OAKLAND, Calif.— Aditum Bio, the biotech investment firm co-founded in 2019 by former Novartis CEO Joe Jimenez and former President of the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR) Dr. Mark Fishman, announced the formation of Anteris Bio, a portfolio company developing a new therapy for the treatment of renal disease.
Anteris Bio is being formed following the successful in-licensing of ANT-401 from vTv Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VTVT).
Anteris Bio is the third independent company launched by Aditum Bio, whose mission is to give large patient populations access to medicines which otherwise may not be developed. To speed these drugs to market, Aditum Bio fosters an incubator model, focusing on the translational phase of drug development. The “spin out” model enables a nimble, start-up culture with its own dedicated team of managers.
“We are excited to announce the formation of Anteris Bio, with its focus on renal disease. Unmet medical need is high, with few therapies in development that have the potential to be disease modifying,” said Joe Jimenez, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Aditum Bio. Dr. Mark Fishman, Co-Founder and Chair of the Medical and Scientific Advisory Boards added, “The relentless progression of renal disease has been largely refractory to medical therapies. We hope the fundamental mechanism exemplified by ANT-401 will change that for the better.”
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the most significant global health challenges and a leading cause of mortality, both directly and as a key risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Globally, it is estimated that nearly 700 million individuals suffer from CKD, and CKD is directly responsible for over 1 million deaths annually. Clear unmet medical need exists in renal disease as therapies have traditionally revolved around treatment of symptoms (e.g. hypertension, renal failure). ANT-401 is a small molecule activator of Nrf2, a mechanism which has disease modifying potential across multiple etiologies of renal disease. Nrf2 is a transcription factor required for the expression of many antioxidant genes regulated by the ARE promoter sequence. ANT-401 activates Nrf2 through the inhibition of Bach1, a transcription repressor that prevents Nrf2 activity in the nucleus.
Aditum Bio has partnered with TrialSpark, a technology driven research company that can complete clinical trials faster and at a lower cost than traditional trials. TrialSpark partners with doctors to create trial and referral sites within their existing practices. Their digital platform enables faster patient recruitment, together with common data entry and analysis across sites which leads to speed, quality, and standardization.
