Deerfield
About Deerfield

Launched in 1994, Deerfield Management Company is an investment firm dedicated to advancing healthcare through information, investment, and philanthropy—all toward the end goal of cures for disease, improved quality of life, and reduced cost of care.

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Investment

Supporting companies across the healthcare ecosystem with flexible funding models…

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Information

Delivering market research to the Deerfield team, its portfolio companies and other partners.

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Philanthropy

A New York City-based not-for-profit devoted to advancing innovative health care initiatives.

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Portfolio Companies

Deerfield generally maintains a combined portfolio of more than 150 private and public investments across the life science, medical device, diagnostic, digital health and health service industries at all stages of evolution from start-up to mature company.

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Research Collaborations

Deerfield partners with leading academic research centers, providing critical funding and expertise to further sustain and accelerate the commercialization of discoveries toward meaningful societal impact by advancing cures for disease.

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Strategic Partners

As a strategic partner, Deerfield offers capital, scientific expertise, business operating support, and unique access to innovation.

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Deerfield Foundation

The Deerfield Foundation is a New York City-based not-for-profit organization whose mission is to improve health, accelerate innovation and promote human equity.

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Cure Campus

Cure is a 12-story innovations campus in New York City that intends to bring together innovators from academia, government, industry, and the not-for-profit sectors to advance human health and accelerate the fight against disease.

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Cure Programming

Cure has a series of expert lectures intended to advance thought in healthcare, management, innovation, policy, and other relevant subjects. This fosters growth and education for those at Cure and its guests.

Events at the Cure

Relation Therapeutics

Relation is a biotechnology company discovering and developing transformational medicines, with experimental and computational systems at its core. The company’s Lab-in-the-Loop approach combines single cell multi-omics directly from patient tissue, functional assays and machine learning to understand the biological processes in human health and disease. The company is rapidly advancing programmes using insights from its technology and data, starting with bone-related diseases.

VeritaScience

In January 2024, Washington University in St. Louis and Deerfield Management announced the launch of VeritaScience, a private R&D collaboration designed to advance the discovery, clinical development and commercialization of promising therapeutic and diagnostic candidates with potential to benefit human health.

Washington University and Deerfield Management Launch VeritaScience to Drive Drug Discovery

Deerfield Management makes 10-year commitment of up to $130 million to accelerate translation of Washington University discoveries to improve human health

New York, New York, – January 16, 2024  Washington University in St. Louis and Deerfield Management (“Deerfield”), a healthcare investment firm, today announced the launch of VeritaScience, a new private R&D collaboration designed to advance the discovery, clinical development and commercialization of promising therapeutic and diagnostic candidates with potential to benefit human health. 

To support projects that originate from the collaboration, Deerfield has committed up to $130 million over the next 10 years, along with functional expertise, through a newly formed company. Washington University’s investigators will have the opportunity to work with Deerfield’s internal team, which has expertise across the drug development continuum from discovery through commercialization. VeritaScience is named to honor Washington University’s motto “Per Veritatem Vis,” which means “Strength Through Truth” in Latin.

The VeritaScience collaboration complements the university’s existing efforts in drug development and its innovative culture. Project proposals can be designed around any disease indication. Washington University’s investigators will submit project proposals to VeritaScience and its scientific review team, which is led by Deerfield experts and guided by the university’s Office of Technology Management and Washington University School of Medicine’s (“WashU Medicine”) business development team. Accepted drug discovery projects will receive a development plan aimed at achieving Investigational New Drug readiness and may be eligible for additional funding and support for the creation of separate, start-up companies.

Washington University is known worldwide for its innovative research programs in the medical sciences, aimed at improving human health. The university currently is ranked #7 in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding among U.S. universities, with $633 million received in the 2023 federal fiscal year. This includes nearly $584 million in funding for research initiatives at WashU Medicine, which currently is ranked #2 in NIH funding among U.S. medical schools.

“The exciting collaboration with Deerfield Management to create VeritaScience represents yet another major approach to leveraging the research capabilities of Washington University,” said David H. Perlmutter, MD, the George and Carol Bauer Endowed Dean of Washington University School of Medicine, executive vice chancellor for medical affairs, and the Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Distinguished Professor. “Deerfield has extensive experience in academic-industry partnerships, and this agreement allows us to further advance the ‘virtuous cycle of academic medicine’ and our commitment to translating ever more of the landscape-altering discoveries happening in our labs into tools and therapies that will concretely improve human health and alleviate suffering.”

The VeritaScience collaboration is an example of Deerfield’s engagement with research institutions. Currently, Deerfield’s network includes nearly 30 leading research institutions and medical centers, which aims to bring the healthcare ecosystem together to collaborate and learn from each other. Together with its research partners, Deerfield has provided funding and expertise to create spin-off companies that support key avenues from concept to spin-out of novel therapeutic discoveries.

“Throughout the process of forming VeritaScience, what has stood out to our team at Deerfield is the forward-thinking and innovation-focused Washington University culture,” said James Flynn, managing partner of Deerfield. “We intend to equip the researchers of selected projects with flexible capital, expertise, and operational support to help them realize their discoveries’ potential.”

ABOUT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

Washington University in St. Louis is counted among the world’s leaders in teaching, research, patient care and service to society. The university draws students and faculty to St. Louis from more than 100 countries and all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The total student body is approximately 14,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students. Washington University has been affiliated with 25 Nobel laureates, many of whom did a significant portion of their award-winning work at the university. The university offers more than 90 programs and almost 1,500 courses leading to bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in a broad spectrum of traditional and interdisciplinary fields, with additional opportunities for minor concentrations and individualized programs.

WashU Medicine is a global leader in academic medicine, including biomedical research, patient care and educational programs with 2,800 faculty. Its National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding portfolio is the second largest among U.S. medical schools, has grown more than 40% in the last six years and, together with institutional investment, WashU Medicine commits well over $1 billion annually to basic and clinical research innovation and training. Its faculty practice is consistently within the top five in the country, with more than 1,800 faculty physicians practicing at over 65 locations and who are also the medical staffs of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children’s hospitals of BJC HealthCare.

ABOUT DEERFIELD MANAGEMENT

Deerfield is an investment management firm committed to advancing healthcare through investment, information and philanthropy. The Firm works across the healthcare ecosystem to connect people, capital, ideas and technology in bold, collaborative and inclusive ways. For more information, please visit www.deerfield.com.

Media Contact:

Anthony Karamourtopoulos

[email protected]

Diane Duke Williams

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Bicara Therapeutics

Bicara Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing first-in-class biologics engineered to bring together the precision of targeted therapy and the power of tumor modulators. The company’s bifunctional antibodies are designed to deliver an immunomodulatory payload directly to the tumor microenvironment to ramp up immune cell activity, potentially offering long-lasting efficacy.

Amethyst Innovations 

In June 2023, NYU Langone Health and Deerfield Management Company announced the launch of a research and development collaboration designed to accelerate the commercialization of biomedical discoveries. Through a newly formed company called Amethyst Innovations, LLC, Deerfield has committed up to $130 million over the next 10 years, along with additional scientific and operational support, including access to the Deerfield-founded Women in Science program, to advance the translation of NYU Langone’s biomedical research in a broad range of areas.

Ray Therapeutics

Ray Therapeutics is developing novel optogenetics gene therapies for patients with blinding diseases. The company’s mission is to use optogenetics to restore vision, independent of genetic mutation for patients with inherited retinal diseases. Ray Therapeutics is based in San Francisco, CA.

CalciMedica

CalciMedica is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapies for life-threatening inflammatory diseases with high unmet need. CalciMedica’s proprietary technology targets the inhibition of CRAC channels designed to modulate the immune response and protect against tissue cell injury, with the potential to provide therapeutic benefits in life-threatening inflammatory diseases for which there are currently no approved therapies. CalciMedica was founded by scientists from Torrey Pines Therapeutics and the Harvard CBR Institute for Biomedical Research, and is headquartered in La Jolla, CA.

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and Deerfield Management Launch Harbor Discoveries to Advance New Therapeutics

Deerfield commits up to $130 million over 10 years to support drug development efforts

NEW YORK, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) and healthcare investment firm, Deerfield Management, today announced a research and development collaboration to help bring next-generation therapeutics to market. Through a newly launched company called Harbor Discoveries, LLC, Deerfield has committed up to $130 million over a 10-year period and will provide CSHL scientists with both funding and functional expertise to advance biomedical research.

“Biomedical research doesn’t stop because of the biotech investment slowdown,” says Andrew Whiteley, vice president of Business Development and Technology Transfer at CSHL. “The Deerfield-CSHL collaboration plans to fund cutting-edge translational science while offering our scientists direct access to clinical development and commercial expertise. By combining CSHL’s innovations with Deerfield’s expertise, Harbor Discoveries is positioned to bring forth the kinds of healthcare advancements that can impact countless patients’ lives.”

Harbor Discoveries, LLC is a private company wholly owned by affiliates of Deerfield Management. Its goal is to find cures for diseases and make life-saving therapeutics more widely available. Formation of the company will help close critical gaps between early-stage drug discovery and commercial development efforts at a time when capital investment in biotechnology has been much harder to access.

“CSHL has continued to prove its ability to attract top research minds across important fields of scientific study,” said James Flynn, Managing Partner, Deerfield Management and Cure® Founder. “We are excited about the prospect of the discovery of new therapeutics stemming from this high potential collaboration.”

As part of the agreement, CSHL researchers will submit project proposals to Harbor Discoveries and its scientific review team led by Deerfield experts and guided by CSHL’s Office of Technology Transfer. Those projects accepted will receive funding and operational support to progress from the laboratory to the clinic. In exchange for these resources, Harbor Discoveries, LLC will have the option to license the associated intellectual property and know-how developed at CSHL.

About Deerfield Management Company

Deerfield is an investment management firm committed to advancing healthcare through investment, information and philanthropy. The Firm works across the healthcare ecosystem to connect people, capital, ideas and technology in bold, collaborative and inclusive ways. For more information, visit www.deerfield.com.

About Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Founded in 1890, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory has shaped contemporary biomedical research and education with programs in cancer, neuroscience, plant biology and quantitative biology. Home to eight Nobel Prize winners, the private, not-for-profit Laboratory employs 1,000 people including 600 scientists, students and technicians. For more information, visit www.cshl.edu.

Harbor Discoveries

In January 2023, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) and Deerfield Management announced a research and development collaboration to help bring next-generation therapeutics to market. Through a newly formed company called Harbor Discoveries, LLC, Deerfield has committed up to $130 million over a 10-year period, along with functional expertise, to advance biomedical research.

Deerfield Management and BioSymetrics partner to discover and develop novel therapeutics

Collaboration to advance cardiology and neurology targets using phenomics and genomic data to improve human health

NEW YORK, NEW YORK — Oct. 31, 2022 – Deerfield Management, a healthcare investment firm, and BioSymetrics, a phenomics-driven drug discovery company, today announced a five-year joint venture to accelerate the advancement of new therapeutics, with an initial focus on cardiovascular and neurological diseases. The collaboration will identify new drug discovery programs that combine BioSymetrics’ AI-powered target discovery and validation platform with Deerfield’s drug discovery and commercial modeling capabilities.

“BioSymetrics’ platform creates proprietary and highly valuable insights into biology that can help identify novel therapeutics,” said James Flynn, Managing Partner, Deerfield Management and Cure Founder. “Our collaboration focuses on complex conditions in cardiovascular and neurological disease where BioSymetrics’ data and analytical capabilities can be particularly important.  We are excited about the breakthroughs possible through this partnership.”

BioSymetrics takes a phenomics-driven approach to advancing drug discovery. The company’s target discovery platform uses machine learning to connect clinical and experimental data – including patient data from millions of electronic medical records, genomics, and experimental data captured in zebrafish models using proprietary computer vision – to identify high-confidence targets for drug discovery. Targets discovered using BioSymetrics’ platform are grounded in human genetic evidence, giving them twice the likelihood of clinical success as demonstrated in the seminal paper by Matt Nelson, VP Genetics & Genomics at Deerfield Management. BioSymetrics is advancing programs in cardiometabolic, neurological, and rare diseases, including familial dilated cardiomyopathy, atherosclerosis, and epilepsy.

“Deerfield shares our philosophy of using human genetic evidence and rapid in vivo validation in target discovery,” said Anthony Iacovone, Co-founder and CEO. “For a prolific target discovery platform like ours, Deerfield’s strengths in drug discovery and healthcare expertise ensure that together we can aim to focus on the programs with the highest probability of success and drive forward the best science. We are enthusiastic to begin this effort and work together with Deerfield in translating complex clinical and experimental biology into actionable therapeutic development programs.” 

Under the terms of the agreement, Deerfield and BioSymetrics will identify therapeutic targets using BioSymetrics’ platform and database. Deerfield will provide target product profiles and due diligence support, commercial modeling services, and drug development plans and infrastructure for projects that the parties decide to advance.

About Deerfield Management

Deerfield Management is an investment management firm committed to advancing healthcare through investment, information and philanthropy. The Firm works across the healthcare ecosystem to connect people, capital, ideas and technology in bold, collaborative and inclusive ways. For more information, please visit www.deerfield.com.

About BioSymetrics

BioSymetrics is a phenomics-driven drug discovery company with a vision to translate data into discoveries. BioSymetrics integrates clinical and experimental data, using machine learning, to translate human disease biology and advance precision medicines. For more information, please visit www.biosymetrics.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Media:

Caroline Drucker

+1 212.583.8296

[email protected]

Denise Johnston

[email protected]