Aduro Biotech to Present at the 36th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference

On January 4, 2018 Aduro Biotech, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADRO) reported that Stephen T. Isaacs, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Aduro, will present at the 36TH Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, CA on Thursday, January 11, 2018, at 9:00 am Pacific Time (Press release, Aduro Biotech, JAN 4, 2018, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2324984 [SID1234522902]).

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To access the live webcast and subsequent archived recording of this and other company presentations, please visit Aduro’s website at www.aduro.com.

ChemoCentryx Secures up to $100 Million in New Capital Commitments

On January 4, 2018 ChemoCentryx, Inc., (Nasdaq:CCXI) reported that it will receive a $50 million milestone payment from Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma (VFMCRP), a company of the Vifor Pharma Group and Fresenius Medical Care (Press release, ChemoCentryx, JAN 4, 2018, View Source [SID1234522888]). The milestone was triggered by the European Medicines Agency (EMA)’s validation of the Company’s Conditional Marketing Authorization (CMA) application for avacopan in the treatment of patients with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic auto-antibody-associated vasculitis (ANCA-associated vasculitis), announced earlier today. In addition to the $50 million milestone from VFMCRP, the Company also entered into a $50 million growth capital financing agreement with Hercules Capital, Inc. (NYSE:HTGC), bringing total new capital commitments of up to $100 million to ChemoCentryx. Such additional capital is expected to provide funding to advance avacopan through topline data from the Phase III ADVOCATE trial as well as potential registration filings in the U.S. and EU.

"The validation of our CMA application by the EMA is a pivotal milestone in our Kidney Health Alliance with Vifor. It is also a major advance in heightening the awareness of the plight of ANCA vasculitis patients," said Thomas J. Schall, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of ChemoCentryx. "The status quo is simply not good enough for ANCA patients and new therapies are desperately needed. The decision of the EMA to validate our conditional marketing application will enable a thorough examination of how we at CCXI and our partners at Vifor may create just such a valuable new paradigm for ANCA treatment."

ChemoCentryx, which is responsible for the discovery and development of avacopan, owns and retains the commercial rights to the drug in the United States and China, and VFMCRP has licensed the rights to commercialize the drug in all other countries. Under the terms of the Kidney Health Alliance with Vifor Pharma, which comprises both avacopan and CCX140, ChemoCentryx has received a total of $155 million in upfront cash and cash commitments in addition to the $50 million milestone announced today. ChemoCentryx is eligible to receive additional payments upon the achievement of certain development, regulatory and sales-based milestones, as well as tiered double-digit royalties on potential net sales of avacopan and CCX140 in the Vifor licensed territories.

The $50 million credit facility from Hercules Capital comprises three tranches. The first tranche of $15 million, of which $5.0 million was funded upon closing of the agreement, is available through June 2018. The remaining $35 million is available in two additional tranches, subject to certain conditions. The term loan has a 24-month interest-only period from initial funding, which is extendable to 30 months upon the achievement of certain milestones and matures in 48 months. Further information with respect to the growth capital financing agreement with Hercules is contained on a Form 8-K to be filed by ChemoCentryx with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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pellepharm appoints sanuj k. ravindran, m.d., as president and chief executive officer

On January 4, 2018 PellePharm, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to targeting rare genetic dermatological conditions at the source, reported the appointment of Sanuj K. Ravindran, M.D., to the position of president and chief executive officer (Press release, PellePharm, JAN 4, 2018, View Source [SID1234576282]). In parallel, Dr. Ravindran will join BridgeBio Pharma, PellePharm’s lead investor, as CEO-in-Residence, to advance its broader orphan dermatology portfolio.

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"Dr. Ravindran’s biopharma industry experience and rare disease expertise will offer enormous strategic benefit to PellePharm as we move into our next stage of development," said Ervin Epstein, M.D., chief medical officer and co-founder of PellePharm. "Having been successful with the management and growth of multiple biopharma companies, Dr. Ravindran brings the right experience to PellePharm so that we may offer topical patidegib to patients as swiftly as possible."

Dr. Ravindran brings more than 15 years of strategic and operational biopharma experience to PellePharm. Most recently, he was chief business officer at aTyr Pharma ("LIFE"), a clinical stage rare disease-focused biotechnology company, where he led corporate and financial strategy, business development, and investor relations. Prior to that, Dr. Ravindran was senior vice president of corporate development for The Medicines Company ("MDCO"), where he worked to execute multiple transactions totaling more than $2 billion in potential aggregate value. Previously a practicing physician, Dr. Ravindran began his industry career as a venture capitalist for 10 years with Burrill & Company, Radius Ventures, and Asian Healthcare Fund. Dr. Ravindran is trained in Internal Medicine and completed his residency training at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Dr. Ravindran received his B.A. from Northwestern University, his M.D. from Jefferson Medical College and his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.

"I am thrilled to join PellePharm at such an important juncture, as the Company prepares to advance topical patidegib one step closer to patients with Gorlin Syndrome. With PellePharm’s scientific premise, clinical progress, and recently strengthened leadership team, the company is well on its way to meeting its mission of delivering therapies for rare genetic dermatological conditions," said Dr. Ravindran.

PellePharm today also announced that it has expanded its executive team to enhance regulatory and operational capabilities. Alix Alderman is now vice president of regulatory affairs at PellePharm, and Gerd Kochendoerfer, Ph.D., is vice president of technical operations and program management. Both Ms. Alderman and Dr. Kochendoerfer bring many years of experience in drug development, quality management and global regulatory affairs.

"We are pleased to welcome Dr. Ravindran, Dr. Kochendoerfer and Ms. Alderman," said Neil Kumar, CEO and co-founder of BridgeBio Pharma. "At this inflection point, having the right team in place, with the collective experience this group brings, enables PellePharm to more ably achieve its goal of helping patients with serious unmet dermatologic conditions."

About Patidegib

Topical patidegib gel has shown early promise in a Phase 2 clinical study in Gorlin Syndrome by blocking the disease at its source within the hedgehog signaling pathway. Topical patidegib was developed to provide the efficacy previously demonstrated by oral patidegib in Phase 1 trials, but without the adverse systemic side effects of oral hedgehog inhibitors. Patidegib’s gel formulation is stable at room temperature for at least two years, making it a viable potential therapy for ongoing, at-home management of Gorlin Syndrome. Topical patidegib currently is being studied in a United States-based Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of sporadic basal cell carcinomas (BCCs).

About Gorlin Syndrome

Gorlin Syndrome is a rare, genetic disease characterized by mutations in the tumor suppressor gene encoding Patched1 (PTCH1), which acts as the primary inhibitor of the hedgehog signaling pathway. This leads to hundreds of basal cell carcinomas, especially on the face and sun-exposed areas.

With no FDA-approved drugs available for Gorlin Syndrome, also known as Basal Cell Carcinoma Nevus Syndrome (BCCNS), the standard of care is surgery. People with severe Gorlin Syndrome may have as many as 30 surgeries per year, which can be repetitive and scarring. Approximately 10,000 people in the United States, or one in 31,000, are believed to be affected by Gorlin Syndrome. Gorlin Syndrome is known by several names, including BCCNS, Gorlin-Goltz Syndrome, Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome, or Nevoid Basal Cell Carcinoma Syndrome.

AVEO Oncology to Present at the 36th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference

On January 4, 2018 AVEO Oncology (NASDAQ:AVEO) reported that Michael Bailey, president and chief executive officer, will present at the 36th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco on Thursday, January 11, 2018 at 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time (Press release, AVEO, JAN 4, 2018, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2324826 [SID1234522876]).

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A live webcast of the presentation can be accessed by visiting the investors section of the Company’s website at www.aveooncology.com. A replay of the webcast will be archived for 30 days following the presentation date.

Amgen To Present At The 36th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference

On January 4, 2018 Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) reported that it will present at the 36th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference at 8:30 a.m. PT on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018, in San Francisco (Press release, Amgen, JAN 4, 2018, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2324978 [SID1234522903]). Robert A. Bradway, chairman and chief executive officer at Amgen, will present at the conference. Live audio of the presentation can be accessed from the Events Calendar on Amgen’s website, www.amgen.com, under Investors. A replay of the webcast will also be available on Amgen’s website for at least 90 days following the event.

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