TYR

BERKELEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Catena Biosciences, Inc., a biotechnology company pioneering protein conjugation technologies for novel therapeutic development, today announced the expansion of its leadership team with two new executive appointments. The company has appointed Saurabh Johri as Chief Business Officer and Rick Kendall, Ph.D., as Chief Scientific Officer. “Catena is in an exciting phase of growth, and we are pleased to welcome Saurabh and Rick to our growing team. Their experience leading R&D, strategy, partnership, and commercial organizations at some of the world’s largest biopharmaceutical companies will be a tremendous asset as we work to establish our early-stage pipeline and expand our development collaborations with industry partners,” said Marco Lobba, Ph.D., Catena Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer. “We look forward to their leadership as we continue to advance our mission to make imagination the only limit to therapeutic advancement by enabling the production of therapeutics beyond the limits of current biological manufacturing.” Saurabh is a seasoned industry executive with more than 20 years of strategy and commercialization experience in healthcare and biopharma. His experience spans global and U.S. leadership roles in multiple top-tier biopharmaceutical companies across early-stage development, product launches, and leading $1B+ businesses with responsibility for partnerships of varying types and scale. Saurabh joins Catena Biosciences from Bayer where he was most recently Vice President & Global Head, Oncology Strategy and Early Commercialization. In his last role at Bayer, he was responsible for setting the short-term and long-term oncology strategy, partnering with early R&D to ensure oncology pipeline development was in line with strategy as well as partnering with business development to ensure strategic deal flow for Bayer’s Oncology pipeline and topline goals. Prior, he was U.S. Head, LYNPARZA (olaparib), leading strategy and execution across all tumor types for this first-in-class and market-leading PARP inhibitor. Saurabh also served in senior commercial roles at Merck and Teva Pharmaceuticals where he held multiple leadership positions in new product planning and global strategy. He holds a BTech in Industrial Engineering from Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University. “Catena has invented a truly unique protein conjugation technology that is demonstrating its potential to create first- and best-in-class targeted therapies across multiple therapeutic areas. What struck me as truly unique was the potential to quickly develop never before possible structures using targeted protein coupling to address critical unmet needs across a number of modalities,” said Saurabh. “We are seeing tremendous interest from potential strategic investors and development partners, and I am looking forward to working alongside this incredibly talented team to explore the many exciting possibilities in creating new treatments utilizing Catena’s protein conjugation technology.” Dr. Kendall was most recently President and CEO of ImmPACT BIO, a cell therapy company developing engineered T cells for the treatment of cancer. Prior, he was Vice President of Research at Kite Pharma where he was responsible for the company’s research pipeline and developing CAR-T technologies. Dr. Kendall was also an Executive Director and Head of Oncology Research at Amgen, where he directed a group of 90+ scientists and was responsible for the development of the company’s oncology therapeutic strategy aligning research with other functions including Chemistry, Protein Sciences, Medical Translational Sciences, Development, and Commercial. Among his many accomplishments at Amgen, Dr. Kendall initiated efforts that led to the development of the first true KRAS inhibitor, LUMAKRAS. Additionally, he led the research diligence and integration team for the Micromet acquisition integrating the Bi-Specific T-cell Engager (BiTE) platform into Amgen’s repertoire of therapeutic modalities which became a cornerstone in the company’s immune-oncology efforts. Prior to Amgen, Dr. Kendall was a Research Fellow at Merck Research Labs. He holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. “I have been very impressed with the Catena platform and its potential to deliver precision biotherapeutics using targeted protein coupling,” said Dr. Kendall. “The elegant mechanisms by which the Catena platform facilitates tyrosinase activation and site-specific protein–protein coupling has the potential to open up new development pathways for a broad range of therapies across a number of hard-to-treat diseases. I look forward to working in close collaboration with my new colleagues as we strive to make a positive difference in the lives of people living with challenging diseases.” About Catena Biosciences Catena Biosciences began operations in May 2021 and is based on technology developed in the Doudna and Francis Labs at the University of California, Berkeley. The company’s Catenase platform couples proteins to form a novel type of covalent bond between naturally occurring amino acids that can be used in the creation of targeted therapeutics. This unique patented technology permits the construction of biomolecules currently unobtainable using modern manufacturing techniques. With an initial focus in oncology, the platform has applications across multiple therapeutic areas. Catena Biosciences is the recipient of an NIH SBIR grant and the American Cancer Society’s BrightEdge Golden Ticket at UC Berkeley’s Bakar Labs. For more information, please visit catenabiosciences.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

0.8% SM-030 topical gel achieved safety and efficacy endpoints in a Phase 2 trial for solar lentigos and photoinduced pigmentation. The study enrolled two groups of subjects: 1) a group of subjects with solar lentigos treated with open label 0.8% SM-030 gel and 2) a randomized group of healthy subjects that received either 0.8% SM-030 gel, 4% hydroquinone cream, or vehicle gel applied to an area of sun exposed skin (dorsum of the hand) and a sun protected area (upper inner arm) Solar lentigos results: 100% of subjects treated with SM-030 applied to the entire dorsal hand twice-daily (BID) for 12 weeks achieved at least an IDGA of -1 and 27% achieved an IDGA of -2. Additionally, SM-030 demonstrated a statistically significant (p<0.0001) decrease in pigmentation on the treatment side compared to the contralateral untreated side as measured by colorimetry. Healthy volunteers: SM-030 applied to the entire dorsal hand (sun exposed) twice-daily (BID) for 12 weeks achieved greater efficacy than 4% hydroquinone in the proportion of subjects that obtained an Investigator Dynamic Global Assessment (IDGA) score of -1 (85% vs 75%) and -2 (30% vs 20%). There was no change in the pigmentation of the treated sun protected upper inner arm. BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- DermBiont, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company that is advancing targeted topical therapeutics for the treatment of dermatological indications, today announced positive data from its Phase 2 trial with 0.8% SM-030 gel, a product under development capable of regulating pigmentation by controlling the formation of new melanin. Disorders of hyperpigmentation, such as melasma, photoinduced hyperpigmentation, and solar lentigos (lentigines), are common skin conditions affecting between 5% and 30% of the general population and are caused by an over production or irregular dispersion of epidermal melanin. There is no existing product that effectively and safely specifically inhibits the production of excess epidermal melanin. Tyrosinase, the key enzyme in the melanin synthetic pathway, requires phosphorylation by PKCβ for activity. SM-030 is a first-in-class selective and potent topical PKCβ inhibitor designed to inhibit PKCβ to reduce the production of excess epidermal melanin. DermBiont’s Phase 2 trial with SM-030 was conducted with two different groups of subjects. The first treatment group was an open-label within-subject bilateral-comparison group in 15 subjects with at least four solar lentigos on each dorsal hand treated twice-daily (BID) on one dorsal hand for 12 weeks with 0.8% SM-030 gel. The contralateral hand was untreated. The second group treated consisted of a group of 60 healthy volunteer subjects with Fitzpatrick Skin Type IV or V who were randomized 1:1:1 to receive either 0.8% SM-030 gel, vehicle gel, or 4% hydroquinone cream (an active comparator) applied to the dorsum of the hand (sun exposed skin) and upper inner arm (sun protected skin) with the contralateral hand and arm serving as untreated controls. Evaluations were observer blinded. Efficacy Analysis: Subjects in both groups (solar lentigos subjects and normal healthy volunteers) were assessed by way of the Investigator Dynamic Global Assessment (IDGA) Score at week 12. The IDGA score is a numerical score based on physician scoring of the pigmentation in the area of test article application relative to the untreated control site. The IDGA score ranges from -3 to +3 defined as markedly less pigmentation than the untreated control site (IDGA = -3); moderately less pigmentation than the untreated control site (IDGA = -2); slightly less pigmentation than the untreated control site (IDGA = -1); similar pigmentation to the untreated control site (IDGA=0); slightly more pigmentation than the untreated control site (IDGA = 1); moderately more pigmentation than the untreated control site (IDGA = 2); or markedly more pigmentation than the untreated control site (IDGA = 3). The Melanin index measured by colorimeter, defined by L* and ITA (degrees) calculations was also evaluated at each visit using a non-invasive biophysical measurement with a colorimeter (Chromometer CM-700: Konica-Minolta, Osaka, Japan). Results: Solar Lentigos Open Label Subjects: on the dorsal hand with the treated lentigos, 100% of subjects (n=15) achieved either an IDGA of –2 (moderately less pigment) or –1 (slightly less pigment) with 27% (n=4) achieving an IDGA of –2. There was also a statistically significant difference between the change in colorimetry from screening readings (p<0.0001) between treated and untreated lentigos at Week 12. Healthy Volunteer Randomized Subjects: on the sun exposed dorsal hand, 85% of subjects treated with 0.8% SM-030 gel, 75% with 4% hydroquinone, and 35% with vehicle gel achieved an IDGA score of –1 or less (p<0.01 comparing 0.8% SM-030 vs. vehicle). 30% of subjects treated with 0.8% SM-030 gel, 20% with 4% hydroquinone, and 0% with vehicle gel achieved an IDGA score of –2 or less (p<0.05 comparing 0.8% SM-030 vs. vehicle). There were no observed changes in the sun protected upper inner arm. All Subjects: The treatment was well tolerated, with 99% of safety observations having no local tolerability reactions. Any local tolerability reactions that occurred were all mild in nature, transient, and resolved without sequelae. There were no serious adverse events. “The data seen in this Phase 2 trial of SM-030 is highly encouraging as we have demonstrated IDGA improvement as well as a clear separation from placebo from baseline to the end of treatment,” stated Karl Beutner, M.D., Ph.D., CEO, and Co-Founder of DermBiont. “The existing options for treating hyperpigmentation lack sufficient efficacy, safety, and tolerability, and we believe that the successful development of SM-030 could bridge this gap and provide patients with an alternative treatment option that is safe for long-term use and very well tolerated amongst patients.” Based on positive results from this initial Phase 2 trial with 0.8% SM-030 gel, DermBiont plans to commence a 140 subject double-blind placebo-controlled trial treating melasma with 0.8% SM-030 topical gel in the second half of 2023. Nichola Eliovits, Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer at DermBiont, added, “The results of this initial trial are particularly exciting for melasma patients who currently treat dermal melanin with lasers but do not have any option to inhibit excess production of epidermal melanin, the root cause of patients’ melasma. SM-030 will efficaciously and safely inhibit excess production of epidermal melanin that leads to hyperpigmentation, resulting in monochromatic skin while providing desirable results to patients without the hypopigmentation side effects or the array of safety concerns associated with current treatments, including hydroquinone which is toxic to melanocytes and has been banned as a monotherapy at both 2% (OTC) and 4% (Rx) concentrations by the FDA.” About SM-030 PKCβ has the ability to increase melanin production by phosphorylating and increasing the activity of tyrosinase, which is the key and final enzyme in the melanin synthetic pathway. SM-030 is a first-in-class selective and potent topical PKCβ inhibitor intended to reduce the production of epidermal melanin. About DermBiont DermBiont’s mission is to become the world’s leading precision dermatology company developing and commercializing targeted topical therapeutics that treat, cure, and prevent diseases. The company aims to impact the root causes of skin diseases through the development of targeted small molecule therapeutics with well-defined mechanisms of action and biotherapeutics that repair an imbalance of the microbiome. The company’s targeted topical therapeutics pipeline includes two lead assets: SM-020 for the treatment of seborrheic keratosis and SM-030 for the treatment of hyperpigmentation disorders of the skin. For more information, please visit .

SEAL BEACH, Calif., Jan. 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- As the youngest U.S. Olympic swimmer in 27 years, the two-time World Champion Silver Medalist has already established herself as a force in the sport, joining the ranks of the world's most elite swimmers and showing no signs of slowing down. Continue Reading TYR Sport Signs Prodigy Katie Grimes. Katie Grimes has proven that dedication, consistency, and innovation are the keys to success. Grimes was a 2024 Olympic hopeful, but when circumstances changed and the 2020 Trials were pushed back to 2021, it was the opportunity she needed to make the necessary adjustments to balance out the 4" growth spurt that would've otherwise kept her waiting for Paris. Her determination to learn how to work with her new height and longer arms earned her a berth to Tokyo, and clearly she was ready. At just 15-years-old, Grimes beat the odds by claiming her rightful place on the 2021 U.S. Olympic Team where she went on to earn 4th place in the 800m Freestyle. Grimes finished the 2022 season strong earning two silver medals at the World Championship, one in the 400 Individual Medley and the other in the 1500 Freestyle right behind teammate Katie Ledecky. At the USA Junior Nationals, Grimes became the fifth woman in history to break 4:30 in the 500y freestyle and swam the fourth fastest 400y Individual Medley of all-time. And, this is only the beginning for this prodigy. 2023 is shaping up to be equally spectacular. At the Pro Swim Series in Knoxville, Grimes earned gold medals in the 800m Freestyle, 400m Medley, and 200m Butterfly, along with three more trips to the podium where she collected a silver medal in the 1500m Freestyle and bronze medals in both the 400m Freestyle and 200m Backstroke. "I am so excited to finally announce my partnership with TYR!! For me, training and racing in a brand that I can trust is very important. Our shared value to commitment and discipline has helped me get where I am today and where I'm heading in the future," said Grimes. "I'm so blessed to be part of this amazing TYR family." Grimes is currently a high school junior, and as she prepares for the 2024 Trials, she continues to train with the Sandpipers of Nevada, a longstanding TYR team, under Coach Ron Aitken. Her unwavering work ethic and dedication to being the best has earned her a place alongside the growing TYR Team family of champions including Olympic teammates Katie Ledecky, Phoebe Bacon, Claire Curzan, Lilly King, Annie Lazor, and Torri Huske. "TYR Sport is very excited to welcome Katie onto our team," Matt Dilorenzo, CEO of TYR, said. "Having made such an impactful name for herself at just 17-years-old, there are no limits to what she can accomplish. She embodies all of the characteristics that TYR values: unmatched work ethic, determination, and camaraderie." Since its inception more than three decades ago, TYR Sport has grown to exist as one of the world's most recognizable swimming and triathlon brands. Founded in Huntington Beach, California, the American company has garnered industry success for major technologies including the celebrated Venzo technical suit. Today, TYR has become synonymous with the most groundbreaking athletes in swimming and continues to be the choice of champions. About TYR Named for TYR the Norse god of valor and sacrifice, we're a company built on commitment and discipline. We've been pushing the limits of innovation to propel athletes to their absolute best for over 35 years. Whether it's personal records or world championships, we have the hard-earned hardware to back it up. SOURCE TYR