Tech Coast Angels is the largest angel investor group in the United States, possessing more than 300 members in five networks in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Central Coast, and the Inland Empire. Its members provide funding and guidance to more early-stage, high-growth companies in Southern California than any other investment group.  Members invest in companies in a wide range of industries, including the life sciences, biotech, IT, services, retail, Internet, financial, software, media, consumer products, and tech startups. TCA as a whole gives companies more than just capital; they also provide counsel, mentoring, and access to an extensive network of potential investors, customers, strategic partners, and management talent.   Tech Coast Angels has been ranked by CB Insights to be among the Top 20 Angel Groups in the US; TCA was also ranked as #1 for Network Centrality, meaning we have more connections than anyone! If you are in the game-changing business, we are here to help.

Tech Coast Angels

Friedman BioVentures is a firm that invests in early-stage companies with promising technologies.

Friedman BioVentures

Eli Lilly engages in the discovery, development, manufacture, and sale of products in the pharmaceutical products business segment. The company manufactures and distributes products through owned or leased facilities in the United States, Puerto Rico, and 25 other countries. Its products are sold in approximately 135 countries. It also conducts research to find products to treat diseases in animals and to increase the efficiency of animal food production.

Eli Lilly

ExSight Ventures is a venture capital firm specializing in early-stage impact investments in innovative ophthalmic diagnostic and treatment solutions.  The firm consists of 2 accomplished retinal surgeons and a team of investment professionals that have partnered to address the need for funding early-stage ophthalmic-focused companies.  The firm seeks investments in biotechnology, medical devices, pharmaceuticals and software solutions in ophthalmology.

ExSight Ventures

Viva Biotech offers global innovative drug R&D companies one-stop comprehensive services ranging from early structure-based drug R&D to commercial drug delivery. Using its advantages in the field of structure-based drug discovery (SBDD) technology, it provides global partners with CRO services in the new drug research stage and has established X-ray protein crystal technology, cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM), and affinity mass spectrometry screening technology (ASMS), surface plasmon resonance (SPR), hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS), computer-aided drug design, and other advanced technology platforms.

Viva Biotech

Tachyon Ventures invests in early-stage life sciences ventures at the forefront of medicine, biotech, and bioengineering. They seek scientific teams pursuing ambitious goals, backed by world-leading research (and secured IP) in the fields of immunotherapy, gene therapy / genetic engineering, organ engineering, and stem cell / regenerative medicine.

Tachyon Ventures

RA Capital Management is an investment advisor based in Boston specializing in the life-sciences and drug development sectors. The company's team has been investing since 2002 and is comprised of professionals with training in biology, chemistry, and medicine and also has industry and business development experience at the executive and board levels. The company invests in companies with promising technologies and products.

RA Capital Management

Cormorant Asset Management is an employee-owned hedge fund sponsor that provides its services to pooled investment vehicles. The firm also focuses on both public and private market innovative companies in the biotechnology and life sciences marketplace.

Cormorant Asset Management

Janus Henderson Investors focuses on investing performance and services. The firm connects institutional, retail, and high-net-worth clients with investment specialists who specialize in a variety of asset classes, such as equities, fixed income, real estate, and alternatives.

Janus Henderson Investors

Surveyor Capital is a fundamental equities business. Surveyor’s sector-aligned investment teams aim to generate alpha through a deep understanding of each company’s strategy, management teams, drivers of performance, and cyclical and secular industry trends over the medium and long term.

Surveyor Capital

Viva BioInnovator (VBI) is the specialized investment and incubation arm of Viva Biotech Holdings. We focus on the initial creation and development of biotech startups across all indications and drug types. During the early stages of drug discovery, we can nurture and accelerate a startup's growth from idea to clinical program.  VBI's unique investment and incubation model started out of necessity in 2014. Our roots are in drug discovery services, where we operate world-leading and proprietary drug discovery platforms. While serving big pharma customers from around the globe, we came to realize the huge demand from many entrepreneurs who have great ideas but cannot receive funding to advance their plan due to lack of data. We saw the value in many of these innovative ideas and provided our CRO drug discovery services, operational support, and monetary backing to help these creative scientists embark on the ''0 to 1''​ transformation. This spark launched our ''equity for service (EFS)''​ investment and incubation model.  VBI is based in Shanghai, with an office in Boston and personnel in California. As of early 2019, VBI has invested in over 30 companies out of the hundreds of proposals submitted for review and we plan to invest at a rapid pace in the years to come. The majority of our current portfolio companies are US based, but we are open to proposals globally and are excited to see new ideas that fit our investment strategy.  If you would like to learn more about us, please visit: www.vivabioinnovator.com  Or send an email to innovation@vivabiotech.com  If you would like to learn more about our parent company, Viva Biotech, please visit: www.vivabiotech.com

Viva BioInnovator

Logos Capital is a fundamental biotechnology-focused fund that seeks to combine in-house data analytics with scientific and clinical expertise to identify transformative therapies in healthcare. Based in San Francisco, Logos combines expertise across medical, scientific, and statistical disciplines to expand the depth of diligence in identifying compelling investment ideas and uncorrelated-market returns. They combine scientific diligence with their statistical modeling of clinical trials to achieve the highest levels of conviction in each position.

Logos Capital

Access Biotechnology is the life science investment arm of Access Industries. They invest in transformative therapies for conditions with high unmet needs and that have the potential to meaningfully impact human health. They invest in both private and public biopharma companies across therapeutic areas, modalities, and development stages – from discovery-stage technology platforms to late-stage clinical programs. The company is based in New York.

Access Biotechnology

DTx Pharma

DTx Pharma develops technology that will unleash RNA-based therapeutics as the modality of choice for personalized treatment across therapeutic areas. DTx Pharma believes its approach to delivering RNA medicines solves some of the issues that limited previous-generation platforms, including poor pharmacokinetics and insufficient cellular uptake.

DTx Pharma is a preclinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapeutics for rare diseases. The company's proprietary Fatty Acid Ligand Conjugated OligoNucleotide (FALCON) platform enables the delivery and activity of siRNA therapeutics to tissues beyond the liver, enhancing biodistribution and cellular uptake.

Novartis snaps up rare disease biotech DTx Pharma in $1bn deal

DTx Pharma announces acquisition by Novartis

DTx Pharma Receives FDA Orphan Drug Designation for DTx-1252 for the Treatment of Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease Type 1A (CMT1A)

San Diego biotech that’s trying to cure hard-to-treat diseases is acquired for $500M

DTx Pharma: RNA Therapeutics for CMT1A

Novartis Bolsters Neuro Pipeline, RNA Capabilities with Up-to-$1B DTx Pharma Acquisition

Novartis buys a preclinical biotech and its RNA drug technology

CMTA Hails Novartis Acquisition of DTx Pharma And Its CMT1A Therapeutic Program

Novartis buys siRNA firm DTx Pharma for $500 million

Targeting complex diseases with complex molecules

Large-molecule Therapeutics

Mergers & Acquisitions 2024 Deals of the Year: Novartis Acquired DTx Pharma

Novartis

Novartis has acquired DTx Pharma, a preclinical stage biotechnology company based in San Diego.

Companies that develop large molecules that can be used to target specific RNA molecules in the body, either to silence or replace them

DTx Pharma is a preclinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapeutics for rare diseases. The company's proprietary Fatty Acid Ligand Conjugated OligoNucleotide (FALCON) platform enables the delivery and activity of siRNA therapeutics to tissues beyond the liver, enhancing biodistribution and cellular uptake.
DTx Pharma's lead candidate, DTx-1252, is a potential first-in-class FALCON siRNA therapeutic targeting PMP22, the underlying genetic cause of Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease Type 1A (CMT1A). By repressing PMP22, DTx-1252 has demonstrated reversal of CMT1A in preclinical rodent models, inducing remyelination of axons, improving electrophysiological measurements, and increasing muscle mass, grip strength, coordination, and agility. DTx-1252 received Orphan Drug Designation from the FDA in June 2023 for the treatment of CMT1A.
In addition to DTx-1252, DTx Pharma's pipeline includes two other preclinical programs focused on neuromuscular and central nervous system (CNS) indications, leveraging the FALCON platform's versatility in delivering siRNA therapeutics to extrahepatic tissues.
In July 2023, Novartis acquired DTx Pharma for an upfront payment of USD 500 million and potential additional milestone payments of up to USD 500 million. The acquisition provides Novartis with access to the FALCON platform and DTx Pharma's pipeline, including DTx-1252 for CMT1A, aligning with Novartis' commitment to developing life-changing medicines for neuromuscular diseases and disorders of the nervous system.

Innovent Biologics is a leading biopharmaceutical company founded in 2011 with the mission to develop and commercialize innovative and affordable medicines. The company focuses on oncology, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, autoimmune disorders, and ophthalmology. As of March 2024, Innovent has ten approved products in the Chinese market, including TYVYT (sintilimab injection), BYVASDA (bevacizumab injection), SULINNO (adalimumab injection), and others. The company's core product, TYVYT, is an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody approved across seven indications, making it the most widely approved PD-1 inhibitor in China.
Innovent has a robust pipeline with three new drug applications under review, four assets in Phase III or pivotal trials, and 19 molecules in early clinical development. The company's innovative pipeline spans various modalities, including bispecific antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and RNA therapeutics. In oncology, Innovent is advancing the next-generation immunotherapy combinations with ADCs, such as the CLDN18.2 ADC (IBI343) and the EGFR/B7H3 bispecific ADC (IBI3001). The company's metabolic pipeline includes mazdutide, a first-in-class GLP-1R/GCGR dual agonist in late-stage development for weight management.
Innovent has a strong emphasis on global innovation, with its Innovent Academy delivering eight novel molecules into IND-enabling stage in 2023. The company has established large-scale manufacturing facilities in Suzhou and Hangzhou to support global supply. Innovent collaborates with over 30 global healthcare leaders, reinforcing its commitment to advancing biopharmaceutical innovation worldwide.

Innovent Biologics

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 ADC Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing next-generation antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for treating cancer. The company's ADCs leverage highly potent and targeted pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) dimer technology, which causes the ADCs' antibodies to bind to specific tumor cell surface antigens. Once internalized, the potent PBD dimer is released inside the cell, creating covalent cross-links between the DNA strands, disrupting cell division without triggering DNA repair mechanisms.
 
 
 
 
 ADC Therapeutics' lead product candidate, Zynlonta, received FDA approval in April 2021 for treating adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma after two or more lines of systemic therapy. The company is also advancing a deep pipeline of other PBD-based ADCs targeting hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. As of May 2021, ADC Therapeutics reported revenues of USD 38.2 million, reflecting initial sales of Zynlonta.
 
 
 
 
 In March 2022, ADC Therapeutics acquired US commercial rights to Overrkey Biological's anti-HER2 ADC Overena, broadening its cancer treatment portfolio. The acquisition aligned with the company's strategic focus on expanding globally with its PBD-based ADC technology.
 
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ADC Therapeutics

Sirnaomics is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of RNA therapeutics. The company focuses on innovative drugs for indications with unmet medical needs and large market opportunities. Sirnaomics utilizes two proprietary delivery platforms: the Polypeptide Nanoparticle Formulation (PNP) and the second generation of GalNAc conjugates called GalAhead.
Sirnaomics has established a robust pipeline of drug candidates, with several products in clinical and preclinical stages. The company's lead clinical product, STP705, has demonstrated positive results in Phase II clinical trials for the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma in situ (isSCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Additionally, STP705 is being explored for focal fat reduction in the medical aesthetics field. Another promising candidate, STP707, is a PNP formulation consisting of two siRNAs targeting TGF-β1 and COX-2 for intravenous treatment of solid tumors. STP707 has shown promising results in a Phase I basket clinical study, exhibiting stable disease response in 74% of evaluable patients.
Sirnaomics achieved a significant milestone by advancing STP122G, the first candidate utilizing the GalAhead technology, into clinical development. STP122G targets Factor XI for anticoagulation therapeutics and is currently undergoing Phase I clinical trials.
In March 2023, Sirnaomics' subsidiary, RNAimmune, received IND clearance from the FDA to initiate a Phase I clinical trial for RV-1770, an mRNA vaccine targeting respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Additionally, RNAimmune obtained FDA clearance for a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine booster candidate, RV-1730.
Sirnaomics has established its manufacturing facility in China, enabling the transition from a biotech company to a biopharmaceutical corporation. The facility has successfully produced a full GMP batch of STP707 for human injection and is expected to support the company's clinical pipeline.
In July 2024, Sirnaomics announced the completion of IND-enabling studies for STP125G, an siRNA therapeutic targeting Apolipoprotein C3 (ApoC3) for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The positive results from non-human primate studies support the filing of an IND with the FDA.

Sirnaomics

Sesen Bio is a late-stage clinical company that previously focused on developing targeted fusion protein therapeutics for cancer treatment. Its lead product candidate, Vicineum, is a locally administered targeted fusion protein composed of an anti-epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) antibody fragment tethered to a truncated form of Pseudomonas exotoxin A for the treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).
In February 2021, the FDA accepted Sesen Bio's Biologics License Application (BLA) for Vicineum to treat BCG-unresponsive NMIBC, granting Priority Review. However, in August 2021, the company received a Complete Response Letter from the FDA, requiring an additional Phase 3 clinical trial for potential resubmission. Following discussions with the FDA in March 2022, Sesen Bio aligned on most elements for the trial design and planned to meet again in mid-2022 to finalize outstanding items.
On July 15, 2022, Sesen Bio made the strategic decision to voluntarily pause further development of Vicineum in the US due to the incremental timeline and costs associated with the additional Phase 3 trial. The company shifted its primary focus to consummating a strategic transaction to maximize shareholder value while seeking a partner for Vicineum's further development.
In September 2022, Sesen Bio announced a pending merger with Carisma Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing immunotherapies based on engineered macrophages. This merger was approved by Sesen Bio's stockholders in March 2023, with the combined company operating under the name Carisma Therapeutics Inc. and trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker "CARM".
Upon closing the merger in March 2023, Sesen Bio declared a special cash dividend of USD 75 million (around USD 0.36 per share) to its stockholders and issued them Contingent Value Rights (CVRs) entitling them to potential proceeds from the sale of Vicineum and other assets, as well as a USD 30 million milestone payment under the Roche Asset Purchase Agreement.

Sesen Bio

ACELYRIN, INC. is a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company focused on developing transformative medicines for immunology and inflammatory diseases. The company's lead product candidate is izokibep, a next-generation inhibitor of interleukin-17A (IL-17A) designed to overcome limitations of monoclonal antibodies. Izokibep is being evaluated in multiple late-stage trials for moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and noninfectious uveitis.
In March 2024, ACELYRIN reported positive top line data from a global Phase 2 billion/3 clinical trial of izokibep in PsA, meeting the primary endpoint of ACR50 at 16 weeks with high statistical significance. The trial also demonstrated robust clinical responses for higher hurdle endpoints like ACR70, PASI100, and composite measures, indicating izokibep's potential to provide clinically meaningful benefits. Additionally, ACELYRIN announced differentiated long-term 32-week data from a global Phase 2 billion trial of izokibep in HS, showing rapid, dose-ordered improvement across multiple disease manifestations, including HiSCR100 achieved earlier than reported by other IL-17 inhibitors.
ACELYRIN's other late-stage asset is lonigutamab, a subcutaneously delivered monoclonal antibody targeting IGF-1R being investigated for the treatment of thyroid eye disease (TED). In March 2024, ACELYRIN announced positive proof-of-concept data from a Phase 1/2 trial, demonstrating rapid improvements in proptosis and clinical activity score within three weeks after the first dose.
As of December 31, 2023, ACELYRIN had cash, cash equivalents, and short-term marketable securities totaling USD 721.3 million, providing a runway to support key late-stage data milestones and registrational studies across multiple indications. In January 2023, ACELYRIN acquired ValenzaBio, adding lonigutamab and other immunology assets to its pipeline.

ACELYRIN

Companies that develop engineered proteins that can target specific proteins or cells in the body

Companies that develop large molecules that combine the targeting ability of monoclonal antibodies with the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy drugs

Companies that develop large molecules that can be used to replace or supplement deficient or malfunctioning proteins in the body

Companies specializing in peptide-based treatments leverage short amino acid chains, known as peptides, to target and modulate various biological processes for therapeutic applications

AL/ML used to identify potential drug targets, and support protein engineering and optimization

DTx Pharma

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