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 innovation 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

Deerfield Commits $36 Million to Advance Dracen’s Novel Immuno-Metabolism Pipeline

New York and Baltimore – March 22, 2018 – Deerfield Management announced today that it has committed $36 million of a $40 million Series A investment to advance Dracen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.’s novel immunometabolism pipeline. Dracen, a private company developing proprietary anti-cancer drugs discovered at the Johns Hopkins University and the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IOCB Prague), will use this financing to progress its programs into clinical trials for patients suffering from cancer.

Dracen will develop its platform of novel glutamine antagonists by building upon the immuno-metabolism effects demonstrated in preclinical cancer models. Immuno-metabolism is the convergence of cancer metabolism and immuno-oncology whereby agents disrupt the energy sources required to keep tumors alive while simultaneously inducing the patient’s own immune system to fight cancer. Dracen intends to develop its glutamine antagonists both in single-agent settings as well as in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors such as anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1.

“We are pleased to partner with Dracen and its founders from Johns Hopkins University,” said Jonathan S. Leff, a Partner with Deerfield Management. “We see great potential for Dracen’s approach to deliver improved outcomes for cancer patients and potentially extend the benefits of immuno-oncology therapies.”

“We are excited to partner with Deerfield to advance our immuno-metabolism pipeline” remarked Thomas M. Estok, Chief Executive Officer of Dracen Pharmaceuticals. “Deerfield’s engagement in our efforts helps bring us closer to an important potential step forward in the treatment of cancer.”

About Dracen Pharmaceuticals

Dracen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a privately-funded biotech company developing proprietary glutamine antagonists discovered at the Johns Hopkins University and the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IOCB Prague). Dracen was founded by Johns Hopkins University professors Barbara Slusher, MAS/PhD; Jonathan Powell, MD/PhD; and Rana Rais, PhD; together with their IOCB Prague collaborator Pavel Majer, PhD to develop the novel glutamine antagonists for the treatment of cancers as well as autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

About Deerfield

Deerfield is an investment management firm committed to advancing healthcare through investment, information and philanthropy.

For more information, please visitwww.deerfield.com

Contacts

Deerfield Management Company
Karen Heidelberger, 212-551-1600
[email protected]