A recent report by professional services and investment management firm JLL found that Colorado—specifically the Denver and Boulder areas—are a rapidly growing area for biopharma. In fact, the JLL Life Sciences Report ranked the Denver and Boulder biotech markets as #13 in the country based on life sciences employment, employment growth, venture capital funding, National Institutes of Health funding and several other criteria. (Source)
My picks for cool biotechs in Colorado are:
Siva Therapeutics, Denver, is developing Targeted HyperthermiaTM (THT), an elegant, safe and effective cancer therapy which generates therapeutic heat within solid tumors using SivaRodsTM gold nanorods and a SivaLumTM infrared light device. THT has multiple beneficial effects on tumors, and it is more selective than chemotherapy, less destructive than radiation, and without the risks of surgical treatment. This treatment promises to be minimally invasive, to reduce harmful side effects, and to stimulate the immune system. In addition to being more affordable, this technology promises to deliver faster results than current cancer treatments.
Edgewise Therapeutics, Boulder, is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on creating novel precision medicines for the treatment of rare muscle disorders. Their intimate knowledge of integrated muscle physiology at a whole-body level allows us to develop innovative solutions for patients with muscle disease where significant unmet medical need exists. By protecting and improving muscle health, their goal is to dramatically enhance the lives of people living with progressive muscle disorders.
Edgewise is currently focused on developing novel myosin targeted therapies for the treatment of Duchenne, Becker, Limb-Girdle muscular dystrophies, and McArdle disease.
Triopsy, Aurora, the Triopsy™ approach will create opportunity across three key market segments: medical device, pathology systems, and mapping systems for more accurate diagnosis. Our novel biopsy and pathology technology will assess more accurately the precise tumor location, exact size, disease type and stage, genomic analysis, and pathway to personalized medicine.
They believe their work will initially improve the lives of millions of men with prostate issues, and we will ultimately expand our work into many other areas where better accuracy, fewer errors, and lower costs can have a positive impact on health outcomes.
Brickell Bio, Boulder, has a current pipeline aims to disrupt existing treatment paradigms and features new molecular entities with first-in-class and best-in-class potential as treatments for autoimmune, inflammatory, and other high unmet need conditions.
Their current pipeline includes products for autoimmune diseases, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Type 1 Diabetes, Atopic Dermatitis, Neuroinflammation and Rare Genetic Diseases.
ARCA Biopharma, Westminster, Gencaro™ (bucindolol hydrochloride) is a pharmacologically unique beta-blocker and mild vasodilator that has potential for the treatment and prevention of recurrent atrial fibrillation, or AF, in patients with heart failure with mid-range ejection fraction, or HFmrEF.