{"id":26889,"date":"2015-05-01T16:43:52","date_gmt":"2015-05-01T20:43:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sciencebusiness.technewslit.com\/?p=26889"},"modified":"2016-06-11T12:32:37","modified_gmt":"2016-06-11T16:32:37","slug":"heart-drug-developer-raises-46m-in-venture-funds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/technewslit.com\/sciencebusiness\/?p=26889","title":{"rendered":"Heart Drug Developer Raises $46M in Venture Funds"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Heart<\/a>
(NASA.gov)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1 May 2015. MyoKardia Inc.<\/a>, a developer of therapies for inherited heart diseases, raised $46 million in its second venture funding round. Taking part in the financing for the South San Francisco, California company are the drug company Sanofi that already holds an equity stake in MyoKardia, as well as venture capital firms Casdin Capital, Cormorant Asset Management, Perceptive Life Sciences, BridgeBio LLC, and an undisclosed public investment fund.<\/p>\n

MyoKardia designs\u00a0<\/span>small-molecule therapies<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>for two types of genetic heart disorders:\u00a0<\/span>hypertrophic cardiomyopathy<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>dilated cardiomyopathy<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>that result from mutations in protein genes of muscles used in heart contractions. With hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, heart muscles become abnormally thick, making it more difficult for the heart to pump blood. In dilated cardiomyopathy, the heart\u2019s left ventricle \u2014 the main pumping chamber \u2014 becomes enlarged, resulting in less pumping force than a healthy heart.<\/p>\n

The company was\u00a0<\/span>started in 2012\u00a0<\/span>by\u00a0<\/span>four academic researchers<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>in heart muscle biology and cardiovascular genetics from Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women\u2019s Hospital, and University of Colorado, and received its\u00a0<\/span>initial financing<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>of $38 million from Third Rock Ventures, a life sciences venture capital firm.<\/p>\n

MyoKardia’s lead product, code-named MYK-461<\/a>, is a therapy that regulates proteins resulting from molecular changes caused by mutations in the genes associated with heart muscles, thus addressing the underlying causes of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The company is recruiting patients for early-stage clinical trials of MYK-461, testing its safety and potential efficacy among healthy volunteers<\/a> and individuals with the disorder<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The new financing further extends Sanofi’s involvement in MyoKardia. In September 2014, Sanofi and MyoKardia began a collaboration<\/a> to develop and commercialize three MyoKardia therapies, two for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and one addressing dilated cardiomyopathy. The partnership could provide as much as $200 million to MyoKardia in upfront and milestone payments. In addition, Sanofi acquired an equity stake in MyoKardia.<\/p>\n

Under the deal, MyoKardia retains product product rights for the two hypertrophic cardiomyopathy therapies, while Sanofi has worldwide rights to develop and commercialize the dilated cardiomyopathy drug. The companies divide up geographic commercialization activities, with MyoKardia responsible for commercialization of the hypertrophic cardiomyopathy drugs in the U.S., and Sanofi responsible for areas outside the U.S. where it now operates.<\/p>\n

If further uses of the therapies emerge, Sanofi will have the option to co-promote either of the hypertrophic cardiomyopathy therapies in the U.S., while MyoKardia will have the option to co-promote the dilated cardiomyopathy drug in the U.S.<\/p>\n

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