Davie, Florida – February 2, 2015 – Partikula, LLC (“Partikula”), a preclinical stage biopharmaceutical company, announced today its closing of a Series A financing. 2M Companies led the $5 million round. Partikula will use the proceeds from this financing to support the development of its portfolio of novel mitochondrial-targeting agents, initially focusing on inhibitors of cancer metabolism and survival.
Partikula was formed in 2013 by seasoned life science entrepreneur and CEO David Kolb to capitalize on novel chemistries capable of delivering therapeutic agents directly to the mitochondria. “Utilizing our platform chemistries we are able to access a wealth of well studied but difficult to reach targets that control a variety of important cellular functions”, commented Mr. Kolb. Dr. Marc Lippman, Deputy Director of the Sylvester Cancer Center at the University of Miami and the company’s Chief Medical Officer, added, “with its mitochondrial targeting platform, Partikula can now access hard-to-reach targets that control a variety of important cellular mechanisms and pathways including metabolism, apoptosis, fission/fusion, physiological sensing and cell cycle maintenance with applicability across many therapeutic areas beginning with oncology but reaching out across neurology, cardiology, metabolic disease and rare orphan diseases.”
Partikula is initially applying its platform technology in the area of oncology. The company has developed a family of metabolic inhibitors including therapeutics that target pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK) and hexokinase (HK), both essential elements of cellular metabolism pathways that are significantly augmented in many forms of cancer. “By inhibiting cancer metabolism at its core location we hope to have a potent and specific effect against cancer cells while avoiding resistance mechanisms and crosstalk upstream of the mitochondria,” commented Mr. Kolb. Additionally, the company is developing agents that address cancer cell survival, targeting the Bcl-2 family of proteins, which are more highly expressed in cancer cells compared with normal healthy cells.
This Series A funding represents the first institutional financing for Partikula. Melissa Krauth, head of life science investing at 2M Companies commented, “We are excited to work with the Partikula team to realize the exceptional potential of their novel platform. We see broad applicability to a number of intractable diseases, and are particularly excited about the potential to make a significant impact in the field of oncology through their unique mitochondria-targeted inhibitors of cancer metabolism and cell survival.”
About Partikula, LLC
Partikula, LLC is a development-stage biotechnology company focused on developing novel mitochondrial-targeted therapeutics for oncology and other disease areas. Partikula’s lead programs targeting cancer metabolism are currently in preclinical development. Partikula expects to begin clinical studies of its lead programs in late 2016. Visit www.partikula.com.
About 2M Companies
2M Companies (“2M”), a Dallas-based family office and investment company focused on life science and technology companies and oil and gas mineral resources. The life science team at 2M invests in innovative, early-stage technologies that can dramatically improve people’s health and well-being. 2M partners with research groups, universities, inventors, and early-stage biotech companies, investing money, time, and expertise to accelerate development of their technologies. Visit www.2m.com.
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