Faber Representation is Once Again Prevalent Among the Annual “Fierce 15”

Faber Daeufer & Itrato proudly announces that the firm has assisted five of the innovative startups on the FireceBiotech 2019 “Fierce 15” list with their transactional representation needs.

The “Fierce 15” spotlights the work of the most promising startups within the biotech industry. An annual distinction, this year’s list expanded its previous boarders, with companies from outside the U.S. FierceBiotech also enlarged its search beyond cancer and rare diseases, recognizing deserving companies in the fight against infectious disease, pain, neurodegenerative diseases and more.

Among the 2019 list, Faber has provided transactional representation for Anthos Therapeutics, Black Diamond Therapeutics, Kymera Therapeutics, Nocion Therapeutics and Maze Therapeutics.

• Anthos Therapeutics – Launched in February 2019, with sizeable funding and a midphase asset from a Big Pharma, Anthos’ first project is an anti-factor XI antibody that fights blood clots by targeting the clotting proteins factor XI and factor Xia. Though focused on getting the antibody to patients as quickly as possible, the company is also looking for opportunities where it can “support innovative programs to advance breakthrough cardiovascular products for patients.”
• Black Diamond Therapeutics – This Cambridge, Massachusetts company was founded in 2015 to develop tumor-agnostic drugs by targeting cancer-driving mutations that have previously been “undrugged and unexplored.” Black Diamond’s focus is a previously unexplored group of mutations, called allosteric mutations, that could be drugged selectively through the ATP binding site. The company plans to bring its lead program to clinic in 2020, eventually diving into databases of mutations and building drug programs.
• Kymera Therapeutics – Another Cambridge-based company, Kymera was founded in 2016 with the goal of expanding the pool of druggable proteins by harnessing the body’s own process for dealing with unwanted molecules. The company creates small-molecule drugs that exploit the body’s protein degradation machinery to knock down disease-causing proteins.
• Nocion Therapeutics – Based in Waltham, Massachusetts, this startup’s clinical focus is cough, itch, pain and inflammation. With major VC investments, Nocion is operating outside of the usual biotech concentrations, researching nociceptor large pore channels. Their findings led to a model for treating a range of diseases involving nociceptor large pore channels. CEO Rick Batycky, Ph.D. believes that the company can significantly move the needle in some indications that have previously been innovation deserts.
• Maze Therapeutics – Founded in 2018, this California-based company focuses on the flip side of synthetic lethality. Rather than targeting gene-gene interactions that kill cells, Maze seeks genetic combinations that stop people from developing deleterious phenotypes. They have crafted their company to execute an ambitious, two-pronged strategy, with efforts to move five programs toward the clinic in the near future.

The “Fierce 15” list recognizes the “biggest ideas in biotech, the most daring characters in biopharma, and entrepreneurs doing things that haven't been done before.” From a large group of nominees, FierceBiotech narrows down the list to “15 privately held drug developers or platform biotechs with the potential to have a huge impact on the treatment of human diseases.” The list celebrates the most innovative, creative, and promising startups within the biotech field.

The Faber team has become a consistent part of the Fierce 15 legacy, having represented more than 25 of the startups named to the list within the last five years. Faber attorneys and contract specialists have served these companies as transactional counsel, counsel to the primary scientific founders, or counsel to lead investors.

Faber congratulates the innovative companies named to the 2019 “Fierce 15” list. The team is honored to work with so many ground-breaking new biotechs and they excitedly look forward to seeing what the future holds for even more of their pioneering clients.