Rapamycin Holdings, Inc. Rebrands to Emtora Biosciences as New Leadership Focuses Company on Next Steps

February 26, 2019 |

2 min read

Rapamycin Holdings, Inc. (RHI), a privately-held, emerging life science company based in San Antonio, Texas, has launched a new corporate brand - Emtora Biosciences - and brought on Dr. Carole Spangler Vaughn as its new CEO.

SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Rapamycin Holdings, Inc. (RHI), a privately-held, emerging life science company based in San Antonio, Texas, has launched a new corporate brand - Emtora Biosciences - and brought on Dr. Carole Spangler Vaughn as its new CEO. The transition facilitates a concerted effort to expeditiously capitalize on Emtora’s foundational research and quickly move its eRapa™ compound toward regulatory approval and commercial launch.

The rebrand to Emtora Biosciences enables a dynamic and meaningful connection to its core value proposition - the eRapa compound and its mTOR-targeted mechanism of action, which has shown significant potential to rejuvenate the immune system as well as enhance health span and life span in animal models. The company’s patented microencapsulated formulation of the compound provides improved and predictable delivery of rapamycin, potentially enabling consistent and sustained lower dosing, thereby reducing the toxicity profile and obviating drug level monitoring.

Spangler Vaughn succeeds Dan Hargrove, who recruited her. Under Hargrove’s leadership, the company launched its first in-human Phase Ib clinical trial. The results of that trial are anticipated in mid-2019 and will provide safety data, dosing information, and immunologic impact of eRapa to guide future human studies in strategically selected indications.

Spangler Vaughn holds a Ph.D. in Biophysics from The Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from the University of Washington. She has worked for large and small entities, both in the laboratory and in business development, with organizations including Bristol-Myers Squibb, the University of Washington (Office of Technology Transfer), Dendreon Corporation, and Clario Medical Imaging. She also owned and operated the Hawaii State franchise for MediVet Biologics, an animal health regenerative medicine company. She has over 25 years of experience in the life science sector.

“Carole’s capabilities are perfectly matched to the highly focused milestones that will come next for Emtora,” commented Hargrove. “Her deep experience in the life science sector, particularly in commercializing new technology, will be a remarkable asset to the company.”

“Emtora has an extremely compelling value proposition and vision,” commented Spangler Vaughn. “With the results of the Phase Ib clinical trial anticipated this year and plans for the next phase of clinical studies underway, we envision rapid movement and continued success in strategically taking this powerful drug across the finish line.”

About Emtora Biosciences

Researchers at UT Health San Antonio discovered that an improved, targeted formulation of the well-known drug rapamycin extended life span and health span in rodents by mitigating the effects of age-related diseases. Emtora, as the exclusive licensee of this technology, is strategically developing and commercializing its drug compound, eRapa, for indications where there are serious unmet medical needs.