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Wednesday, July 27, 2005

RxKinetix – Dynamic Drug Delivery Technologies

Traveling further down the Boulder Turnpike bio corridor leads one to the steps of RxKinetix, a specialty pharmaceutical company, who is focused upon a proprietary platform of drug delivery technologies. Under the leadership of Harry Ross, MD, President and CEO a diverse portfolio of pre-clinical and clinical opportunities has been developed.

The lead product, RK-0202 currently in Phase II clinical trials, target indication is the prophylaxis of oral mucositis in patients receiving aggressive chemotherapy to the head and neck. Up to 80% of patients receiving such treatment develop mucositis which is characterized by erosive lesions of the tongue which may ultimately permit bacteria and fungi to invade and cause systemic infections.

Additional emerging products include ProGelz™, whose proprietary drug delivery technology may substantially improve the delivery of hematopoietic growth factors to patients with cancer who are treated with myelosuppressive chemotherapy. The hematopoietic growth factor market is greater than $2 billion and ProGelz™ brings with it advantages of simplified manufacturing, reduced cost of goods and, a true sustained release mechanism.

Great strides are being made in the ProJuvant™ vaccine program, a mucosal vaccination alternative to needle injections aimed at combating infectious disease in emerging countries by eliminating blood contamination hazards and the need for highly trained medical personnel for administration. Likewise the Miconix™, a particle formulation process that produces free flowing powders with no residual solvents, business channel shows tremendous promise with broad therapeutic compound applicability.

RxKinetix has been supported by MedVenture Associates, Elan Corporation, Plc., and Aweida Venture Management

Thursday, July 07, 2005

Replidyne: Battling Bacterial Resistance

(The first look at a Colorado Series A (well really B) company)

Just a stones throw off of the Boulder Turnpike is where Replidyne resides. Under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Ken Collins, Replidyne is focused upon discovering and developing novel anti-infective drugs to address a major, and growing, public health issue: bacterial resistance to existing antibiotics.

The management team most recently closed on a $40M Series B led by TPG Ventures, bringing the total capital raised to date to approximately $56M. The list of remaining investors for whom the velvet rope is held includes Health Care Ventures, Perseus-Soros Biopharmaceutical Fund, Morgenthaler, Sequel Partners, J&J Development Corp., and Temasek Holdings.

Replidyne is executing upon a diverse product portfolio. The most advanced channel of business includes Faropenem Daloxate (FD), a community antibiotic for adult respiratory tract infections. An NDA submission is scheduled for late 2005 with approval and launch expected in late 2006. Phase II studies on FD administered for a shorter course at higher dose and, preclinical work in pediatric applications add to the FD asset. Secondly, the company is in late-stage preclinical development of a novel tRNA synthetase inhibitor directed at resistant staphylococci aureus, and finally rounding out the pipeline is the technology with which the company was founded upon – novel mechanism-of-action compounds that inhibit bacterial DNA replication. A robust high-throughput screen strategy has yielded a number of promising molecules that have inhibited bacterial growth and activity in animal models of infection.

Nine Phase III FD studies demonstrated clinical and microbiological efficacy in addition to excellent safety and tolerability profiles. We are rooting for Replidyne to continue to replicate its formula for success.