Company (location) |
Funding institution |
Amount (US$M) |
Type |
Details |
Date |
MARCH | |||||
Anthera Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Hayward, Calif.) |
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics Inc. (Bethesda, Md.) |
$3 |
Grant |
To support the manufacturing and clinical development of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy Sollpura (liprotamase) for people with low digestive enzyme levels, or exocrine pancreatic insufficiency due to cystic fibrosis and other diseases |
3/20/15 |
Athersys Ltd. (part of Athersys Inc.; Cleveland) |
The Cell Therapy Catapult Ltd. (London) |
ND |
Innovate UK grant |
To support a phase IIa trial evaluating Multistem cell therapy in acute respiratory distress syndrome; the total amount of this award and three others from Innovate UK are £6.3M (US$9.33M) |
3/31/15 |
Autifony Therapeutics Ltd. (London) |
UK's Biomedical Catalyst |
$3.6 |
Grant |
To support a phase I trial of a drug that targets one of the defects in the brain linked to schizophrenia |
3/27/15 |
Azellon Ltd. (University of Bristol spinout) |
The Cell Therapy Catapult Ltd. (London) |
ND |
Innovate UK grant |
A collaboration with Azellon Ltd., a spinout from the University of Bristol, will develop an improved product and manufacturing process to commercialize Azellon's cell bandage for repairing torn meniscus; this consortium also includes the University of Liverpool and NHS Blood and Transplant; the total amount of this award and three others from Innovate UK are £6.3M (US$9.33M) |
3/31/15 |
Curevac GmbH (Tuebingen, Germany) |
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Dievini Hopp Biotech |
$76 |
Equity investments |
Curevac raised $52M through one equity investment and $24M through another equity investment to support development of its messenger RNA-based vaccines and the construction of a new manufacturing facility that will allow it to vastly scale up its capacity to produce commercial quantities of vaccines |
3/9/15 |
Gliacure Inc. (New York) |
Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation |
$1 |
Grant |
To co-fund a phase Ib trial of GC021109 in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease |
3/18/15 |
Gtreebnt Co. Ltd. (Korea) |
Global Industry Development Fund and E&Investment |
$7.9 |
Grant and investment |
To expand development of RGN-259/GBT-201 for dry eye syndrome and neurotrophic keratopathy; Gtreebnt will get $5.92M from the Global Industry Development Fund, which supports Korean pharma or bioventure companies, and $1.36M from E&Investment, a Korean venture capital firm |
3/10/15 |
Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Plymouth Meeting, Pa.) |
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases |
$16 |
Integrated Preclinical/Clinical AIDS Vaccine Development Program grant |
To fund research to expand the company's Pennvax HIV vaccine program to cover additional HIV strains and improve the antibody responses |
3/17/15 |
Pieris Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Freising, Germany) and University of Melbourne |
Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council |
$0.43 |
Grant |
They received an A$564,062 (US$431,700) research grant to further develop Pieris' protein Anticalin-brand therapeutic, PRS-060, in immunological diseases; the grant will support Pieris' Australian subsidiary, Pieris Australia; it covers activities to advance PRS-060 for inhaled delivery to treat asthmatics |
3/31/15 |
Plasticell Ltd. (London) |
The Cell Therapy Catapult Ltd. (London) |
ND |
Innovate UK grant |
Plasticell and researchers from the University of Oxford will work together on Combicult, a high throughput stem cell technology; the total amount of this award and three others from Innovate UK are £6.3M (US$9.33M) |
3/31/15 |
Retrovirox Inc. (San Diego) |
National Institutes of Health |
$3 |
Phase II SBIR grant |
To develop immunomodulators to eradicate HIV infection; to support the development of small molecules designed to enhance elimination of HIV-reactivated cells with the goal of achieving a functional cure for HIV |
3/13/15 |
TAP Biosystems (Cambridge, UK) |
The Cell Therapy Catapult Ltd. (London) |
ND |
Innovate UK grant |
TAP Biosystems, part of Sartorius Stedim Biotech Group, is developing with Catapult, a small-scale, single-use bioreactor for use in cell therapy applications, and to coordinate with regulatory agencies on the levels of validation required for the system to be adopted into good manufacturing practice facilities; the total amount of this award and three others from Innovate UK are £6.3M (US$9.33M) |
3/31/15 |
The Lead Discovery Center of Dortmund |
Max Planck Foundation and the Dr. Helmut Storz Foundation |
$1.07 |
Grants |
Center is receiving two grants of €500,000 (US$534,810) each for the development of two drug discovery approaches for treating inflammation and cancer; the first project involves a new anti-inflammatory compound that targets cyclophilins, and the second project focuses on a molecular target that plays a pivotal role in various forms of cancer, including breast and ovarian cancers |
3/11/15 |
APRIL | |||||
Argos Therapeutics Inc. (Durham, N.C.) |
National Institutes of Health Division of AIDS |
$6.6 |
Grant |
For an investigator-initiated phase IIa adult eradication study of AGS-004, the firm's fully personalized immunotherapy for HIV |
4/2/15 |
Asceneuron SA (Lausanne, Switzerland) |
Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation |
$0.33 |
Grant |
To support the development of Asceneuron's tau modulators, including ASN-561, the lead O-GlcNAcase inhibitor |
4/10/15 |
Autifony Therapeutics Ltd. (London) |
Biomedical Catalyst |
$4.9 |
Funding |
To progress AUT00206, a Kv3 potassium channel modulator for hearing loss and tinnitus, into clinical trials to treat schizophrenia |
4/17/15 |
Cleveland Biolabs Inc. (Buffalo, N.Y.) and Roswell Park Cancer Institute |
Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program |
$1.2 |
Breast Cancer Research Program Breakthrough Award |
For research on the immunotherapy of metastatic breast cancer with entolimod, a toll-like receptor 5 agonist being developed by Cleveland Biolabs |
4/28/15 |
Corbus Pharmaceuticals Holdings Inc. (Norwood, Mass.) |
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics Inc. (Bethesda, Md.) |
$5 |
Development award |
To support a phase II trial of the oral anti-inflammatory drug, Resunab, in adults with cystic fibrosis |
4/23/15 |
Discoverybiomed Inc. (St. Louis) |
National Institutes of Health and its National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases |
$1.61 |
Phase II SBIR grant |
To develop first-in-class small-molecule drugs to fight multiple disease abnormalities caused by high blood sugar and high blood fat such as metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity |
4/9/15 |
Eurotrope Bioscience Inc. (subsidiary of Neurotrope Inc.; Newark, N.J.) |
Fraxa Research Foundation Inc. (Newburyport, Mass.) |
ND |
Grant |
To fund a preclinical Fragile X syndrome behavior study for lead candidate bryostatin |
4/21/15 |
Immunomic Therapeutics Inc. (Hershey, Pa.) |
National Institutes of Health |
ND |
SBIR grant |
To help the preclinical development of therapeutic platforms for peanut allergies |
4/1/15 |
Inmed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Vancouver, British Columbia) |
Mitacs |
ND |
Grant |
To further develop the firm's nanoparticle-based delivery system for lead candidate CTI-085, in development for glaucoma |
4/16/15 |
Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Plymouth Meeting, Pa.) |
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency |
ND |
Grant |
To lead a collaborative team to develop multiple treatments and prevention approaches against Ebola |
4/9/15 |
Neostem Inc. (New York) |
California Institute of Regenerative Medicine |
$1 |
Grant |
For research leading to the development of a treatment for retinal diseases, including macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa; the $4M grant made to the University of California, Irvine, was extended, entitling Neostem to $1M in new funds, adding to the original $500,000 awarded |
4/10/15 |
Oncoceutics Inc. (Hummelstown, Pa.) |
National Cancer Institute |
ND |
SBIR grant |
To support a trial in ONC201 in advanced brain cancer |
4/2/15 |
SHAL Technologies Inc. (Livermore, Calif.) |
National Cancer Institute |
$1.5 |
Phase II SBIR grant |
To complete preclinical studies of SH7139 for non-Hodgkin's and other B-cell derived lymphomas and leukemias |
4/22/15 |
Somagenics Inc. (Santa Cruz, Calif.) |
National Institutes of Health |
ND |
Two-year NIH grant |
To develop its Realseq-T technology for targeted next-generation sequencing of small RNAs such as microRNA |
4/29/15 |
Xeris Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Austin, Texas) |
National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases |
$0.49 |
SBIR phase I grant |
For its room-temperature stable, non-aqueous glucagon formulation to treat congenital hyperinsulinism |
4/15/15 |
MAY | |||||
Antabio SAS (Labege, France) |
Wellcome Trust |
€4 ($4.5) |
Seeding Drug Discovery Award |
To assist in the development of small-molecule drugs to treat chronic Pseudomonas infections in cystic fibrosis patients |
5/13/15 |
Argen-X BV (Breda, the Netherlands) |
Institute for the Promotion of Innovation by Sciences and Technology in Flanders |
$1.67 |
Grant |
To advance and commercialize the application of the Nhance Fc modification in therapeutic antibodies |
5/20/15 |
Bioasis Technologies Inc. (Vancouver, British Columbia) |
CQDM and Brain Canada |
$2.1 |
Collaborative research grant |
To identify a new generation of potential blood-brain barrier carrier molecules |
5/28/15 |
Cell Cure Neurosciences Ltd. (subsidiary of Biotime Inc.; Alameda, Calif.) |
Israel's Office of the Chief Scientists |
$1.6 |
Grant |
To help finance the development of Opregen, a cell-based therapeutic product that consists of animal product-free retinal pigment epithelial cells |
5/14/15 |
Crescendo Biologics Ltd. (Cambridge, UK) |
Innovate UK |
ND |
Biomedical Catalyst Award |
To expand its antibody-drug conjugate program, enabling the validation and development of Humabody Drug Conjugates, which has the potential for treating a broad range of solid tumors |
5/28/15 |
Flexion Therapeutics Inc. (Burlington, Mass.) |
U.S. Department of Defense |
$2 |
Grant |
To conduct a phase II trial investigating FX006 as treatment for osteoarthritis (OA) pain in active military and medically retired veterans with post-traumatic OA of the knee |
5/1/15 |
Immunomic Therapeutics Inc. (Hershey, Pa.) |
U.S. Department of Defense |
$1.2 |
Grant |
For development of its ARA-LAMP-vax technology against peanut allergies |
5/14/15 |
Merus B.V. (Utrecht, the Netherlands); Selexis SA (Geneva) and Research Cell Bank |
Eureka Eurostars |
$2.3 |
Grant |
To develop bispecific antibody combination products for the treatment of colorectal cancer |
5/21/15 |
Neostem Inc. (New York) |
California Institute for Regenerative Medicine |
$18 |
Grant |
To support work on its treatment for patients with stage III recurrent or stage IV metastatic melanoma |
5/22/15 |
Viamet Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Research Triangle Park, N.C.) |
National Institutes of Health |
ND |
Grant |
Extended grant for a second year to develop antifungal agents against Valley fever; Viamet is working on VT-1598 and the funding will support advanced preclinical studies |
5/21/15 |
JUNE | |||||
Avilex Pharma ApS (Copenhagen) |
Wellcome Trust |
$2.7 |
Translation Award |
To fund the development of a drug candidate for acute treatment of ischemic stroke; the firm's therapy is based on inhibiting the neuronal scaffolding protein PSD-95 |
6/9/15 |
Celtaxsys Inc. (Atlanta) |
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics Inc. (Bethesda, Md.) |
$5 |
Grant |
To assess the safety and efficacy of CTX-4430 in a phase II study focused on preserving lung function in CF patients |
6/9/15 |
Eppin Pharma Inc. (Chapel Hill, N.C.) |
National Institutes of Health |
ND |
Phase I STTR grant |
To evaluate the effectiveness of lead contraceptive candidate, EP007, in primates |
6/17/15 |
Medgenics Inc. (Philadelphia) |
Office of the Chief Scientist at the Ministry of Economy of Israel |
$3.5 |
Grant |
To be be used to cover R&D expenses for the 13-month period from December 2014 through December 2015 to support further research and clinical development of the company's tissue-based TARGT (Transduced Autologous Restorative Gene Therapy) system with respect to the treatment of rare and orphan diseases |
6/12/15 |
Mediwound Ltd. (Yavne, Israel) |
Israeli Office of the Chief Scientist in the Ministry of Economy |
$1 |
Grant |
To support development of Escharex, Mediwound's biopharma product for debridement of eschar in chronic and other hard-to-heal wounds, and Nexobrid, its product for debridement of eschar in severe burns |
6/12/15 |
Mesoblast Ltd. (Melbourne, Australia) |
Australian government |
$5.8 |
R&D Tax Incentive Program |
For R&D activities during the 2015 financial year, including the development of cell-based product candidates |
6/8/15 |
Novoteris LLC (Garden Grove, Calif.) |
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics Inc. (Bethesda, Md.) |
$2.8 |
Grant |
To develop an inhaled nitric oxide antimicrobial therapy for those with cystic fibrosis with airway bacterial colonization |
6/24/15 |
Pluristem Therapeutics Inc. (Haifa, Israel) |
Office of the Chief Scientist of the Israeli Ministry of Economy |
$2.9 |
Grant |
Awarded NIS11.1M (US$2.9M) to support R&D activities to promote high-tech and biotech R&D in Israel in 2015 |
6/18/15 |
Symbiotix Biotherapies Inc. (Boston) |
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases |
$2.3 |
Phase II STTR grant |
To enable the completion of translational studies and production material needed to move into human testing in multiple sclerosis with Polysaccharide A |
6/2/15 |
University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center |
National Cancer Institute |
$1.7 |
Grant |
To advance the development of the exosome-based technology behind a potential cancer therapy optioned by Exovita Biosciences Inc., of Albuquerque, N.M.; the grant will fund the mechanistic investigation of how the exosomes exert their anticancer properties |
6/10/15 |
Viamet Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Research Triangle Park, N.C.) |
Department of Defense, Defense Medical Research and Development Program |
$1.95 |
Grant |
For the development of a topical antifungal agent to prevent and treat mold infections as a result of battlefield wounds |
6/4/15 |
|
Notes The date indicated refers to the BioWorld Today issue in which the news item can be found. For more information about individual companies and/or products, see Thomson Reuters Cortellis. | |||||