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 Leads Funding in Creation of Akari Therapeutics

Deerfield leads the funding in creation of Akari Therapeutics Plc which is created through the Celsus Therapeutics Plc acquisition of Volution Immuno Pharmaceuticals.

NEW YORK – September 21, 2015 – Deerfield Management Company announced today that it will finance Akari Therapeutics, the new company created through the Celsus Therapeutics Plc (NASDAQ: CLTX) acquisition of Volution Immuno Pharmaceuticals SA. The transaction values the combined company on a fully diluted basis at approximately $150 million.

Akari plans to use the anticipated net proceeds from the private placement for the clinical development of Coversin, Volution’s lead molecule, and for working capital and general corporate purposes. Coversin is under development to treat complement-mediated disorders in several therapeutic areas including hematology, nephrology, and neurology. Complement-mediated disorders are orphan indications and advancement of new options in this area could be life-changing for the individuals living with these diseases.

“We are excited to partner with Akari and believe Coversin has the potential to be a best-in-class C5 inhibitor with a convenient administration profile and distinct advantages in certain indications,” said Jean Kim partner, Deerfield Management. “We believe that Akari has assembled a strong team to develop this asset in a thoughtful and aggressive manner to reach patients and the market quickly.”

“Deerfield is the ideal lead investor for our newly formed company, Akari. Deerfield has a long track record of supporting innovative biotechnology companies and we are encouraged by their confidence in Akari to drive the full potential of our lead asset, Coversin,” said Gur Roshwalb, CEO of Akari. “With this financing, Akari now has enough resources to advance our corporate and clinical goals, while providing us with additional flexibility to pursue opportunities that could further propel the value of the company.”

About Akari Therapeutics Plc

Akari is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative therapeutics to treat orphan autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Akari’s lead drug, Coversin is a second-generation complement inhibitor that acts on complement component-C5, preventing release of C5a and formation of C5b-9 (also known as the membrane attack complex or MAC). C5 inhibition is growing in importance in a range of rare autoimmune diseases related to dysregulation of the complement component of the immune system, including paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS), and  Guillain Barré syndrome (GBS).

About Deerfield

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

For more information, please visit www.deerfield.com.

Contacts

Deerfield Management Company
Karen Heidelberger, 212-692-7140
[email protected]