Date: Apr 14, 2013 Author: Nick Pearce Source: PR Newswire
ArmaGen Technologies, Inc. today announced the closing of a $17 million Series A financing to support the development of brain-penetrating recombinant protein therapeutics. The lead investor is Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund, joined by Shire plc, Takeda Ventures, Inc., and Mitsui & Co. Global Investment, Inc. This funding will allow for expansion of existing operations, and the clinical development of potentially first-in-class biopharmaceuticals targeting diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), which are engineered to penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The ArmaGen molecular Trojan horse technology has the potential to re-engineer recombinant proteins for BBB penetration for the treatment of diseases of the brain and spinal cord. The long-term mission at ArmaGen is the development of BBB-penetrating biopharmaceuticals for diseases of the CNS that affect over 250 million people worldwide. Initially, the company will focus on orphan diseases of the CNS with lead biopharmaceuticals for Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) Type I, or Hurler’s syndrome and MPS Type II, or Hunter’s disease. Additional details of the announcement are found at PRNewsire.
