101 Therapeutics

About 101 Therapeutics

101 Therapeutics, a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel, was co-founded in 2020 by the father-son team of Dr. Michael Goldberg and Alec Goldberg. Michael Goldberg brings a wealth of experience to the venture, having previously co-founded a healthcare team at a major investment bank and served as the leader of a public biotech company for 17 years. His son, Alec Goldberg, complements this with a background in biotech consulting, health-tech venture capital, and DNA nanotechnology. The company's primary investor is Awz Ventures, a Canadian-Israeli venture capital firm.

The core of 101 Therapeutics' business is the development of therapeutics for a range of infectious diseases, including viral, parasitic, and bacterial infections. The company operates on a platform centered on targeting the host's immune system rather than the specific pathogen. This "pathogen agnostic" approach means their treatments are designed to be effective against numerous diseases and should not be impacted by viral mutations or variants. Their lead product, 101-PGC-005, is a targeted form of dexamethasone designed to address inflammation. This small molecule drug remains inert until it reaches its intended target, which are the receptors on activated macrophages, a type of immune cell. By focusing on these cells, the treatment aims to induce apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in the infected cells, thereby preventing the severe immune overreaction known as a cytokine storm.

The company's business model appears to be focused on in-house drug discovery and development, with the goal of bringing their proprietary treatments through clinical trials and eventually to market. They are targeting a broad market of infectious diseases, with specific mentions of COVID-19, Leishmaniasis, Dengue, and Zika. Having entered Phase Three trials for its COVID-19 treatment, the company is now seeking partnerships to ensure wider availability. This stage of development follows collaborations, including one with the Center for Scientific Innovation Research in India, as they pursue emergency-use authorization as a potential stepping stone to global access.