Gemmus Pharma

Gemmus Pharma Inc. was a privately held biotechnology firm established in August 2007 with a strategic focus on developing treatments for influenza and other viral infectious diseases. The company was co-founded by Daryl Faulds, who served as CEO, and William Guilford, who was the President. Faulds brought over two decades of experience in molecular biology and immunology, having led projects in respiratory and autoimmune diseases at various pharmaceutical companies. Guilford's background includes more than 20 years in medicinal chemistry, with management roles in cardiovascular and inflammation projects.

The company's business model centered on repurposing existing drugs to create host-targeted therapies. This approach aimed to modulate the body's own immune response to an infection rather than targeting the virus directly. The intended benefit was to reduce the severity of flu symptoms and circumvent the issue of viral resistance, a common problem with traditional antiviral treatments. By focusing on the host, the therapy could potentially be effective against multiple strains of a virus.

Gemmus Pharma's lead candidate was GP1681 (also referred to as GP1001), an orally available eicosanoid analog. This therapeutic was designed to be used for influenza infections requiring hospitalization, either as a standalone treatment or in conjunction with an antiviral drug like oseltamivir. The drug's mechanism involved modulating the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are responsible for many debilitating flu symptoms. The company in-licensed the technology from a major pharmaceutical company where the drug was already marketed in Asia for cardiovascular conditions. Gemmus received support from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) and secured grant funding. The company successfully raised capital through Series A and B funding rounds, with investors including Life Science Angels, BlueTree Allied Angels, and Tech Coast Angels. In 2015, the FDA accepted Gemmus's Investigational New Drug (IND) application for GP1681. However, the company is now listed as out of business.

Keywords: Gemmus Pharma, influenza treatment, host-targeted therapy, antiviral, GP1681, Daryl Faulds, William Guilford, immunology, infectious diseases, drug repurposing, cytokine storm, immune modulation, IND application, venture capital, Life Science Angels, QB3 network, respiratory disease, non-peptidic eicosanoid analog, viral infection treatment