Newcos Founded » Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery
2180
page-template-default,page,page-id-2180,page-child,parent-pageid-17,bridge-core-3.0.5,qi-blocks-1.0.6,qodef-gutenberg--no-touch,qodef-qi--no-touch,qi-addons-for-elementor-1.5.5,qode-page-transition-enabled,ajax_fade,page_not_loaded,,qode-theme-ver-29.1,qode-theme-bridge,disabled_footer_bottom,wpb-js-composer js-comp-ver-6.9.0,vc_responsive,elementor-default,elementor-kit-3247,x-shortcodes-v3_0_5

Newcos Founded

Home > About Us > Newcos Founded

Founded Cerecor  https://www.cerecor.com/

JHDD Director Dr. Barbara Slusher, in collaboration with Drs. Solomon Snyder, Blake Paterson, and Isaac Blech founded Cerecor to develop and commercialize neurotherapeutics derived from JHU research.  Raised $65M Million in Series A/B financing and went public in 2015 (CERC). Market Cap $145M (11/19). Cerecor changed name in 2021 to Avalo (AVTX).

Founded ImmunoOncology Company, Dracen Pharmaceuticals http://www.dracenpharma.com/

JHDD’s Drs. Slusher and Rais In collaboration with Dr. Jonathan Powell from JHU and Dr. Pavel Majer from IOCB, founded Dracen to develop and commercialize novel glutamine antagonist prodrugs.  Raised $60 Million in Series A/B financing.  JHDD discovered DRP-104 received Fast Track designation from FDA for small-cell lung cancer and is currently in Ph1/2a development. Press release

Founded Oncology Company, Lorem Pharmaceuticals Press Release

Funded by the IP Group, JHDD Director Barbara Slusher founded Lorem Pharmaceuticals in collaboration with Drs. Rana Rais and Franco D’Alessio from JHU and the Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry (IOCB) in Prague, to develop and commercialize prodrugs of nucleoside analogs for the treatment of oncological and immunological disease.

Founded Prostate Cancer Company, Adarga Therapeutics

JHDD’s Drs. Barbara Slusher, Rana Rais and Michael Nedelcovych in collaboration with IOCB chemists, founded Adarga to develop and commercialize JHU-2545 as a kidney and salivary gland shielding agent for patients undergoing PSMA radiotherapy.  Adarga was acquired by PSMA Therapeutics in November 2019 and sold to Bayer in June 2021.

Founded Samata Therapeutics

JHDD Director Dr. Barbara Slusher co-founded Samata Therapeutics in collaboration with JHU faculty Drs. Rangaramanujam, Kannan, and Parikh to develop novel dendrimer-based neuropsychiatric therapeutics.   Samata has raised $4M of seed financing to date.