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AIM-HI draws startups from the deep pipeline of National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR) funded scientists and the best-in-class global scientist-entrepreneur community.

Every year, hundreds of innovations and discoveries take place in research labs, academia, and leading cancer centers around the world. Surprisingly, only a small percentage ever make it into commercial ventures. The traditional commercialization approach facilitated by university technology transfer offices have met meager outcomes. 

Our Approach 

AIM-HI sources deals from a deep pipeline.  We leverage our relationships with NFCR and the Asian Foundation for Cancer Research to curate the best entrepreneurial projects, including those participating in and uncovered by their Salisbury Award for Entrepreneurial Translational Research and Bridging Research from Academia to Cancer Entrepreneurship (BRACE) Award programs. 

AIM-HI’s  venture accelerator approach  helps the scientist-entrepreneur focus on the technology while partnering with them to provide the necessary business, financial, legal and infrastructure support from the entrepreneurial ecosystem. 

AIM-HI has invested in the following outstanding startups, made up of scientist-entrepreneurs and their brilliant ideas with commercial potential. Please click on each company to read more of their story.

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Akrotome Imaging, Inc

Innovation: Medical Imaging – molecular imaging to guide surgeons in performing a complete resection of tumor tissues during the first operation of Breast Conservation Surgery.
Targeted Cancer(s): 80% solid tumor cancers
Leadership: Brian Straight, President & CEO; Matthew Bogyo, PhD., Co-Founder; James Basilion, PhD., Co-Founder (Click here to view our team)
Stage of Business: Ready to Apply for Clinical Trial

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Arbele

Innovation: Targeting Immune Engagement
Targeted Cancer(s): Gastrointestinal cancers, including pancreas, stomach, liver and bowel
Scientific Leadership/Leadership: Prof. John Luk, DMedSc., EMBA, CEO and Founder; Dr. Dennis Wong, MD, Global Clinical Officer; Mr. David Lam, Head of Corporate Finance (Click here to view our team)
Stage of Company: Set to initiate clinical study of our first -in-class bispecific GI Cancer targeting/T-cell engager immunotherapy, ARB 202

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DotBio

Innovation: Multi-functional antibody therapeutics – Synergistic blockade of multiple immunosuppressive mechanisms in tumors.
Targeted Cancer(s): Tumors with immuno-suppressed microenvironment – Triple-negative breast cancer, non small cell lung cancer.
Leadership: Prof. Pär Nordlund (Scientific Founder) and Dr. Ignacio Asial (Founder and CEO)… (Click here to view our team)
Stage of Business: Three multi-functional therapeutic candidates currently validated in animal efficacy studies, IND-development under preparation.

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Interleukin Combinatorial Therapies, Inc

Innovation: Therapeutics & drug discovery –  Cancer Terminator Viruses for the targeted therapy of a diverse array of aggressive tumor types
Targeted Cancer(s): GBM Melanoma
Leadership: Paul. B. Fisher, Ph.D., President and CEO; Webster Cavenee, Ph.D.
Stage of Business: Approved of Matching Funds from VCU for Phase I Clinical Trials

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InVaMet Therapeutics

Innovation: Drug discovery –  small-molecule inhibitors of a specific cancer-promoting protein, MDA-9 PDZ
Targeted Cancer(s): Not Specified
Leadership: Paul. B. Fisher, Ph.D., President and CEO; Webster Cavenee, Ph.D.
Stage of Business: Matching Fund Application in Progress

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Oncoheroes Biosciences

Innovation: Therapeutics & drug discovery –  novel biomarkers to repurpose and develop new drugs for pediatric cancer
Targeted Cancer(s): All types of pediatric cancer
Leadership: Ricardo Garcia, Founder & CEO; Cesare Spadoni PhD, MBA, Founder & COO; Marc Goldberg JD, MBA, Founder
Stage of Business: Received Matching Fund

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Privo Technologies, Inc.

Innovation: Therapeutics – anticancer system capable of loco-regional delivery of drug product
Targeted Cancer(s): Solid Tumors, Mucosal Cancers; Initial indication: Oral Cancer
Leadership: Manijeh Goldberg, PhD., President & CEO; James Mackay, PhD., Board Member and Chief Advisor; Nishant Agrawal, MD., Chief Medical Advisor (Click here to view our team)
Stage of Business: Ready for Phase III in-human trials in 2021

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Rasio Therapeutics

Innovation: A drug Design software company, spinoff from SilcsBio
Targeted Cancer(s): Leukemia and other cancers
Leadership: Ken Malone, CEO; W. Alex Meltzer, Ph.D., VP of Drug Development (Click here to view our team)
Stage of Business:  Matching government funding in progress

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SciTech Development, LLC

Innovation: Therapeutics – unique nano-delivery systems (SciTech Delivery Vehicle-SDV) to enable intravenous (IV) delivery of water-insoluble drugs
Targeted Cancer(s): non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Leadership: Earle T. Holsapple III; Michael Burns, PhD; Ralph E. Parchment, PhD (Click here to view our team)
Stage of Business: FDA approved IND in December 2019; ST-001 clinic ready; orphan drug designation granted in 2018

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Stromatis Pharma

Innovation: Therapeutics – target stromal stellate cells for the treatment of cancer and fibrotic diseases
Targeted Cancer(s): Not Specified
Leadership: Guy Yachin, Partner & co-Founder; Cohava Gelber, Partner & co-Founder
Stage of Business: Ready to Move into Phase I clinical trial in 2019

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TellBio, Inc

Innovation: Detection and treatment of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) via patient liquid biopsies
Targeted Cancer(s): Solid tumors, Metastatic disease
Leadership: Pritesh J Gandhi, PharmD, CEO; Annie Partisano, PharmD, MS, SVP and Head of Operations. Founders include world-class clinical and scientific researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital as well as experienced Boston-area biotech executives. (Click here to learn more about our team)
Stage of Business: Development stage biotechnology company

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Tvardi Therapeutics

Innovation: Drug –  potential inhibitors of a protein, STAT-3, known to be associated with multiple cancers
Targeted Cancer(s): Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Triple-negative Breast Cancer, Lung Cancer, etc.
Leadership: Imran Alibhai, Ph.D, CEO; Jeno Gyuris, Ph.D; David Tweardy, M.D.; Ron DePinho, M.D. (Click here to view our team)
Stage of Business: Ready to Apply for Clinical Trial

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YIVIVA

Innovation: First-in-class botanical cancer platform drug
Targeted Cancer(s): Phase II Hepatitis B (+) Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Leadership: Peikwen Cheng, CEO; Yung-Chi Cheng, PhD Co-founder; Shwu-Huey Liu, PhD Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer (Click here to view our team)
Stage of Business: Raised $7M Series A financing

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Nonpareil Biotechnologies

Innovation: Therapeutics & drug discovery -converting oncology laboratory achievements into commercial products with market demands and regulatory approvals
Targeted Cancer(s): Multiple
Leadership: Joseph Swiader & Kenneth Sorensen, Co-Founders 
Stage of Business: Early stage. Prepare to apply for clinical trial

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