Valo Health Announces the Acquisition of Courier Therapeutics

“We are enthusiastic about Courier’s proprietary cell-targeting technology because we believe it positions Valo to create a new frontier in cancer-immunotherapies,” said David Berry, Valo CEO. “This acquisition provides Valo with a unique opportunity to expand our proprietary capabilities into protein therapeutics, thereby extending our modalities and our reach while enabling us to potentially pioneer precision […]

Wugen Raises $172 Million to Advance Clinical Stage Memory NK Cell Platform, Progress Best-In-Class AML Program, and Initiate Multiple Solid Tumor Trials

Proceeds to advance clinical development of WU-NK-101 for relapsed/refractory AML, and initiate studies in solid tumor indications.

Oversubscribed Series B co-led by Abingworth and Tybourne Capital Management, and joined by Fidelity Management & Research Company and Intermediate Capital Group (ICG) as well as existing investors RiverVest Venture Partners, LYZZ Capital, and Lightchain Capital.

Wugen technology licensed from Washington University in St. Louis.

Compound may prevent risk of form of arrhythmia from common medications (Links to an external site)

While the compound needs additional verification and testing, the researchers say there is tremendous potential for this compound or others like it and could help to convert second-line drugs into first-line drugs and return others to the market. With assistance from the Washington University Office of Technology Management, they have patented the compound, and Cui has founded a startup company, VivoCor, to continue to work on the compound and others like it as potential drug candidates.

DiAntonio, Milbrandt honored for innovation, entrepreneurship (Links to an external site)

DiAntonio and Milbrandt co-founded a startup biotechnology company called Disarm Therapeutics with a focus on developing treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. Global pharmaceutical maker Eli Lilly and Company recently acquired Disarm, with the goal of speeding development of new therapies for a variety of devastating neurological conditions caused by the deterioration of axons, the vital wiring of the nervous system.

Arch Oncology Secures $105 Million Series C Financing (Links to an external site)

“Arch Oncology’s highly differentiated approach to the development of anti-CD47 agents is a promising development in the immuno-oncology space,” said John McKearn, Ph.D., Managing Director, RiverVest Venture Partners and Chairman of the Board of Arch Oncology. “We look forward to continuing to support the Company as it develops and advances its robust pipeline of promising drug candidates, including a broad clinical program for AO-176.”

Invitation: WashU Celebration of Inventors 2021

Join the WashU Office of Technology Management for this annual event honoring: 2020 Patent Awards New Faculty Startups — Caeli Vascular, Capella Imaging, Coordinate Medical Systems, DeepSight Technology, HSpeQ, Integro Theranostics & Percayai National Academy of Inventors Fellows & Senior Member — Randall Bateman, Richard Cote, Michael Diamond & Scott Hultgren Thursday, April 15, 20214:30 […]

Wugen Announces Exclusive License Agreement for their Memory Natural Killer (NK) Cell-based Therapy Program with Washington University in St. Louis (Links to an external site)

Wugen Inc., a biotechnology company developing novel, universal allogeneic cellular therapies, today announced that it has entered into an exclusive license agreement with Washington University in St. Louis, one of the world’s leading research institutions, for the development of Wugen’s Memory Natural Killer (NK) Cell program.

St. Louis-based Precision Virologics and India’s Biotech leader Bharat Biotech obtain rights to intranasal COVID-19 vaccine technology (Links to an external site)

Biotech startup Precision Virologics, which develops adenovirus-based vaccines in St. Louis, and Bharat Biotech, a manufacturing giant of vaccines, jointly obtained rights from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis for a novel chimp-adenovirus vaccine for COVID-19. Precision Virologics has optioned rights for USA, Europe, and Japan. Bharat has obtained a license for all other markets.

New WashU Faculty Startups

New Faculty Startups (FY July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020) Caeli VascularCapella ImagingCoordinate Medical SystemsDeepSight TechnologyHSpeQIntegro TheranosticsPercayai The new startups will be introduced at the annual WashU Celebration of Inventors on April 15, 2021 via Zoom.