted Cell Therapy for Cancer”
Pfizer’s Karen Reeves Joins AZTherapies as Chief Medical Officer
AZTherapies has appointed Karen Reeves chief medical officer. Reeves joins the Boston company from Pfizer (NYSE: [[ticker:PFE]]), where she held multiple senior leadership positions in research and development, and regulatory and safety. Before Pfizer, Reeves was head of global medical science at Astellas Pharma Global Development. AZTherapies develops treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, ischemic stroke, and … Continue reading “Pfizer’s Karen Reeves Joins AZTherapies as Chief Medical Officer”
ImmunoMet Therapeutics Promotes Benjamin Cowen to CEO
Benjamin Cowen, chief operating officer of ImmunoMet Therapeutics, is taking on a new role as CEO of the Houston-based drug developer. Founder and former CEO Sung-Wuk Kim will continue to serve as chairman of the company’s board of directors. Before joining ImmunoMet, Cowen was vice president of corporate development at Milestone Pharmaceuticals. ImmunoMet’s lead drug … Continue reading “ImmunoMet Therapeutics Promotes Benjamin Cowen to CEO”
Five Prime Shares Dive on Latest Hiccup For Cancer Immunotherapy Combos
Another prospective combination of cancer immunotherapy drugs has shown its warts in clinical testing. The latest example: an experimental treatment from Five Prime Therapeutics fell short of expectations when combined with one of the leading immunotherapy drugs, nivolumab (Opdivo), from Bristol-Myers Squibb, in a small study. In a Phase 1 clinical trial of pancreatic cancer … Continue reading “Five Prime Shares Dive on Latest Hiccup For Cancer Immunotherapy Combos”
OncoMed’s Tim Hoey Joins Tenaya Tx as Chief Scientific Officer
Tenaya Therapeutics has appointed Tim Hoey chief scientific officer of the South San Francisco, CA, biotech. Before joining Tenaya, Hoey was senior vice president of cancer biology and co-chief scientific officer of Redwood City, CA-based OncoMed (NASDAQ: [[ticker:OMED]]). Tenaya spun out of the Gladstone Institutes last year backed by a $50 million Series A investment … Continue reading “OncoMed’s Tim Hoey Joins Tenaya Tx as Chief Scientific Officer”
Xenetic Bio’s Maguire is Out as CEO, Eisenberg Named Successor
Scott Maguire has stepped down as CEO of Xenetic Biosciences (NASDAQ: [[ticker:XBIO]]), and the Lexington, MA, company has named chief operating officer Jeffrey Eisenberg to be his successor. No reason for Maguire’s departure was given. In an SEC filing, the company says Maguire’s employment agreement was terminated on Nov. 3 and under terms of a … Continue reading “Xenetic Bio’s Maguire is Out as CEO, Eisenberg Named Successor”
$1B For Nothing? Valeant Sells Sex Drug to Sprout Backers for a Pittance
Two years after Sprout Pharmaceuticals sold itself, and its sex drive-boosting drug for women, to Valeant Pharmaceuticals in a $1 billion deal, the small company’s former owners are set to reacquire the drug for a fraction of the price. Valeant (NYSE: [[ticker:VRX]]) announced Monday an agreement to sell Sprout back to its some of its … Continue reading “$1B For Nothing? Valeant Sells Sex Drug to Sprout Backers for a Pittance”
AgTech Accelerator Brings Biopharma Models to Ag Investing Strategy
For many early-stage companies, raising money is the hard part. But after raising $10 million last spring, Boragen ran into another obstacle common to agtech startups: There are few greenhouses available for companies to run their tests. John Dombrosky, CEO of the Research Triangle Park, NC, company checked with universities and agricultural companies and found, … Continue reading “AgTech Accelerator Brings Biopharma Models to Ag Investing Strategy”
Biotech Roundup: Opioid News, ASH Preview, Boston Bio IPOs & More
The rising death toll from opioids has prompted policymakers to try various ways to take on the problem. President Trump’s opioid commission released its final report this week, calling for expansion of drug courts, better physician training, and penalties for insurers that don’t cover treatment. But the commission did not say how much its recommendations … Continue reading “Biotech Roundup: Opioid News, ASH Preview, Boston Bio IPOs & More”
Scangos Heats Up Xconomy’s What’s Hot in Bay Area Biotech Lineup
To biopharmaceutical companies, FDA approval of a new drug brings the opportunity to sell a product in the biggest pharmaceutical market in the world. But disease knows no borders, and many treatments launched in the U.S. market could also have global applications. George Scangos says he joined Vir Biotechnology to bring new infectious disease therapies … Continue reading “Scangos Heats Up Xconomy’s What’s Hot in Bay Area Biotech Lineup”
Pulmatrix Names James Roach Chief Medical Officer
James Roach has been appointed chief medical officer of Lexington, MA-based Pulmatrix (NASDAQ: [[ticker:PULM]]). Roach joins Pulmatrix from Southborough, MA-based Veristat, where he was chief medical officer. Pulmatrix develops inhaled drugs for serious lung diseases. Roach will start his new role on Nov. 3.
Melinta Therapeutics Appoints Dan Wechsler CEO
Melinta Therapeutics announced that Dan Wechsler will become the antibiotics developer’s new president and CEO after the New Haven, CT, company completes its merger with Chapel Hill, NC-based Cempra (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CEMP]]). The combined company will keep the Melinta name. Wechsler’s experience includes various roles at The Upjohn Company, Pharmacia, Pfizer (NYSE: [[ticker:PFE]]), Schering-Plough, Merck (NYSE: … Continue reading “Melinta Therapeutics Appoints Dan Wechsler CEO”
Sanofi Pulls Back from Voyager Gene Therapy Pact in Parkinson’s
A key study for Voyager Therapeutics and its experimental gene therapy for Parkinson’s disease will have to move ahead without help from pharmaceutical giant Sanofi, which has walked away from the deal. Global rights to Parkinson’s treatment VY-AADC01 are now squarely in the hands of Cambridge, MA-based Voyager (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VYGR]]). Two years ago, the company … Continue reading “Sanofi Pulls Back from Voyager Gene Therapy Pact in Parkinson’s”
Biohaven Brings Clifford Bechtold Aboard as Chief Operating Officer
Biohaven (NYSE: [[ticker:BHVN]]) has appointed Clifford Bechtold to serve as chief operating officer of the New Haven, CT, company. Bechtold most recently worked at Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: [[ticker:BMY]]) as development team leader for genetically defined diseases. His work there encompassed programs in neuromuscular and neurodegenerative diseases. Biohaven is developing treatments for neurological diseases.