Glycobiology's Second Wave
This article was originally published in Start Up
Executive Summary
New technologies to characterize and manipulate carbohydrate chemistries and the glycosylation of proteins are spawning viable business models that address what scientists have long known: the sugar coating of proteins and cells is not decorative.
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Centrose LLC
Centrose's automated sugar synthesis platform CarboConnect can quickly and economically synthesize drugs with a wide variety of natural and unnatural sugars attached to them. The inspiration came from sugars found in natural products. Many of the antibiotics produced by microorganisms and plants contain sugars, but they are structurally different from sugars found in animal physiology. The company has already completed some proof-of-concept studies on derivative drugs in which unnatural sugars increased potency and in some cases changed the mechanism of action.
The Large Molecule Future
In an extraordinary series of deals, Pharma has embraced early-stage large-molecule technology, reflecting both the surging value of biologics and the severity of pipeline anemia. But many observers are skeptical the less experienced Big Pharmas can buy themselves into a brand new business with very different requirements. For start-ups, however, the news is very good--they now have two clear and viable pathways to creating shareholder value: acquisition and alliance.
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In an extraordinary series of deals, Pharma has embraced early-stage large-molecule technology, reflecting both the surging value of biologics and the severity of pipeline anemia. But many observers are skeptical the less experienced Big Pharmas can buy themselves into a brand new business with very different requirements. For start-ups, however, the news is very good--they now have two clear and viable pathways to creating shareholder value: acquisition and alliance.