#7 - June 19, 2011

S. Jordan Associates (SJA) met with over 25 companies at the ASCO conference held in Chicago, Illinois, from June 3 - 7 presenting a “portfolio” of licensing opportunities to large pharma/biotech, emerging growth biotech companies, and CROs.

Representative companies/executives included:

• Large Pharma/Biotech
  • Amgen – Director External Affairs
  • AstraZeneca – BD Director, Oncology Strategic Partnerships
  • Bristol Myers – VP Strategic Acquisitions
  • Cephalon – Senior Director, Business Development
  • Eli Lilly – Director Corporate Business Development
  • Genentech – VP Clinical Development
  • Hoffman-La Roche – Global Head Partnering Oncology
  • Merck – Director, Scientific Liaison External Scientific Affairs
  • Pfizer -  Sr. Director & Head External R&D Innovation
  • Qiagen - VP Personalized Medicine
  • Sanofi-Aventis – Oncology Business Opportunities
  • Teva – Director Business Development
• Emerging Growth Biotech Companies
  • AlloStem Therapeutics – CEO & VP Business Development
  • CytRx – VP Business Development
  • Dendreon – Sr. VP Business Development
  • Gencia Biotechnology – CEO & CSO
  • LifeQual Pharmaceuticals - President
• CROs
  • Crown Biosciences – Executive Director Business Development
  • Quintiles – Head, Translational Oncology Business Development

Opportunities/Companies Profiled:

• Pre-clinical:  Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM)
• Pre-clinical:  Chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia (CIT)/ other indications of hematopoiesis
• Phase 1:  Chemotherapy Induced Anemia (CIA)/Cancer Related Anemia (CRA), Solid Tumors
• Phase 2:  Regenerative Medicine
• Specialty pharmaceuticals:  Specialty critical care device company focused on oncology and related high potential markets

Other Oncology/Supporting Care Early-Stage Licensing Opportunities Available:

• Antibody fusions with interferon, where IGN-002 has 100x greater potency than the naked antibody and 100x less off-target effect
• Protein rhTFAM that increases mitochondria number and activity to reverse the Warburg Effect and the phenotype of EMT, alter tumor growth and immune surveillance
• r84 antibody that selectively inhibits VEGF binding to VEGFR2 and has immune effects on Tregs
• Small molecule inhibitor of Kv1.3 ion channels to inhibit selectively T cells that are auto-reactive
• Small molecule inhibitor of SP1 that modulates VEGF and c-myc

Technology:

• Differential immune tolerance technology for antibody discovery for crytpic and novel epitopes
• Antibodies with antibody fusions with chemokines or cytokines (Cephalon is a client)

VC Investing: Is It Broken? – No, but Fragile

Of particular interest to many emerging growth biotech companies at ASCO was the state of Venture Capital (VC) investing and recent trends.  Attached is a brief analysis of VCs from a leading healthcare investment bank, Healthios.

• % of VCs that projected to expand, shrink, or stay the same size during the next five years
• VC fund raises from  2004-2009 ($, # of funds)
• Recent venture commitments from 2008-2009 ($, # of deals)
• Analysis of venture commitments vs. GDP
• Series A and Late Stage venture commitments as a % of Total
• Key trends

If you would be interested in learning more and/or meeting Scott Jordan at the BIO conference in Washington D.C., please call 312-451-6210 or email, scott@sjordanassociates.com