Versant launches biotech for immune system 'anger management'

Precision immunology has surged as a significant focus in drug development, driven by innovations that create powerful medications with fewer adverse effects. Major pharmaceutical companies and venture capital firms have collectively invested billions in promising anti-inflammatory therapies. Notable acquisitions include Johnson & Johnson and Roche's blockbuster deals for autoimmune drugs, and Mirador Therapeutics' launch in March with $400 million in funding to develop new autoimmune treatments.

Santa Ana Therapeutics is the latest entrant in this field, debuting with $168 million and three innovative programs. The company is exploring new approaches to existing concepts like targeting mast cells and stimulating the PD-1 pathway. Peter Emtage, CEO of Santa Ana, noted the significance of identifying the specific cells involved in disease rather than just targeting cytokines. One of their leading drugs, SAB01, is a bispecific antibody designed to deactivate mast cells responsible for allergic diseases by blocking the c-Kit protein. This approach aims to avoid the side effects that plagued previous attempts to inhibit c-Kit, as SAB01 will only act when it detects another target on the cells. The company plans to develop SAB01 for chronic inducible urticaria, a common skin condition, and aims to start clinical trials in 2025.

Another candidate from Santa Ana is a PD-1 agonist, set to enter Phase 1 trials for multiple inflammatory conditions next year. While PD-1 inhibitors have been successful in cancer treatment, SAB03 is designed to prevent T cells from activating excessively, thereby averting an overactive immune response. This strategy is similar to efforts by companies like MiroBio, which Gilead Sciences acquired in 2022. Jerel Davis, a managing director at Versant, likened Santa Ana's approach to "anger management" for the immune system.

Santa Ana's third innovative medicine is conceptually similar to an antibody-drug conjugate but aims to make glucocorticoid drugs safer. Versant Ventures led Santa Ana’s $43 million Series A funding round, while GV was the main supporter of its $125 million Series B round. Other investors include TPG, a16z, Access Biotechnology, and RTW.

The naming of Santa Ana Therapeutics is inspired by the desert and mountain winds of Southern California, paralleling the name origins of another Versant-backed company, Chinook Therapeutics, which drew inspiration from the warm winds of the Pacific Northwest. Santa Ana Therapeutics is based in Alameda, close to South San Francisco.

Versant Ventures has also recently supported SixPeaks Bio, a startup focusing on obesity drugs, structured as a build-to-buy biotech firm.