Presenting Companies
Spring 2020 Conference
AHEAD produces AI-enabled diagnostic and clinical decision support solutions for blood cancer management. AHEAD-flow is fully automated triage platform for blood cancer flow cytometry analysis. AHEAD-flow is the fastest triage option; it only takes around 7 seconds per patient specimen, more than 100 times faster than the manual interpretation needed with other current analysis softwares. AHEAD-flow solution has completed proof of concept study in both new diagnosis and disease monitoring settings.
Apricity delivers specialty expertise with digital technologies to points-of-care, empowering practicing oncologists and nurses to better manage their patients undergoing cancer treatments, making novel life-saving cancer therapies (with a focus on immunotherapies) safer and better for more patients, especially those without access to specialty care. Founding team include Lynda Chin (Founder of Center for Genomic Medicine at MD Anderson) and Jim Allison (Nobel laureate)
Aro Biotherapeutics is focused on the development of a new protein drug platform called Centyrins, designed to achieve better efficacy and safety profiles for patients with cancer and other serious diseases. Centyrins are designed to achieve new therapeutic mechanisms by simultaneously targeting multiple cell surface receptors and delivering complex drug payloads to specific cell types and tissues.
Blue Note Therapeutics is a venture-backed, prescription digital therapeutics company singularly focused on improving the lives of cancer patients. The company is creating clinically validated, FDA approved, prescription digital medical devices, which will be prescribed by physicians and reimbursed by payers.
(Canget) is a startup pharma company registered in NY State in 2012 and focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of highly effective and low toxicity cancer-targeted small molecule drugs that address multiple mechanisms of cancer treatment resistance. The company plans to submit its lead drug FL118 IND for the treatment of colorectal and pancreatic cancers in Q4 2020, and enter human clinical trials in 2021. Additional INDs for FL118 indications and platform analogues will be filed following results from FL118 clinical trials.
Creatv MicroTech is a privately-held company which specializes in microfabrication and biodetection. The company’s business is based on cutting-edge research and development – leveraging our expertise in the sciences and engineering related to high-aspect-ratio microfabrication and ultra-sensitive biodetection. Creatv’s fabrication of micro-metal and composite microstructures is unmatched by anyone in the world. Creatv’s microfabricated CellSieveTM microfilters are ideally suited for liquid cell biopsy for cancer diagnostics.
Cybrexa has developed alphalex™, a novel tumor targeting platform. Cybrexa alphalex powers new applications and combinations of existing cancer therapeutics using an elegant approach for targeted intracellular drug delivery, independent of surface antigens. Leveraging alphalex, we are passionate about discovering new ways to effectively treat cancer and meaningfully improve lives.
Decoy Biosystems is a biotechnology company developing a novel and potentially best in class, multiple Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonist-based cancer immunotherapy. Decoy is dedicated to enhancing the expanding curative cancer immunology for patients with unresectable or metastatic solid tumors and lymphomas, which are responsible for approximately 90 percent of all cancer deaths.
Diverse Biotech is a US-based biopharmaceutical company, focused on medical discoveries and the development of new molecules for the treatment in Oncology and other debilitating diseases. Our focus is on discovering and developing novel therapeutics utilizing cannabidiol (CBD) as a core component and fusing it through our highly advanced chemistry platform with other molecules to develop completely new drugs/compounds that are theoretically more efficacious and less toxic. Our initial focus is on hard-to-treat oncologic disorders including Pancreatic cancer and Glioblastoma, where targeted therapies have proven largely unsuccessful thus far and there is significant unmet need.
Ehmet Health is positioned to be the leader within the radiotherapy market dedicated to improving outcomes and be the gold-standard treatment for treating breast cancer…..the most diagnosed cancer amongst women. Ehmet will achieve this by delivering clinical solutions that are cost effective, clinically superior and easy to operate. The “mammoknife” is the culmination of over a decade of work perfecting a radiation therapy device designed specifically for the breast. The design isolate’s the breast from all other organs avoiding unnecessary radiation and dramatically reducing secondary toxicity. The proprietary shielding allows the disruptive technology to be deployed without the need for traditional radiation bunkers meaning, any surgery center, outpatient clinic or mobile provider will be potential partners and customers. Reimbursement is in place to address the financial needs of our customers and shareholders, and will take into account all current and future reimbursement practices. Following a successful commercialization of the breast radiotherapy device, we intend to apply our platform technology to develop other self-shielded devices for general purpose radiotherapy.
ENB Therapeutics is a privately held clinical stage company developing first in class ETBR inhibitors to overcome resistance to the immune checkpoint inhibitors. Our Phase 1/2 trials are being conducted starting March 2020 in collaboration with Merck to assess safety and efficacy of our lead product ENB-003 in combination with pembrolizumab. We are raising a $25M Series B financing to support of Ph2 trials and anticipate achieving clinical proof of concept within the year.
Flow Pharma uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to select small peptides called neoantigens on the surface of cancer cells optimal for killer T-cell attack identified by gene sequencing a patient's cancer cells. These peptides can be synthesized, loaded into FlowPharma's FlowVax therapeutic cancer vaccine platform, and injected into the patient to expand killer T-cells which can recognize and kill cancer cells expressing those neoantigen peptides. Flow Pharma is creating patient-specific, neoantigen based, immuno oncology therapeutics initially focused on cervical cancer (orphan drug application for advanced, metastatic disease), breast cancer and malignant melanoma.
Geneius is a private biopharmaceutical company run by the Former CEO of Bluebird Bio focused on the discovery and clinical development of adoptive T cell therapy products that address the treatment of cancer and infections. The company has created a good manufacturing process, or GMP, for the production of T cells from peripheral blood for infusion into the patient, allowing for manufacturing at a price of 1/10th that of traditional CAR-T. Geneius' targeted DiversiTy™ platform is a novel ex vivo approach that re-educates T cells to become responsive to multiple, previously overlooked tumor antigens. Geneius' lead product candidate, GNS-TEBV-001, is currently in preclinical testing for EBV+, NHL, gastric and nasopharyngeal cancers. Geneius also has two additional products, GNS-TGBM-002 and GNS-TPC-003, in preclinical testing for glioblastoma and pancreatic cancer, respectively. IND-Enabling Studies.
GenEndeavor is a technology development company based in Silicon Valley building a new generation of technologies for the next generation of diagnostics. Since the inception of GenEndeavor, our goal has been to make an impact on healthcare industries by breaking through detection barriers that exist today. GenEndeavor has developed 2 novel non-enzymatic platforms called, Autoligation Chain Reaction (ACR) and Isothermal Chain Reaction (ICR) for nucleic acid testing of genetic biomarkers. These platforms require no enzymes or primer extension reactions and enable increased sensitivity to detect rare mutations in heterogeneous samples. GenEndeavor is translating ACR and ICR to develop a screening test for early detection of high-grade serous ovarian cancer somatic mutation biomarkers in liquid biopsy samples.
GlycoMantra is a biologics company developing therapeutics for unmet medical needs in Cancer and Fibrosis. Galectin-3 is involved in cancer progression and metastasis of many solid tumors not only by mediating neo-angiogenesis and cancer cell homotypic/heterotypic adhesions, but also by suppressing host immunity. The interactions of Galectin-3 and its endogenous ligands are typically strong – in the nanomolar range. Our high affinity Galectin-3 inhibitors (patent awarded) are more powerful than its natural ligands as they bind Galectin-3 with picomolar afiinity. As such, our drug candidates act as decoys in the treatment of cancers and fibrotic diseases. Our drug also overcomes drug resistance in metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).
Glysantis is a pre-clinical stage biotech company developing first-in-class nanomedicines for the treatment of solid tumors. The company has two early stage oncology programs (GLY-100, GLY-200) in the pipeline with applicability in a range of solid tumors. Both assets have been developed based on a proprietary nanoparticle platform called NanoDendrix. The initial target indication is ovarian cancer, an orphan disease with high unmet clinical need.
Imagion Biosystems is developing a new non-radioactive and safe diagnostic imaging technology. Our proprietaty MagSense™ technology is the first imaging technology to use targeted magnetic nanoparticles to tag and detect cancers. The tiny bio-safe particles act as a magnetic beacon detectable when they attach to cancer cells.
IMedis is an artificial intelligence platform analyzing medical information to identify previously undetected patients that are candidates for early and preventative care. Our vision is to increase early detection rates, help deliver better clinical outcomes, lower medical costs and mitigate clinical risks. We are seeking collaboration opportunities with medical institutions in the US for the purpose of joint research and development of our future products.
ImmuneCyte is a joint venture which was created in order to provide immune cell banking services to healthy customers, enabling them to store their healthy immune cells for potential future use in immunotherapies, leveraging ThermoGenesis’ proprietary CAR-TXpress™ platform and HealthBanks’ global, stem cell banking network.
Impact Therapeutics is a privately held clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery and development of targeted anti-cancer therapeutics based on synthetic lethality. Impact has assembled the most comprehensive global DNA damage response (DDR) pipeline of novel drug candidates generated by in-house discovery platform, and now is expanding to other novel synthetic lethality targets to broaden pipeline coverage. Impact has raised $46 million USD up to date invested by recognized venture capital firms including Lilly Asia Ventures. Currently series D fundraising is ongoing.
Incysus Therapeutics, Inc. ("Incysus") is a biotechnology company advancing a unique and innovative approach towards the treatment of cancers. Incysus received clearance of an Investigational New Drug (IND) application by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to test the safety and activity of an allogeneic donor γδ T cell infusion for cancer immunotherapy in a Phase I trial (NCT03533816). This is an initial step towards developing 'off-the-shelf' cell therapies with γδ T cells. Incysus has also received FDA clearance of a second IND allowing for the initiation of a Phase I clinical trial of our novel Drug Resistant Immunotherapy (DRI) platform (NCT04165941). This trial for the treatment of patients with newly-diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM) is the first genetically modified γδ T cell product candidate cleared to enter the clinic. Our unique DRI technology offers an elegant approach to immuno-oncology that deals with multiple mechanisms of tumor resistance and immunosuppression. Phase I.
Jubilant Therapeutics is a patient-focused biopharmaceutical company working to address unmet medical needs in oncology and autoimmune diseases. Our advanced discovery engine integrates structure-based design and computational architecture to discover and develop novel, precision therapeutics against both first-in-class and validated but intractable targets in genetically defined patient populations. We strive for speed and efficiency by employing a business model that leverages the proven and synergistic capabilities of Jubilant Life Sciences’ value chain and shared services. Jubilant Therapeutics is headquartered in the U.S. and comprised of a team of passionate, pioneering scientists.
Katena Oncology is a NYC-based biopharma company, developing first-in-class therapies with companion diagnostics for patients who do not respond to standard of care therapies such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy or immune checkpoint inhibitors. We have a team of oncology experts from Memorial Sloan-Kettering, and Weill Cornell Medicine, pharma veterans and executives who have developed blockbuster therapies at Roche, Genentech, Novartis). Our lead KTN-335 program focuses on targeting and eliminating a novel therapy resistance mechanism in solid tumors that prevents penetration of certain class of chemotherapy drugs (e.g. paclitaxel, cisplatin), targeted therapies (e.g. EGFR, PI3K inhibitors) and immunotherapies (PD-1/ PD-L1 inhibitors, CAR-T cell therapies and bispecifics). Katena Oncology has won the 2020 Bristol-Myers Squibb Golden Ticket Award in New York City
Kineta is a clinical stage biotechnology company that has leveraged our expertise in immunology and innate immunity to advance a pipeline of novel immunotherapies in oncology and neuroscience. (Bullet points) Anti-VISTA: Re-programming the tumor microenvironment, RIG-I: Disruptive technology to turn cold tumors hot, α9α10 nAChR (KCP-506): A novel non-opioid for the treatment of chronic pain
LeadInvent Pharma Inc. (LIP) is a nano-medicine company focused on Oncology and Chronic wound treatment. The team brings over 350 man year experience in drug development and pharma science. LIP’s oncology product consists of a locally applicable gel for elimination of cancer tissue which escape surgical resection during brain cancer surgery. LIP is also developing locally applicable topical gel for reducing bacterial and fungal infection in chronic wounds such as diabetic foot ulcer, bed sores and burn wound victims.
LifeBridge 10000, LLC specializes in extending and improving the quality of life for patients with advanced cancer. The Company’s mission is to speed up the availability of promising cancer treatments, specifically therapies that have demonstrated a high probability of being safe and effective in preclinical research, and phase 1 and 2 clinical trials. LifeBridge 10000’s dynamic delivery of TTF will provide the capability to treat cancer in multiple locations in the body simultaneously, allowing us to offer TTF to stage 4 patients who would otherwise be without hope in the absence of a 4th modality.
Lightpoint Medical is a global leader in precision-guided robotic surgery for cancer treatment. The company’s pioneering imaging and sensing technologies enable surgeons, for the first time, to accurately detect cancer in real time during an operation.
Modra Pharmaceuticals aims to re-define chemotherapy by developing better taxane therapies that are less toxic, more effective and can be taken at home in tablet form. The Company’s goal is to radically improve the therapeutic outcomes and everyday lives of the hundreds of thousands of cancer patients undergoing taxane chemotherapy worldwide. Modra’s lead program is advancing into Phase 2 clinical studies in prostate and breast cancer to further demonstrate the value of the approach.
MultiVir is a clinical stage immune oncology company pioneering a new field of cancer therapeutics termed tumor suppressor immune gene therapy employing multiple viral delivery platforms. MultiVir's oncology products deliver tumor suppressor and immunotherapeutic genes. The company's broad technology platforms target cancers' most fundamental and common molecular defects.
My Personal Therapeutics Personal Discovery Process (PDP) is effectively a massive clinical trial for a single patient. We engineer the genetic complexity of each patient’s unique tumor network into an army of 400,000 fruit fly "avatars.” Using robotics, we evaluate up to 1,200 FDA approved drugs including non-cancer drugs, to identify drug combinations that significantly improve mortality in the individual’s avatar population.
NeoTherma Oncology is a clinical stage medical device company developing a proprietary Thermal Treatment (TTx) system for deep solid tumors. Our technology is based on applying a safe, non-invasive, nonionizing electromagnetic field to produce local ‘fever-range’ temperatures in tumor tissue, intended to increase the effectiveness of anticancer radiotherapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The energy emitted by our TTx device increases blood perfusion in tumor micro-environment, reversing the treatment-resistant hypoxia, and promoting a therapeutic immune response.
Oleander Medical Technologies was founded to develop and commercialize a selective, fast-acting therapy for metastatic carcinomas, including lung, breast, prostate, colon, and pancreatic cancers and mesothelioma. Our patented treatment platform, called Targeted Osmotic Lysis (TOL), combines a proprietary electrical stimulation device with a generic sodium pump inhibitor to target cancerous tissue with broad-spectrum efficacy, while preserving healthy tissue, thereby providing a wide margin of safety for patients. No treatment with all three traits exists today. In mouse studies, efficacy has been shown in triple negative breast cancer and mesothelioma. Pilot studies have begun this year on dogs and cats with advanced carcinomas.
Onconova Therapeutics, Inc. is a Phase 3-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel small molecule drug candidates to treat cancer, with an initial focus on Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS). Using a proprietary chemistry platform, Onconova has created a pipeline of targeted agents designed to work against specific cellular pathways that are important in cancer cells. Advanced clinical trials with the Company’s lead compound, rigosertib, are aimed at what the Company believes are unmet medical needs of patients with MDS. Onconova has conducted trials with two other research compounds and has a pre-clinical program with a CDK4/6 and Ark5 inhibitor, ON 123300. Onconova is seeking licensing partners for Phase 3 rigosertib and our CDK4/6 Inhibitor ON 123300.
OncoSynergy is a patient-focused biotechnology startup spun out from UCSF and the JLABS South San Francisco incubator. Based in beautiful Greenwich, Connecticut (~40 mins from NYC), we are creating a new class of cancer medicines to maximize patient survival and quality of life with minimal side effects. We are a small, nimble startup team preparing to launch our first clinical trial in 2019 for glioblastoma (aggressive brain cancer).
OncoTartis is exploring a proprietary drug discovery approach called “TARTIS” (TARTIS = TARgeting TISsue). TARTIS is designed to develop small molecules for treatment of malignancies originating from specific tissues that are either non-essential for the general viability of mammalian organism (i.e., gender-associated tissues or melanocytes) or can be effectively replaced (hematopoietic system).
OTraces, Inc. has simple low cost blood tests for cancer screening. Six cancers, breast, ovarian, prostate, non-small cell lung cancers and melanoma have been validated. The method uses Tumor Microenvironment (TME) active proteins and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to produce high 95%+ predictive power. A test for monitoring men with low grade prostate cancer to detect the transition to the aggressive disease will be launched within 9 months of funding.
Ovensa is a preclinical stage company partnering with the pharmaceutical industry to fight inherent therapeutic resistance in complex diseases by generating precision nanotherapeutics through its proprietary TRIOZAN™ polymeric and targeted delivery platform. The company focuses on advancing its lead nanotherapeutic candidate, a siRNA targeting Galectin-1, that has shown to synergistically improve the efficacy of chemotherapy and checkpoint inhibitors in recurrent glioblastoma. The company is now exploring its efficacy in other cancers where Gal-1 is expressed and causing therapeutic resistance.
Promaxo is a medical technology company that develops and commercializes customer-centric MRI systems and MRI based technologies that enhance patients' lives and redefine the standard of care. Using our proprietary technologies protected by 55+ patents, we are bringing the first MRI and robotic-guidance system for in-office use. The Promaxo MRI System uniquely combines a number of technologies and pushes the boundaries of medical imaging by encapsulating the high-quality MR imaging into a small form-factor with low magnetic field.
Qrono Inc is transforming CD8+ T cell activation with antigen presenting cell-specific, small molecule checkpoint inhibitors. Our lead product QR213 repurposes temsirolimus to potentiate agonist-activated macrophages and dendritic cells. Non-human primate proof-of-concept data and a validated GMP production process ready QR213 for a phase 1b clinical trial documenting T cell infiltration in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients undergoing radiosurgery to begin in Q4 2020.
Rejuvenan Global Health has created a truly unique, digital personal health platform for corporate wellness and health. Our core mission is to utilize these digital interventions to deliver clinically proven behavioral modifications to prevent, treat and reverse lifestyle-induced chronic diseases. Rejuvenan’s health platform collects data from users’ smart devices, blood tests, and direct input. Our platform then utilizes a 10-biomarker health assessment to deliver personalized coaching to improve each user’s nutrition, exercise, stress management and social support behaviors that are proven to lengthen telomeres—the ultimate measure of health. We have created an individualized roadmap to optimal health.
SageMedic Identifies an Individual’s Optimal Therapy with Live Tumor Tissue. SageMedic’s proprietary technology uses a biopsy of the patient’s own live cancer tissue to create hundreds of biologically similar 3D micro-tumors in our lab. SageMedic’s 3D micro-tumors are then exposed to multiple treatment options, the responses are measured, and within a week the results will be sent to the physician.
SciTech Development, LLC (“SCI”) is a clinical stage, biopharmaceutical company that has developed unique nano-delivery systems (SciTech Drug Delivery Vehicle - SDV) to enable intravenous (IV) delivery of water-insoluble drugs. One such challenged drug is fenretinide which has been shown in extensive clinical trials to be a safe and effective anticancer therapy with targeted cancer destroying activity. The combination of the new SDV and fenretinide has led to SCI’s first drug product, ST-001 nanoFenretinide. The FDA has recently accepted SciTech Development’s Investigational New Drug (IND) Application for ST-001 nanoFenretinide treatment of T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). The FDA has also granted ST-001 nanoFenretinide Orphan Drug Designation for two NHL indications. Phase I/II.
Summit Biomedical Imaging is an early-stage company focused on developing and commercializing technology for rapid, point-of-care detection of oral cancer. SBI uses a proprietary fluorescent molecule that targets solid tumors. SBI is seeking funds to continue development of its first product, a mouthwash for oral cancer detection that exhibits enhanced performance over current options for oral cancer screening.
SynDevRx is developing cancer treatments that potentiate the benefits of PI3K inhibitors, one of the most frequently mutated genes in solid tumors. We are advancing to Phase 2 PoC trials to support our initial FDA registration strategy - SDX-7320 (lead drug) in combination with the PI3Ka inhibitor, alpelisib in 2nd line metastatic breast cancer.
TomoWave develops proprietary optoacoustic tomography and laser ultrasound systems for combined functional/molecular and anatomical imaging with applications in detection of cancer and image-guided interventions. TomoWave technology employs the principles of optoacoustic (photoacoustic or thermoacoustic) tomography. Laser Optoacoustic Imaging System illuminates tissues by short laser pulses with dark red color. Absorption of laser energy specifically by tissue molecules selected by the wavelength of laser light increases tissue temperature to a small fraction of one degree, simultaneously generating local pressure. Thermal expansion of the heated voxels of tissue launches acoustic pressure waves (ultrasound). By measuring these ultrasound waves at different locations using arrays of transducers we obtain images of internal tissue structures and distribution of hemoglobin and other molecules of medical interest. By listening to the sound of light, TomoWave systems can help doctors to detect and diagnose cancer and potentially other notorious diseases using functional and molecular information.
Travera has developed a new technology for identifying effective cancer drugs and drug combinations for cancer patients. Our approach uses a new measurement device invented at MIT that weighs single cells with sub-picogram accuracy, enabling us to directly measure the response of cancer cells to cancer drugs for each individual patient. Our unique diagnostic tests will enable oncologists to identify off-label drugs that extend their patient's lives, enable payers to avoid paying for ineffective drugs, and enable drug developers to select patients for clinical trials who will be responsive to their investigational drugs.
Tvardi is a privately held biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Houston, Texas. The company was founded in 2017 and is focused on the development of inhibitors to STAT3, a key signaling molecule positioned at the intersection of many signaling pathways controlling gene networks integral to the survival and immune sequestration of cancer cells as well as to the pathogenesis of many inflammatory and fibrotic conditions. Co-Founder by MD Anderson President Dr. Ronald DePinho.
VALO TX is a developer of novel cancer immunotherapies that are projected to transform the lives of millions of cancer patients. Our unique approach to immunotherapy in cancer, based on an oncolytic virus non-covalently combined with tumor-specific peptides, delivers a highly immunogenic and rapidly adaptable tumor vaccination platform. Valo Tx's technology uniquely combines the best qualities of two distinct clinically proven cancer immunotherapy concepts - peptide vaccination and oncolytic virus-based immunotherapy. Building on an existing and recently FDA-approved approach for use of oncolytic viruses, Valo Tx has developed a proprietary, genetically modified adenovirus that will form the basis of its therapeutic approach.
Vitanova Biomedical, Inc. (VNB) is a San Antonio, TX-based early stage biotechnology company developing patented (pending) technology licensed from the University of Texas at San Antonio. The company’s cancer treatment, Light-Activated Intracellular Acidosis (LAIA), is based upon three accepted principles of cancer therapy: 1) Intracellular acidosis causes rapid pH-induced cancer cell death; 2) Compounds can be activated by specific wavelengths of light; and 3) Nanoparticles can be selectively targeted to specific cancer types using antibody-antigen conjugates. Our data support that LAIA effectively induces early cell apoptosis, resulting in 81-100% cancer cell death in less than two hours, across five different cancer cell types including triple negative breast, pancreatic and prostate cancer cells. While future cancer indications can be pursued by simply changing the targeting conjugates of our proprietary compound, VNB is currently pursuing early stage local prostate cancer as our first cancer therapy indication.
Ziteo Medical, Inc. is developing a family of handheld imaging systems for surgical guidance and diagnostics. These systems use various imaging modalities, such as radiotracer, ultrasound, visual and fluorescence imaging, to allow surgeons to focus on the surgery with the confidence provided by descriptive 3-D images.