Imran Eba

MassBioDrive harnesses the power of MassBio’s global life sciences network to help new founders launch their biotech startups. We announced our #MassBioDrive Spring 2024 Cohort back in March, and as we near the end of the eight-week program, we are highlighting our five emerging biotech companies chosen to participate. Today, please meet Nucyrna Therapeutics! Q: Tell us about your company and what you’re developing. What are you most excited about? A: Nucyrna Therapeutics aims to redefine RNA-targeting therapeutics by co-targeting nuclear and cytoplasmic RNAs. Nucyrna’s oligonucleotide platform enables a superior therapeutics index for single RNA silencing and can serve as a dual-RNA targeting platform. With our lead programs targeting ALS, we are working to address the huge unmet medical needs in CNS disorders in our rapid aging society. I’m most excited about developing disease-modifying therapies for these patients. Q: What advice do you have for other biotech companies just getting started? A: It’s never too early to talk to advisors such as serial entrepreneurs for advice. MassBioDrive is an amazing mentorship program helping entrepreneurs figure out challenges at the early stage. Q: What has been most impactful or surprising to you since joining the MassBioDrive program? A: The most impactful thing is we have decided our leading two programs based on our oligonucleotide platform technology with the guidance from MassBioDrive program mentors. Learn more about Nucyrna Therapeutics: https://www.nucyrnatx.com/ Learn more about MassBioDrive: https://lnkd.in/eAEMRZ-b Damon (Feng) Wang, PhD

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MassBioDrive harnesses the power of MassBio’s global life sciences network to help new founders launch their biotech startups. We announced our #MassBioDrive Spring 2024 Cohort back in March, and as we near the end of the eight-week program, we are highlighting our five emerging biotech companies chosen to participate. Today, please meet Anita Scheuber and Hestia Therapeutics! Q: Tell us about your company and what you’re developing. What are you most excited about? A: At Hestia, we are developing the aNKor platform of tri-specific, tri-funtional immunocytokines that engage the adaptive AND innate immune system to very effectively attack cancer cells. Our approach is a targeted delivery of potent cytokines into the tumor microenvironment that is safer for patients compared to naked cytokines. Q: What advice do you have for other biotech companies just getting started? A: Surround yourself with a diverse group of people that bring industry relevant expertise to complement your own. Q: What has been most impactful or surprising to you since joining the MassBioDrive program? A: The Biotech hub in the Boston area remains strong, innovative and daring - it is just fantastic to learn through the MassBioDrive program that the immense resources, support and entrepreneurship still exists. It is truly inspiring and humbling to receive all that encouragement. Learn more about Hestia Therapeutics: https://hestiatx.com/ Learn more about MassBioDrive: https://lnkd.in/eAEMRZ-b

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Fabulous to be on the investor panel for Mintz’s Life Sciences Pitch Event today, on yet another glorious fall day in Boston. ☀️🍁 (Although perhaps all meetings that start at 8am should come with good weather?) Key feedback shared by our panel: 🔹 Ensure your target market is clear - especially when the population for your relevant indication is highly heterogenous 🔹 Share your current assumptions about how your product may be used (e.g., chronically vs. episodically) and open questions 🔹 If you're exploring a range of commercial use cases, share how you anticipate prioritizing across them over time 🔹 If your GTM strategy requires you to displace heavily entrenched solutions and/or processes, share how you will enable these transitions 🔹 Note the specific set of milestones to be achieved with investment 🔹 Always include target timelines and potential paths to exit Thank you to the incredible lineup of entrepreneurs who pitched today, and please stay in touch! Thank you to Dean Farmer and Charlie C. for facilitating today's event. Thank you to panelists David Fogel, CPA, Ben Littauer (he/him), Molly Hoult, and Richard Wagner for your contributions. Great to meet you, and thank you for all of your help, Emily (Krasowski) Yanachkov and Diana Malkin. #lifesciences #pitchevent #investor #panel #boston

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MassBio CEO & President Kendalle Burlin O'Connell, Esq. recently spoke with Adil Ali, MD and Onyx about representing the world's most consequential life sciences ecosystem, MassBio's Vision 2030 strategic roadmap, programs like #MassBioDrive and BioversityMA, and more. Onyx's in-depth report, Vital Signs: Future of Healthcare, will appear in Fortune magazine in December ahead of JPM Week. 🔗: https://lnkd.in/eVkggiwv

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There is a lot of advancement happening globally using the tools of AI. In drug discovery, using AI in an appropriate way to build a pipeline of effective solutions for patient health - therapeutics and diagnostics - that is where the rubber meets the road. Pipeline is key.

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How do we minimize the number of protocol amendments and increase the operational feasibility of our clinical trials? This article below points out the benefits of using data, conversations and real world data to enhance the feasibility of the protocol design and inclusion/exclusion criteria: 1) Are we being too strict on our criteria in order to "control" for data variability? 2) Do are criteria allow for the intended patient population in the real world (if not, they need to) 3) How realistic is your design in how the study sites actually work? How they see and treat patients? How is your company ensuring the design meets these requirements? https://lnkd.in/gzJzFd-3

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The health tech industry is entering 2025 with a cautiously optimistic outlook. While funding environments remain selective, the focus is shifting toward technologies and solutions that address critical healthcare needs with clear paths to impact. Investors are increasingly prioritizing scalability, clinical relevance, and robust commercialization strategies over speculative ventures. This trend underscores a maturing of the health tech sector, where the emphasis is on delivering transformative outcomes rather than following short-term market trends. This cautious yet focused funding climate presents both challenges and opportunities. Companies with differentiated platforms and a commitment to addressing unmet medical needs may find themselves well-positioned to secure support, even in a competitive environment. For the broader industry, this shift could lead to more impactful innovations reaching patients faster. Read more in this article in Endpoints News: https://lnkd.in/eTru3AcJ #HealthTech #Biotech #Innovation #FundingTrends #HealthcareSolutions

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Fast-forward 10 years when every bio company has access to highly performant models for in silico molecular design... Assuming this translates into many more high quality candidate molecules, there will be insatiable demand for already-scarce clinical development talent. Clinical development skillsets will become multiples more valuable. An optimist might argue we need to start preparing our clinical development regulatory and operational infrastructure for materially higher throughput.

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Not embarrassed to share Auxilius had a bit of cosmetic work done over the holidays. 💅 As of today, you’ll notice that the Auxilius website has a very different look and feel heading into 2025. While this is part of our effort to make clinical finance sexy (again?), we believe this more clearly reflects and articulates the way Auxilius supports the most innovative Biopharma finance and accounting teams in our industry. 🦾 The things we have in store for 2025 are anything but cosmetic. Auxilius customers will see a similar degree of change in our product this year. As our product becomes more robust (i.e., powerful, but big), we are making bold enhancements to our core workflows We are publicly launching three new offerings in 2025 — each designed to help our customers better plan and manage the most complex and variable components of R&D spend. Each has been designed and built collaboratively with early adopters among our 60+ customers, and we’re excited to make these available to the market broadly this year. 🔥 So yeah, I’ll say it. I’m fired up for 2025... https://www.auxilius.co/

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The pandemic was a challenging period for all. But it also offered us opportunities! The concept of Jupiter is a great example. Jupiter Bioventures, a product of virtual brainstorming with friends (Ned David, Ned Sharpless and Steve Tregay) to enable Mayo Clinic’s insatiable desire to create the next generation of Cures, is now a powerhouse of drug development that has attracted value-aligned investors and academic partners to join forces in the best interest of patients everywhere…. Congratulations Jupiter team! May the patients win….. Norman Sharpless Nathaniel David Steve Tregay Nirdesh K Gupta, PhD Steven VanNurden Peter Noseworthy, MD Vijay Shah Heidi Dieter Andy Danielsen Mayo Clinic Ventures James Rogers Clark Otley Olayemi (Yemi) Sokumbi, M.D. Pankaj Jay Pasricha Waleed Brinjikji Janani Reisenauer Justin Butler Geoff Johnson, MD, PhD Melissa Noel, MBA, MSE, Johannes Fruehauf, Owen Garrick, MD, Jeanette Caban Cheryl Willman, M.D. #venture, #biopharma, #capital, #venturecapital #accelerator, #drug #drugdevelopment, #development, #technology, #commercialization, #technologytransfer, #research, #clinicaltrial, #patient, #cure, #transform, #venturestudio, #disease, #cancer

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#digitalisation and #automation of #biopharma #manufacturing workflows, leading to #smartmanufacturing - don't miss this Bruker #webinar in a few weeks, with Anna Codina Matteo Pennestri and Sergey Shilov

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Excellent way to spend 1 minute, 30 seconds. DSO shares via an embedded video in the article below how Modality.AI is making an impact with patients. It is wonderful to have NIH SEED as a partner on this journey. Relentless Venture Fund David "DSO" Suendermann-Oeft #Neurotech #AI #BIO2024 #precisionmedicine #clinicaltrials #healthtech #healthcare #digitalhealth

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Get to know our #hardtech portfolio! Check out the first post in our 'portfolio spotlight' series! Aspect Biosystems, led by CEO Tamer Mohamed, is a leader in regenerative medicine and 3d bioprinting! Learn more below 👇

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MassBioDrive harnesses the power of MassBio’s global life sciences network to help new founders launch their biotech startups. We announced our #MassBioDrive Spring 2024 Cohort back in March, and as we near the end of the eight-week program, we are highlighting our five emerging biotech companies chosen to participate. Today, please meet DoriNano! Q: Tell us about your company and what you’re developing. What are you most excited about? A: DoriNano, a Harvard spinoff, pioneers the use of DNA origami nanoparticles as a transformative delivery platform for combination immunotherapies, offering precise cellular targeting and minimal effective doses of cargo for treating serious diseases. Our mission is to develop safe, effective, and affordable combination nanomedicines that overcome past limitations in nanoparticle-based therapeutics. We are particularly excited about the multifaceted potential of DNA origami nanoparticles, which have the potential to revolutionize the nanotechnology delivery landscape. Q: What advice do you have for other biotech companies just getting started? A: Starting a biotech company requires resilience, a willingness to learn, and openness to suggestions. Every challenge presents an opportunity for growth. Embrace the journey, endure sacrifice, minimize complaints, learn from setbacks, and move forward. Building the right team is the key and most challenging sector. Surround yourself with dedicated individuals who share your vision.  Q: What has been most impactful or surprising to you since joining the MassBioDrive program? A: The MassBioDrive program's structured approach, coupled with the dedication of organizers and mentors, has been very impactful. The informative working sessions cover vital aspects of company launch, regulatory compliance, legal considerations, CMC considerations, investment strategies and pharma partnering. As a scientist-turned-entrepreneur, these resources have been invaluable, providing comprehensive guidance tailored to our needs. The interactive Q&A sessions during both mentor sessions and working sessions have deepened our comprehension and helped address questions regarding the company’s development. Learn more about DoriNano: https://lnkd.in/eXJ7PQ_X Learn more about MassBioDrive: https://lnkd.in/eAEMRZ-b Yang (Claire) Zeng

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🔥 Some very exciting investments over the last week or so! 🧬 Some really innovative companies and advancements! City Therapeutics ($135M): A Cambridge, MA-based biopharmaceutical company, raised $135 million in Series A funding to advance its RNAi-based medicine. Maven Clinic ($125M): A New York-based virtual clinic for women's and family health, Maven Clinic raised $125 million in Series F funding to enhance its partnerships in maternity care. Purespring Therapeutics ($105M): A London-based gene therapy company, they raised $105 million in Series B funding to support its pipeline, including initiating a Phase I/II clinical trial for IgAN. Glooko ($100M): Digital health company, Glooko raised $100 million in Series F funding to accelerate the global expansion of its digital healthcare platform for diabetes management. Cytovale ($100M): A SF-based company founded secured a $100 million Series D funding to develop rapid tests for early detection of sepsis. This accelerate bringing their innovative tools to market. Orasis Pharmaceuticals: Raised $78 million to launch Qlosi™, a new eye drop for the treatment of presbyopia. ShiraTronics, Inc.: Raised $66 million to support its FDA-approved pivotal trial, RELIEV-CM2, and seek premarket approval for its migraine therapy system. Basecamp Research: Raised $60 million to expand its data collection, strengthen its AI capabilities, and invest in computing to tackle more complex tasks in the life sciences. Arda Therapeutics Raised $43 million to expand its operations and development efforts in targeted cell depletion therapies for chronic diseases. Eleanor Health: Raised $30 million to expand its outpatient addiction treatment services. MARAbio Raised $19 million to support the commercial launch of its autism test in 2025 and the development of therapeutic interventions. Lymphatica Medtech: Raised €17.9 million to accelerate the clinical development and validation of LymphoDrain, an implantable device designed to treat lymphedema. Centaur Labs: Raised over $16 million to expand its operations and development efforts in health data annotation. Somagenetix: Raised CHF10 million to advance its leading gene therapy candidate, SGX-001, for phagocyte disorders. MiLaboratories: Raised an undisclosed amount to create software solutions that enhance biological research and development. Amprion Raised $6 million to expand its commercial reach and invest in research and development to improve brain disease diagnosis. Booster Therapeutics: Raised $15 million in seed funding. clock.bio: Raised $5.3 million to build its "Atlas of Rejuvenation Factors" by identifying genes influencing aging. LEVY Health Raised $4.5 million to integrate its virtual care pathways with electronic medical record software and expand its offerings to women's health and reproductive care. ALPHA FUSION INC. Raised ¥1.02 billion to expand its research and development efforts in targeted alpha therapy using Astatine-211 for cancer treatment.

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"Innovation isn't just about problem-solving—it's about amplifying strengths and pushing the boundaries from good to great." Truly excited about the insightful discussion we had at the #keynote panel of CDMI 2024 on how to foster innovation in the pharmaceutical industry. Where distinguished experts, including Joshua Cox of Eli Lilly and Company, Wendy Morahan of IQVIA, and Kimberly Barnholt of Genentech., Roche, shared their insights on how to get there. Here is how: 💡 Continuous Improvement – Even high-performing processes can be enhanced. Regularly refine and evaluate systems to stay ahead. 🤖 Leverage Emerging Tech – AI and machine learning can supercharge decision-making and streamline data analysis. 🌟 Focus on User Experience—Innovations should not only work but also make systems more intuitive and efficient for users. 🤝 Cross-Functional Collaboration – When diverse teams collaborate, breakthroughs happen. Different perspectives drive unexpected improvements. 💼 Buy vs. Build Tech Solutions Buying: Quick to implement, cost-effective, and backed by expertise, but with limited customization. Building: Tailored solutions for specific needs, offering greater control but requiring more resources and ongoing maintenance. Often, a hybrid approach—combining off-the-shelf solutions with custom integrations—delivers the best of both worlds. 🔒 Balancing Innovation & Data Security While pushing innovation forward, never lose sight of data protection. Privacy by design – Bake security into every process. Data governance – Clear policies ensure consistency. Regular security audits – Stay proactive in identifying vulnerabilities. By balancing bold innovation with data stewardship, organizations can drive impactful growth while safeguarding trust and valuable assets. Let's innovate smarter together! #Innovation #AI #TechLeadership #DataSecurity #DigitalTransformation #AI #TechLeadership #DataSecurity #DigitalTransformation #ClinicalTrials #Innovation #PatientCentricity #AI #DataStewardship #Leadership #Biopharma Joshua Cox, Eli Lilly and Company Dr. Prasun Mishra, Agility Pharmaceuticals Kimberly Barnholt, Genentech Wendy Morahan, IQVIA Arena International Events Group American Association for Precision Medicine (AAPM) #aapmhealth #aapm_health WISE World Investors & Entrepreneurs Society #drugdiscovery #drugdevelopment #clinicaldata #ai #news

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Yesterday's new FDA Guidance make you think of any companies that recently got phase 3 approval? Altimmune, Inc. to the moon. 🚀 "To ensure that drug induced or biologic-induced weight reduction is caused primarily by a reduction in fat content, not lean-body mass, a representative sample of trial subjects should have a baseline and follow up measurement of body composition by DXA or a suitable alternative." - Updated FDA Draft Guidance, pg 11, Sect 3C (General Safety Assessment of Weight-Reduction Drugs).

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Appreciate John Glasspool’s op/ed in the Boston Business Journal. He brings the perspective of a CEO of a Cambridge-based #biotech, MassBio member Anthos Therapeutics, to the debate over the White House’s plans to use Bayh-Dole as a blunt instrument to force price controls. The reality is that any effort to use “march in” rights like this would hurt innovation, chill the collaborative relationship between research institutes and small biotechs (which are the lion’s share of Massachusetts’ industry) when it comes to advancing early science, and do nothing to address the price of drugs. You can’t argue with Bayh-Dole’s success: 6 million jobs, $2 trillion in economic output, thousands of startups, and 200+ drugs and vaccines. As John points out, we can’t go back to a time when science sat on shelves instead of getting into medicine cabinets. https://lnkd.in/ezkNndKA cc: The Bayh-Dole Coalition

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While mRNA modification has significantly mitigated inflammation and toxicity in RNA therapies, leading to successful market entries, the same success has not been fully mirrored in lipid-based delivery systems. The toxicity and inflammatory responses associated with these delivery vehicles remain critical hurdles, as evidenced by numerous clinical trial failures involving LNPs and other advanced delivery systems. At Orion Therapeutics, our cutting-edge lipopeptide delivery platform addresses these challenges by enhancing the therapeutic index and reducing toxicity, offering a robust solution for the most challenging hurdles in genetic medicine - The Issue of Delivery. Recognizing the potential of our platform to address a wide range of therapeutic areas, we are actively seeking opportunities to out-license our technology. This strategic approach allows us to collaborate with partners aiming to harness the power of RNA therapies in their own pipelines, expanding the impact of our innovations across the biotech landscape and contributing to the advancement of genetic medicine. Join us at the MassBio Align Summit to explore how our technology is setting new benchmarks; we will be presenting at 10:50 AM tomorrow in the East Tower room. #AlignSummit24 #AlignSummit #AIDrugDiscovery #LNP #RNA

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