Callidus Biopharma
Drug discovery company developing enzyme replacement therapies for lysosomal storage disorders.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | €0.0 | round | |
| N/A | €0.0 | round | |
N/A | Acquisition | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
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Callidus Biopharma, Inc. was a development-stage biotechnology company established in 2010 by Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Hung Do. The firm concentrated on creating superior biologic drugs, specifically enzyme replacement therapies (ERTs), for rare and orphan diseases, with a primary focus on lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs).
The company's core technology centered on a proprietary platform that attached a form of the naturally occurring Insulin-like Growth Factor 2 (IGF-2) to therapeutic enzymes. This process was designed to improve the targeting and delivery of these enzymes to the relevant cells in the body. The potential benefits of this approach included enhanced drug efficacy, which could lead to shorter infusion times for patients, reduced immunogenicity, and overall greater convenience. Callidus Biopharma’s development pipeline was led by a program for Pompe Disease, and it was also applying its IGF-2 technology to develop treatments for other LSDs, such as Gaucher Disease.
Dr. Hung Do brought nearly fifteen years of experience in the field of LSDs and ERTs from his time at companies like Novazyme and Genzyme prior to founding Callidus. The company's strategy involved advancing its programs to the proof-of-concept stage and then collaborating with larger pharmaceutical companies for commercialization. In April 2013, Callidus secured $4.6 million in a Series A financing round to advance its preclinical pipeline. A significant milestone occurred on November 21, 2013, when Amicus Therapeutics acquired Callidus Biopharma. The deal involved an upfront payment of $15 million in Amicus common stock, with potential future payments tied to development and regulatory milestones. Following the acquisition, Dr. Hung Do joined Amicus as its Senior Vice President of Discovery Biology, continuing his work on the technology he pioneered.
Keywords: enzyme replacement therapy, lysosomal storage diseases, biologic drugs, rare diseases, orphan diseases, drug discovery, Pompe Disease, Gaucher Disease, IGF-2 technology, Amicus Therapeutics acquisition, Hung Do, preclinical development, biopharmaceutical, drug targeting, therapeutic enzymes, protein expression, biologics manufacturing, life sciences, biotechnology