Weekly round-up: Optimum’s clients fight off the January blues as JP Morgan conference sets positive tone for ‘25

Optimum’s clients fight off the January blues as JP Morgan conference sets positive tone for ‘25 

INTRO: Our amazing clients had the perfect tonic for the cold January weather with a string of announcements, including $41 million of funding for Bioptimus and the publication of cutting-edge research into mitophagy in Nature Reviews Drug Discovery. 

We’re also looking forward to catching up with those who spent the week at the JPM Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, which has set an upbeat tone for ’25. 

Bioptimus raises further $41m of funding and prepares to launch groundbreaking foundation model for biology 

Bioptimus, the pioneering AI foundation model company, announced on Tuesday that it has raised a further $41million of funding. Founding investor Sofinnova Partners contributed to this latest round, which was led by Cathay Innovation alongside participation from other prominent investors, Bpifrance through its Large Venture Fund, Andera Partners, Hitachi Ventures, Boom Capital Ventures, Pomifer Capital, Sunrise, and angel entrepreneurs Emmanuel Cassimatis and Thomas Wolf. The funding will accelerate Bioptimus’ mission to build the world’s first universal AI foundation model for biology, aimed at revolutionizing research and innovation across the medical, biotech, cosmetic industries, and beyond. 

Heidelberg Pharma progresses into Cohort 7 in a Phase I/IIa Study with BCMA ATAC candidate HDP-101 targeting multiple myeloma 

Heidelberg Pharma AG, a clinical-stage biotech company developing innovative Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs), on Monday announced that it is advancing into Cohort 7 in a Phase I/IIa dose escalation study with lead ATAC candidate HDP-101 for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. 

Rappta Therapeutics enters into a global license agreement with SpringWorks Therapeutics for a pre-clinical, first-in-class, molecular glue targeting PP2A 

Rappta Therapeutics, focused on developing first-in-class anti-cancer drugs activating protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), on Monday announced an exclusive global license agreement with SpringWorks Therapeutics for RPT04402, its first-in-class molecular glue of specific Protein Phosphatase 2A (PP2A) complexes. 

Ariceum Therapeutics and ITM enter supply agreement for therapeutic medical radioisotope Actinium-225, sees FDA clear Phase I/II cancer trial  

Ariceum Therapeutics (Ariceum), a private biotech company developing radiopharmaceutical products for the diagnosis and treatment of certain hard-to-treat cancers, and ITM Isotope Technologies Munich SE (ITM), a leading radiopharmaceutical biotech company, on Monday announced the execution of a supply agreement for non-carrier-added Actinium-225 (Ac-225) to support the development of Ariceum’s novel targeted radiopharmaceutical therapies pipeline, including lead radiopharmaceutical drug satoreotide for the treatment of aggressive, difficult-to-treat cancers. 

In another exciting development the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared Ariceum’s investigational new drug (IND) application to begin a Phase I/II clinical trial (‘SANTANA-225’) of its proprietary radiolabelled peptide, 225Ac-SSO110, in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) or Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC). 

Mission Therapeutics announces publication in Nature Reviews Drug Discovery 

Mission Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotech company developing first-in-class therapeutics targeting mitophagy, on Wednesday announced the publication of a review article titled Targeting mitophagy in neurodegenerative diseases in the journal Nature Reviews Drug Discovery. The peer-reviewed article can be viewed here. 

Outrun Therapeutics expands leadership team with the appointment of Matthew Fyfe as Chief Scientific Officer 

Outrun Therapeutics, the E3 ligase inhibitor and protein stabilisation specialist, on Monday announced the appointment of Matthew Fyfe as its Chief Scientific Officer. Fyfe brings extensive small molecule drug discovery, development, and clinical experience across multiple therapeutic areas. 

Campus Kalundborg raises DKK 320m for the development of a new campus 

DKK 320 million ($44 million) has been awarded for the development of a new campus that will provide the setting for close collaboration between educational institutions while offering students real-world experience through close interaction with industry. Its aim is to become a leading hub for education, research and innovation within biomanufacturing and biosolutions. On Thursday, the Novo Nordisk Foundation announced it is committing up to DKK 202 million ($27 million) over a five-year period.