Next Phase Newsletter

A strategic corporate venture fund of a pharmaceutical company actively invests in early-stage biotech companies that are of strategic interest to the parent pharmaceutical. The firm invests in global opportunities, but focuses primarily on North America and Europe.

The firm invests in early-stage therapeutics and platform technology companies. The firm’s main areas of interest include immunology and inflammation, kidney disease including transplant, serious diseases treated in hospitals, neurodegenerative disease, and rare disease. Regarding platform technologies, the firm is interested in drug discovery technologies for small molecule, peptide, nucleic acid, and other novel modalities, delivery systems (CNS, kidney disease), and cell therapies (excluding those targeting oncology). The firm invests primarily in pre-clinical opportunities, and can consider those as early as discovery stage. The firm does not actively seek opportunities in medical devices, diagnostics, or digital health at this time.

The firm has no specific company or management team requirements. The firm, alongside with the parent pharmaceutical company and an in-house Open Innovation Center, can help companies beyond capital. The firm can offer scientific expertise, and is able to collaborate on early stage proof-of-concept experiments and projects with emerging companies.

If you are interested in more information about this investor and other investors tracked by LSN, please email mandates@lifesciencenation.com.

A venture fund formed by a group of high net-worth individuals in China has offices in USA and China. The fund is currently seeking investment opportunities globally with a focus on China and the US. Projects based in Canada, Germany, and Switzerland may also be considered.

The fund pays close attention to investment opportunities from seed and early stages to growth stage. For seed and early stage projects, the fund makes investments in convertible notes and equity and is flexible on investment size. For growth stage projects, the fund makes equity investments of US$1-5 million in businesses with valuation of up to US$18-20 million. Due to its evergreen fund structure, the fund takes a long-term approach to investment. The fund typically syndicates in a financing round and would like to partner with local co-investors in case of overseas investments.

The firm focuses on high-growth fields in medical devices, diagnostics, digital health, and consumer products. The firm is agnostic to disease areas. In diagnostics, the fund is interested in portable imaging devices, high-intensity ultrasound, point-of-care diagnostics, and molecular diagnostics. In digital health, the fund is interested in technologies that can be applicable to the Chinese market, such as connected devices, telemedicine, and patient-physician platforms. In consumer products, the fund in interested in OTC, nutrition and dietary supplements that have proven efficacy and are on market.

The firm is looking to work with serial entrepreneurs from seed and early stages to growth stage to form complete and strong teams. The fund typically cooperates with local co-investors who play a supervisory role in overseas operations.

If you are interested in more information about this investor and other investors tracked by LSN, please email mandates@lifesciencenation.com.

A high-tech enterprise with offices in Europe and Asia focuses on the R&D, manufacturing and sales of implantable medical devices. The firm’s line of products include dural substitutes and cranioplasty implant for neurosurgery, and more. Now, the firm is actively seeking external opportunities for investment and other types of strategic partnerships. With regard to investment, the firm will generally invest within one million dollar per deal. The firm is open to global opportunities.

The firm is interested in expanding their business by investing and partnering with medical device companies. The firm is not interested in therapeutics, diagnostics, or digital health. The firm is most interested in Class III implantable medical devices, but will not exclude Class I or II. The firm is open to working with companies across all stages of development.

The firm has 2 main focuses within medical devices, according their stage of development:

(1) Products at early development stage: the firm is open to investing in companies at the idea-level, or those with a prototype that have not yet started clinical trials. In addition to direct equity investment in these stages, the firm is also interested in accelerating the path to market by helping with product development, regulatory and preclinical tests. The firm can act as a lead or co-investor.

(2) Products at later stage: For products that have demonstrated efficacy through clinical trials with patients, the firm is open to exploring beyond direct investment, such as joint venture, licensing, co-development, etc. The firm can provide strategic value to these companies and also assist with China market entry.

If you are interested in more information about this investor and other investors tracked by LSN, please email mandates@lifesciencenation.com.

By Claire Jeong, Chief Conference Officer, Vice President of Investor Research, Asia BD, LSN

Last week, Life Science Nation hosted RESI Boston at the Westin Copley Place, for which over 700 attendees registered.

This time, we had 50+ companies from 10 different countries participate in the Innovator’s Pitch Challenge (IPC). As with the usual IPC format, all finalist companies pitched in front of a judging panel and exhibited a poster showcasing their technology in the exhibit hall. All attendees were provided with “RESI Cash”, which was used to vote for their favorite Innovators. IPC winners will receive complimentary RESI tickets valued up to 12K for the future RESI conference.

Here are the Top 3 IPC finalists who secured the most RESI Cash and were crowd favorites at RESI.

1^st Place – Thrive Bioscience

Claire Jeong, Chief Conference Officer, Vice President of Investor Research, Asia BD, LSN | Thomas Forest Farb-Horch, CEO & Board Director, Thrive Bioscience | Dennis Ford, Founder & CEO, LSN

Thrive Bioscience, founded in 2014 and based in the Boston area sells a family of instruments and software that provide previously unavailable data, imaging, analytics, and automation for live cell biology. Thrive is providing automated, extensive, and comparable images and data sets on live cells that are needed for artificial intelligence, machine learning, data mining, improved processes, and breakthrough insights. Thrive is also developing and delivering software modules for key drug discovery workflows that use machine learning to improve experimental assays and research insights. Thrive has raised $34M to-date and is in the last few weeks of closing an oversubscribed $9.25m Series B Convertible Note. Thrive is seeking $5M of financing for an acquisition of a small profitable company and expects to conduct a $15M Series B this year. Thrive has sold and received orders for 75 of its automated live cell imaging instruments, with a price range from $120k to $275k. Thrive has limited competition and has filed 86 patent applications of which 28 have issued. Even though live cells and tissues in culture are key to biomedical research, the collection and analysis of data on live cells has been inefficient, insufficient and non-comparable. Thrive instruments solve these problems for applications that include drug discovery/development, cancer research, in vitro toxicology, infectious disease research, growing stem cells, and regenerative medicine.

2^nd Place – Clinials

Emily Thompson, Marketing and Community Lead, Clinials | Maree Beare, CEO, Clinials | Karen Deyo, Director of Product, Israel BD, LSN | Dennis Ford, Founder & CEO, LSN

Clinials is an AI driven participant recruitment platform, solving the problem where 80% of clinical trials fail to meet enrolment deadlines. Clinical trials are costly necessities for research and development (R&D) of novel devices and treatments, yet with more than half failing to finish they become even costlier for pharmaceutical companies. Without R&D we wouldn’t have products like birth control or cancer treatments, this is why fixing the problem of clinical trials being unable to recruit participants is so important.

Clinials’ platform works with AI, converting complex trial protocol into plain language anyone can understand. We’re also speaking to participants when they’re ready to sign up for a trial, unlike the old methods which call databases of uninterested patients out of the blue. Clinials started when my husband enrolled in a clinical trial and was not only drowned in paperwork but had a difficult time understanding the trial despite working in health. Our constructive methods are working for vaccine, diabetes, chronic pain and a host of other therapeutic trials which had previously failed in recruitment.

3^rd Place – Untech

Candice He, VP, Business Development & Global Investment Strategist, LSN | Rubén C. Salim Brovia, CEO & Co-Founder, Untech | Alberto N. Ramos Vernieri, CTO & Co-Founder, Untech | Dennis Ford, Founder & CEO, LSN

Untech Inc is a biotech company that has developed a proprietary breakthrough medication for chronic wounds. This dramatic problem affects more than 120 million patients in the world and there is no definitive solution available. After 15 years of research, Untech has developed a unique all-in-one solution that heals these wounds. The product is expected to enter the global market in 2026. Series A is currently open. Chronic wounds, like diabetic, venous and pressure ulcers are complex injuries that do not heal, often leading to amputations. The FDA considers chronic wounds as an Unmet Medical Need because of the increasing number of patients (diabetes, life expectancy and obesity), the huge disease severity, and the lack of efficacy of the available treatments (60% of patients take more than 1 year to heal). Based on a novel approach, Untech has developed a gel that, applied directly to the wounds, attacks all the causes at the same time, achieving healing, and making it the most promising solution for the patients. It has the potential to accelerate the healing time from years to months, drastically reduce the probability of amputation and allow patients to remain ambulatory. The global wound care market was over USD $18B in 2022 (CAGR: 6.2%). Currently, Untech is starting Clinical Phase I, has the patent granted in the US and finalized in 45 countries the national phases of the IP process (90% of global market).

If you’re interested in the upcoming Innovator’s Pitch Challenge, apply to the IPC for RESI Boston September 18-20. Pitching will take place on the in-person day, September 18th. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, so get your application submitted today!

Deadline: Wednesday, August 9

RESI Boston September 2023 registration opens at super early bird rates. Register now to save $500 by Friday, June 30.

By Momo Yamamoto, Investor Research Analyst, LSN

After announcing RESI Boston June’s IPC finalists last week, LSN is excited to announce our IPC judges! Our judges will be participating in 14 IPC sessions taking place all day on June 5^th at the Westin Copley Place with 50+ companies pitching. Representing investment and industry experts of therapeutics, medical devices, diagnostics, and R&D and life science tools, IPC judges will hold a Q&A session following each pitch. Company poster boards will also be available to view at the RESI Exhibitor Hall, so don’t worry if you can’t attend a session! All registered attendees will receive “RESI Cash” to “invest” or vote for their favorite companies. The Top 3 companies with the most votes will be announced at the end of the day and will receive a prize along with a feature in the LSN newsletter!

Take a look below for to see who is judging!

Christopher Aleong Managing Director, North America BioEngine Capital	Jay Batchu Analyst Xontogeny	Alexandra Bause Co-Founder & Venture Partner Apollo Health Ventures
Rick Berenson Director – Executive Board Mass Medical Angels	Randy Berholtz Senior Advisor Mesa Verde Venture Partners	Kumar Bhargava Managing Partner PharmaCatalyst
Barri Blauvelt Investment Advisor Tamer Group	Karthik Bolisetty Senior Associate Gilde Healthcare Partners	Rebecca Brandes Managing Director Agilent Technologies
Lee Burnes Senior Vice President, Global Research & Development Avanos Medical	Jeffrey Champagne Screening Committee Boston Harbor Angels	Bruce Cohen Venture Partner Xeraya Capital
Alex de Winter Vice President of New Ventures Danaher Corporation	Ronald Dorenbos Principal Charles River Laboratories	Bettina Ernst Director BERNINA BioInvest
Marissa Fayer U.S. Partner Goddess Gaia Ventures	Justin Feng Senior Associate MRL Ventures Fund (MRLV)	Daniel Franke Principal M Ventures
Tom Gibbs Director Debiopharm Innovation Fund	Tai Harada Vice President Fast Track Initiative	Michael Huang Managing Partner Taiwania Capital
Hanuman Jampani Founder & President Samrus International	Anil Jina Executive in Residence Iaso Ventures	Jennifer Jordan Venture Partner iGlobe Partners
Adam Kundzewicz Executive Director Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund	Seo Lee Director SV Investment	Carla Lema Tomé Search & Evaluation Lead Spark Therapeutics
Jeffrey Moore President MP Healthcare Venture Management (MPH)	Ahmed Mousa Business Development Executive Tamer Group	Iris Ohrn Investment Adviser Business Region Goteborg
John Pennett Angel Investor Mid Atlantic Bio Angels	Jon Popke Member Mid Atlantic Bio Angels	Kou Qin Investment Principal Eisai Inc.
Chandra Ramanathan Global Head, Innovation Hubs Danaher Corporation	Rachel Rath Director, BARDA Alliance Johnson & Johnson Innovation	Brock Reeve CEO and Co-Founder Eos BioInnovation
Jack Resnick Inception Program Specialist NVIDIA VC Alliance	Stephanie Rusinkiewicz Sr. Manager of Business Development & Licensing, Surgical Innovation, Hernia & Wound Management Medtronic	Sara Secall Investment Director Inveready Asset Management
Colin Sheehan Associate Director, Ventures Orange Grove Bio	Jill Sorensen Chief Operating Officer Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium (MTEC)	Avi Spier Director, Strategic Alliances Novartis
Christopher Tan Executive Director, Search & Evaluation, Business Development & Licensing, ID & Vaccines Merck & Co., Inc.	Mark Tang Managing Director Good Health Capital	Wei Tao Board Director & Chair, Bio/Genomics Life Science Angels
Hung-Loi (Lloyd) Tran Partner Transpacific Venture Capital Partners	Jingjing Wang Senior Associate Lightstone Ventures	Tim Xu Senior Director, Business Development, Search & Evaluation Karuna Therapeutics

By Greg Mannix, Vice President International Business Development, General Manager Europe, LSN

RESI is well-known for its vibrant partnering and high turnout of active investors, licensing partners and service providers focused on the early-stage life science community, but there is also an all-star line-up of quality educational content to help entrepreneurs on their fundraising journeys. Insightful investor panels will discuss key topics surrounding investment and partnership in specific areas of the life sciences and provide perspective on different investor types. There will also be live workshops focused on the most relevant issues that keep entrepreneurs up at night, imparted by experts in their fields.

Register for RESI for active partnering with a 3-day hybrid registration, or simply to partake in the amazing content being offered on June 5^th with an Audience Access Pass. More Information Here

LSN NEW PRODUCT RELEASE – “Global Partnering Campaign (GPC), Fundraising & Licensing Partner Roadshow Management.”

Monday, June 5 | 8:00 – 8:30am ET; 12:00 – 12:30am ET

LSN will debut a leading-edge platform called the “Global Partnering Campaign (GPC), Fundraising & Licensing Partner Roadshow Management.” The GPC integrates LSN’s Investor and Licensing Partner Database and the Salesforce CRM.

Subscribing companies receive a vetted Global Target List (GTL) of likely partners garnered through one-on-one interviews with the LSN research team, which can be organized into three tiers of Investor Priority:

• Tier 1: Partner is matched on a specific mandate.
• Tier 2: Partner is matched on an opportunistic mandate seeking compelling technology assets.
• Tier 3: Partner is matched as a potential fit based on past or recent actions. This is where the numbers game comes into play.

Information on these profiles is automatically updated daily, and user outreach and tasks can be tracked intuitively with CRM components, including the following:

• Status of Outreach (Lead, Reviewing Materials, Call/Meeting Scheduled, etc.)
• Materials Sent (Executive Summary, Pitch Deck, etc.)
• Notes (NDA status, DD, and data room)
• Reporting (investor/licensing pipeline)

LSN customized this platform, leveraging years of experience as a broker/dealer helping early-stage life sciences companies attract capital. Fundraising is a numbers game, and as companies transition from the regional to the global arena, difficulty juggling outreach with many different companies and contacts worldwide is inevitable. Managing your fundraising campaign adroitly is essential, and with the GPC platform, LSN makes it simple. The GPC product is a game changer for early-stage startups seeking between $100K and $50M (Seed-Series B).

Please join the GPC presentation on managing your global partnering campaign.

Presenter:

Karen Deyo, Director of Product, Israel BD, Life Science Nation

The NIH as a Technology Development and Commercialization Partner

Monday, June 5 | 9:00 – 9:50am ET

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is a resource that companies should consider to bolster their pipeline or solve a development problem. Join us for a live webinar with representatives from various groups within the NIH for an opportunity to learn how your organization can partner with the NIH to get products to market. Participants will learn: • The NIH is more than basic research. Economic development is part of the mission. • That companies, entrepreneurs, and other buy-side stakeholders – not just academia – can partner with the NIH. • Why industry partnerships are mutually beneficial for companies and the NIH. • How companies have worked with the NIH (success stories and partnership examples). • Next steps – points of contact, partnering mechanisms, licensing.

Presenters:

• Michael Salgaller, PhD, Supervisory Specialist, Technology Transfer Center, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (Moderator)
• Tara L. Kirby, Ph.D., Director, Office of Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health
• Vladimir Popov, Ph.D., Chief Innovation Officer, Center for Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research
• Anthony D. Saleh, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer and Founder, miRecule, Inc.

Tales from the Road

Monday, June 5 | 10:00 – 10:50am ET

The industry has quickly adapted to a “new normal” – entrepreneurs and investors meet virtually over digital platforms to discuss potential investment opportunities, and it is not uncommon to see entrepreneurs raise capital from investors they have never met before in person. That said, there is no doubt that the fundraising journey continues to be challenging for many. In this panel, you will be able to hear fellow entrepreneurs share their experiences, from successes to challenges. This panel will discuss the following topics and more: • What are some of the greatest challenges entrepreneurs have faced, especially during the pandemic, and how were they overcome? • How did entrepreneurs identify investors that fit their technology? • What are some misconceptions entrepreneurs had about the early-stage investment landscape? Furthermore, entrepreneurs will share unique tips and insights they have gained from their fundraising experiences, and how others can work their way towards a more successful campaign.

Presenters:

• Greg Mannix, VP of International Business Development, Life Science Nation (Moderator)
• Ross Bundy, Co-founder and CEO, CRISPR QC
• Brian DellaValle, CEO, GLX Analytix
• Robert Rioux, CEO, theraGI
• Martha Shadan, Board Member, MedExecWomen

Negotiating Term Sheets

Monday, June 5 | 11:00 – 11:50am ET

This interactive workshop, organized and led by McDermott Will & Emery, will provide wisdom to early-stage CEOs and management on the latest trends in term sheets, with a focus on founder and management equity opportunities. The workshop will cover common issues of concern to entrepreneurs (valuation/dilution, liquidation preference, board makeup, protective provisions, anti-dilution). Experts from the legal, investment and entrepreneurial community will discuss the interplay of financing milestones in the term sheet discussion.

Presenters:

• Mark Mihanovic, Partner, McDermott Will & Emery
• Richard Smith, Counsel, McDermott Will & Emery
• Nancy Briefs, President & CEO, AltrixBio, Inc.
• Isaac Stoner, MBA, CEO, Octagon Therapeutics
• Wasim Malik, Managing Partner, Iaso Ventures

IP Considerations for Start-ups

Monday, June 5 | 1:00 – 1:50pm ET

Intellectual Property is an absolutely key issue for life science startups to understand in order to make the right decisions along the journey toward commercialization. This session, led by Burns & Levinson Partner Shawn Foley, will address the main aspects of a good IP strategy that will help guide life science entrepreneurs be better prepared as they move their technologies forward.

Presenter:

Shawn P. Foley, Partner, Burns & Levinson

Maximizing Pre-Clinical Development Success for VC-Backed Start-Ups Through CRO Partnerships

Monday, June 5 | 2:00 – 2:50pm ET

Preclinical development is often complex and non-linear. You need to coordinate several CROs, CDMOs and an army of consultants while project managing it all. Join our workshop as we discuss best practices in finding and engaging with the right CRO partners to increase your chance of getting to IND faster, with greater success. Choosing the right CRO partner not only saves you time, money and whole lotta nerves, but gets the attention of investors. Investors appreciate well thought out, fully integrated product development plans that clearly identify value inflection milestones, contingencies, and mitigation strategies. The right CRO partner will make you look good in the eyes of investors—make sure to take advantage of that!

Presenters:

• Marta New, PhD, MBA, CEO, Radyus Research
• Omar Khalil, PhD, General Partner, Sante Ventures
• Livija Deban, CSO, Prokarium Ltd
• John Foglesong, MBA, CEO, Grannus Therapeutics
• Paul Tebbey, PhD, MBA, Board Member & Advisor, Radyus Research

Fundraising Strategy and Messaging for First-Time CEOs

Monday, June 5 | 3:00 – 3:50pm ET

Join the Life Science Nation team to master the art of fundraising from Seed to Series B. Discover the essential insights and strategies to avoid common pitfalls and maximize your fundraising success. Learn about early-stage life science investors and uncover the 10 fundraising myths that can waste your time and hinder your progress. Additionally, we will share tips on Branding & Messaging, develop a strong brand identity and create high-quality collateral that engages potential investors. Communicate your message clearly and concisely to help investors decide quickly if you’re a potential fit. Gain the essential knowledge and skills to shape a strong fundraising strategy and increase your chances of securing the capital you need. This workshop is a must-attend for first-time CEOs and seasoned entrepreneurs seeking fundraising success.

Presenters:

• Claire (Chae-Kyeong) Jeong, VP, Investor Research & Asia BD, Life Science Nation
• Candice He, VP, Business Development & Global Investment Strategist, Life Science Nation

Company Valuation for Fundraising

Monday, June 5 | 4:00 – 4:50pm ET

Valuation is a key aspect of fundraising. An average value assumption for each company in a specific financing stage just does not do it anymore. For entrepreneurs, as for investors, its important to understand the value drivers of a company. We are looking at the financing trends of the last years, discuss dos and don’ts when speaking with investors and look at how to value a life science company with no revenues. Agenda: • Overview financing trends • Which is the right investor • Dos and don’ts • Company valuation approaches • Conclusion

Presenters:

• Patrik Frei, Founder & CEO, Venture Valuation AG, Switzerland
• Gergely Ivanyi, PharmD, Senior Consultant, Venture Valuation

By Candice He, Vice President of Business Development, Global Investment Strategist, LSN

Dear Life Science Nation Community,

We are thrilled to announce several upcoming events in the life science industry next week that are hosted by our close friend and partners. These events present excellent opportunities for networking, knowledge sharing, and collaboration. We invite you to join us and connect with like-minded professionals.

Here’s a list of the upcoming events:

1. 2023 Enmore Biologics Development Summit

• Date: Sunday, June 4, 2023
• Time: 8:00 am – 5:30 pm EDT
• Location: Hilton Boston/Woburn, 2 Forbes Road, Woburn, MA 01801
• Event Link: 2023 Enmore Biologics Development Summit

2. Bullpen Networking Get-Together

• Date: Monday, June 5, 2023
• Time: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm EDT
• Location: Howl at the Moon, 184 High Street, Boston
• Event Link: Bullpen Networking Get-Together

3. Burns & Levinson and JPM – Kick-Off Cocktail Party

• Date: Monday, June 5, 2023
• Time: 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm EDT
• Location: Exchange Conference Center, 212 Northern Ave, Boston Fish Pier, Boston, MA 02210
• Event Link: Burns & Levinson and JPM – Kick-Off Cocktail Party

4. Bullpen Harbor Cruise

• Date: Tuesday, June 6, 2023
• Time: 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm EDT
• Location: Boston Harbor Hotel
• Event Link: Bullpen Harbor Cruise

5. MWE Biobash

• Date: Tuesday, June 6, 2023
• Time: 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm EDT
• Location: Moakley US Courthouse, Boston, MA
• Event Link: MWE Biobash

6. M2D2 Point of Care Showcase & Pitch Event

• Date: Tuesday, June 6, 2023
• Time: 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm EDT
• Location: Mintz, 1 Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111
• Event Link: M2D2 Point of Care Showcase & Pitch Event

7. Richi Entrepreneurs – Social Event

• Date: Wednesday, June 7, 2023
• Time: 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm EDT
• Location: CIC Cambridge @ 1 Broadway
• Event Link: Richi Entrepreneurs – Social Event

We look forward to meeting you at these exciting events. It’s an excellent opportunity to expand your network and stay updated with the latest developments in the life science industry. Don’t miss out on the chance to connect with fellow professionals and potential collaborators.

See you there!

Best regards,

The Life Science Nation Team