Sirna Therapeutics, Inc.

EMERYVILLE, Calif., Dec. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Totus Medicines, a company revolutionizing small molecule drug discovery and development using covalent libraries and AI tools, announced today that Nassim Usman, Ph.D., has been named President & Chief Executive Officer and closed a $66M Series B financing led by DCVC Bio. Neil Dhawan, Ph.D, Totus co-founder, founding CEO, and CSO, will transition into a new role as CSO and Head of R&D, where he will continue to oversee the company's platform, programs, and data. "We are thrilled by Nassim's arrival," said DCVC Bio Managing Partner John Hamer. "He brings exceptional experience and acumen to a company poised to bring much-needed therapies to market. I'm equally excited by the fact that Neil – whose vision and determination have brought Totus to where it is – will continue to contribute at a senior level to the company's rapid growth." "Nassim is exactly the right leader for Totus," said Dhawan. "His extensive drug development background and vision for the Totus platform will help lead us through the next phase of growth for the company. His strong management experience will help shape Totus as we continue to advance breakthrough therapeutics, and just as importantly, Nassim embodies our culture and values." Before joining Totus Medicines, Dr. Usman served as President, CEO and Board member at Catalyst Biosciences (NASDAQ:CBIO, now Gyre Therapeutics, NASDAQ:GYRE). Dr. Usman has an extensive background in C-Suite management (CSO, COO, CEO and Principal Financial Officer), Board membership on and venture capital investing (Morgenthaler Ventures) in several private and public companies including Sirna Therapeutics (acquired by Merck) and Principia Biopharma (acquired by Sanofi). Dr. Usman currently serves on the Board of GYRE and the advisory boards of two private biotechnology companies. During his career, he has advanced several drugs into clinical development, executed multiple licensing deals, and raised capital through private and public financings. Dr. Usman received his B.Sc. and Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from McGill University and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at MIT. "Neil and the entire team at Totus have built an extraordinary a platform that has the potential to transform small molecule discovery and have built a pipeline of clinical candidates led by TOS-358, a covalent inhibitor of PI3Ka in the clinic," said Dr. Usman. "I am delighted to join Neil, our investors and the team as we build out the platform and advance our clinical development pipeline." The company closed the final tranche of a Series B financing totaling $66 million, led by DCVC Bio and including the participation of North Pond Ventures, Camford Capital, and the Regents of the University of Minnesota. Proceeds from the Series B financing will be used to advance Totus' clinical program, expand the pipeline, and evolve the platform. About Totus Medicines Totus Medicines is discovering and developing small molecule medicines using a novel DNA-encoded covalent library technology combined with artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML). With the unprecedented ability to screen billions of drug candidates against thousands of targets simultaneously, the company's novel platform can find drugs that are dramatically superior to molecules discovered through previous technologies, including drug candidates for currently undruggable targets. For more information, please visit totusmedicines.com and follow Totus on LinkedIn and Twitter/X. MEDIA CONTACT [email protected] SOURCE Totus Medicines

Former Venture Partner at Versant Ventures and CEO of Inception, Versant’s San Diego Company Creation Engine, Brings Red Tree Strong Ties to San Diego Biopharmaceutical Ecosystem Addition of Dr. Caldwell Highlights Red Tree’s Strategic Prioritization of San Diego as Key West Coast Market for Sourcing Innovation to Drive Company Creation and Investment Red Tree Also Highlights Successful IPO for Portfolio Company, Cargo Therapeutics; Represents One of 2023’s Largest New Nasdaq Biotech Listings SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 16, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Red Tree Venture Capital (“Red Tree”), a West Coast-centric, early stage-biased life science venture capital firm, today announced that Jeremy Caldwell, Ph.D., a widely respected biopharmaceutical executive and research and development leader, whose accomplishments span from the creation of innovative drug development companies to driving the discovery, development and translation of novel therapies, has joined the firm as a partner. Dr. Caldwell brings Red Tree a range of deep industry expertise built throughout a career involving roles as a member of both industry and the venture community. In alignment with the firm’s West Coast focus, he has forged deep ties within the San Diego and San Francisco Bay Area biotechnology communities. Based in San Diego, Dr. Caldwell’s addition to Red Tree illustrates the firm’s increased emphasis on targeting company creation and investment opportunities emanating from the greater San Diego area. This market has long served as a hotbed of academic entrepreneurs, life sciences talent, and pharma leadership, providing a fertile environment for Red Tree to expand its current operations beyond the Bay Area. Nicknamed “Biotech Beach,” San Diego is the third largest and fastest-growing biotech hub in the U.S. and home to such prestigious life sciences institutions as Scripps Research, the Salk Institute and the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). The area has a rich history in the formation of successful biopharmaceutical companies and these vibrant research institutes are producing a steady stream of transformative biomedical breakthroughs capable of continuing that tradition. “Jeremy has led an accomplished career in the biopharmaceutical space, achieving impressive successes from the perspectives of executive, R&D leader, and company builder. In his most recent role leading Inception, Versant Ventures’ San Diego-based company creation engine, he helped drive the establishment of various new biotech companies on the West Coast. His breadth of expertise, coupled with the deep relationships that he has established in the industry, position him as an ideal addition to Red Tree, particularly as we look to strategically expand our footprint,” said Heath Lukatch, co-founder and managing partner of Red Tree Venture Capital. “As a West Coast-centric venture firm, San Diego has always been high on our list of target markets within which to create a presence for sourcing the best and brightest local opportunities for developing first-in-class and/or best-in-class therapeutics and technologies. Jeremy’s strong and broad relationships in the San Diego biopharma ecosystem well position us to pursue our vision of establishing Red Tree as a leading venture firm serving this key Southern California geography.” “I am thrilled to join Red Tree and work alongside Heath, Jennifer Cochran, Red Tree co-founder and chief scientific advisor, and the rest of the team of talented individuals to further cement the firm as a premier West Coast venture group. Heath and I have a long-standing relationship dating back several decades. We share similar views on the immense potential of the biotechnology space to drive amazing innovations in human health, as well as the role that venture can play in supporting brilliant scientists and entrepreneurs who drive these innovations,” stated Dr. Caldwell. “In my experience, San Diego is home to a wealth of scientists and entrepreneurs, along with broad-reaching skilled life sciences talent and access to Big Pharma. This confluence of key factors highlights San Diego as a major player in the biopharma space and gives me great excitement for the position that Red Tree can establish within the San Diego ecosystem.” In his previous roles with Inception Therapeutics and Versant Ventures, Dr. Caldwell co-led in the formation of Chinook Therapeutics, which was acquired by Novartis in a deal valued at up to $3.5 billion, and co-led the investment and formation of Lycia Therapeutics, and Belharra Therapeutics, among others, acting as founding CEO and board director for each company. Prior to Inception/Versant, Dr. Caldwell was an entrepreneur-in-residence at Third Rock Ventures, where he participated in the genesis and formation of Revolution Medicines (RVMD), Pliant Therapeutics (PLRX), Decibel Therapeutics (DBTX), and Nurix Therapeutics (NRIX). He also played key roles in the foundational science on which Rigel, Inc. (RIGL), and Kalypsys, Inc., were formed, as well as advising in the build out of Syrrx, Inc., which was acquired by Takeda for approximately $270 million. With drug discovery and development expertise primarily focused on oncology, immunology, neurology and cardiometabolic disease, Dr. Caldwell is credited with significant contributions to research leading to four commercial drugs. During his career he has served as executive director of molecular and cellular biology, lead discovery and genomics at the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation (GNF), vice president and head of RNA therapeutics at Sirna, lead discovery and protein sciences for Merck Research Laboratories, and executive vice president and chief scientific officer at Ardelyx, Inc. He currently serves as a member of the board of Red Tree portfolio companies Sardona Therapeutics and Biograph 55. In other firm news, Red Tree is proud to highlight the successful initial public offering (IPO) for Cargo Therapeutics, one of the firm’s portfolio companies. Red Tree has roots dating back to the beginning of Cargo Therapeutics, having participated as a co-investor in the company’s seed financing round. Since that initial investment, the firm co-led a $32 million bridge financing for Cargo and served as a co-investor in the company’s $200 million Series A funding round. Additionally, Dr. Lukatch was a Cargo board director prior to the company’s IPO. Cargo Therapeutic completed one of this year’s largest biotech IPOs on November 9, 2023, raising approximately $281 million and marking a significant milestone for Red Tree as the firm’s first IPO. About Red Tree Venture Capital Red Tree Venture Capital is a West Coast-centric, early stage-biased life science venture capital firm. The firm was founded on the idea that an untapped opportunity exists for a venture capital firm guided by a targeted strategy of leveraging deep relationships with leading West Coast academic and research institutions to source innovation emerging from those organizations. Red Tree Venture Capital has raised an inaugural $272 million fund, Red Tree Venture Capital Fund I, to create and invest in companies developing first-in-class and/or best-in-class therapeutics and technologies in the areas of oncology, neurology and immunology. Learn more at: www.redtreevc.com

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Liberate Bio., a biotech company focused on identifying and developing new vehicles to deliver oligonucleotide cargos, announced the expansion of its leadership team. Dr. Shawn Davis has joined Liberate as Chief Executive Officer, and Dr. Walter R. Strapps has joined Liberate as Chief Scientific Officer. Incorporated in 2022, Liberate Bio. was co-founded by Dr. Michael Mitchell, Dr. Stephen Scully, Dr. Theresa Reineke, and Dr. Nessan Bermingham. Dr. Davis has an extensive background in drug delivery, diagnostics, and biopharmaceutical development across startups and Fortune 500 pharmaceutical companies. He joined Liberate Bio from AstraZeneca, where he was the Head of Drug Delivery for R&D Biopharmaceutical Development. At AstraZeneca, he led the research and development of intracellular delivery of nucleic acids, controlled release of antibodies for less frequent dosing, and novel routes of administration for therapeutic benefit. Before AstraZeneca, he held multiple roles of increasing responsibility at Amgen, focusing on combination product development, technology strategy, and innovation. More broadly, he has provided thought leadership across the industry as a frequent speaker and chair of multiple conferences and as a Subcutaneous Drug Development & Delivery Consortium board member. Dr. Strapps is an experienced biotech executive, most recently serving as Chief Executive Officer of Carver Biosciences, Inc. He also currently serves as interim Chief Scientific Officer of Deep Genomics. Previously, Dr. Strapps served as Chief Scientific Officer at Gemini Therapeutics, a dry age-related macular degeneration-focused biotechnology company. Over the last 20 years, Dr. Strapps has held various roles leading research efforts in oligonucleotide-based therapeutics, including at Sirna Therapeutics, Merck & Co., Inc, and Intellia Therapeutics. “The field of genetic medicines is fascinating, not only for the potential to address the critical needs of patients but also as the next frontier of human medicine,” said Dr. Davis. “The opportunity to lead the talented team at Liberate Bio to realize the full potential of genetic medicines through targeted delivery to any organ of the body is thrilling. Our ability to rapidly and efficiently design new delivery vehicles has the potential to enable future pharmaceutical partners’ pipelines and address previously unreachable biologic targets liberating patients from their genetic disorders.” About Liberate Bio, Inc. Liberate is a Boston, MA-based biotechnology company using machine learning, advanced chemistry, and molecular biology techniques to identify novel delivery vehicles for oligonucleotides. For additional information, please visit .