This week saw vaccine development, new funding and several new management hires at Philadelphia-area life sciences companies. Here's a rundown:
Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Blue Bell-based Inovio (NASDAQ: INO) dosed the first patient in its Phase 2 clinical trial for a potential vaccine against the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, better known as MERS.
INO-4700 is also being developed as a vaccine candidate against Covid-19. Like Covid-19, MERS is a disease in the coronavirus family. There are currently no approved vaccines for MERS.
The MERS clinical trial is fully funded by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, a global organization that supports the development of vaccines against emerging infectious diseases. The study is being conducted at sites in Jordan and Lebanon, where MERS cases have been reported.
EpiVario Inc.
EpiVario, a preclinical-stage biotechnology company based at the Pennovation Center in the Grays Ferry section of Philadelphia, has raised $233,000 through a debt offering. Spun out of the University of Pennsylvania, EpiVario is developing what are known as neuroepigenetic modulators to treat memory-related psychiatric disorders. The company, founded in 2017, has now raised $832,500 through two debt offerings, according to documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
New hires
- Aro Biotherapeutics, a Philadelphia biotech company developing tissue-targeted genetic medicines, appointed three new executives: Scott Greenberg as chief operating officer, Jeffrey Staiger as senior vice president of finance and business development, and Michael Tortorici as vice president of clinical pharmacology and non-clinical development. Greenberg was promoted, having previously served as Aro's chief business officer. Staiger previously spent more than 13 years at Celgene and Bristol Myers Squibb in a variety of management roles. Tortorici was most recently executive director and head of clinical pharmacology at CSL Behring.
- Warrington-based Windtree Therapeutics Inc. brought in Randall White to serve as vice president, clinical program management. He was previously executive director and global team leader of Quizartinib, a leukemia drug, at Daiichi Sankyo.
- Madrigal Pharmaceuticals of Conshohocken added Dr. Robert Waltermire to the company's research and development team as chief pharmaceutical development officer. Waltermire was most recently a senior vice president at Venatorx Pharmaceuticals. Prior to that he held a variety of positions at Bristol Myers Squibb and Dupont Pharmaceutical Co.
