Calando Pharmaceuticals

About Calando Pharmaceuticals

Calando Pharmaceuticals, founded in 2005 and now considered a deadpooled company, operated as a clinical-stage nanobiotechnology firm focused on RNAi therapeutics. The company was established by Arrowhead Research Corporation, Dr. Mark Davis of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), and Dr. John Rossi of the City of Hope's Beckman Research Institute. Dr. Davis, a celebrated chemical engineer, pivoted his research towards nanomedicine and cancer treatments after his wife's battle with breast cancer, providing a deeply personal motivation for his work. His expertise in materials synthesis at a molecular level was foundational to the company's technology.

The company's primary business was the development of siRNA-based therapeutics and small molecule nanoparticle-drug conjugates for cancer applications. Its business model centered on advancing these proprietary technologies through clinical trials to eventually partner with or license them to larger pharmaceutical companies. A key part of its portfolio was the RONDEL™ delivery system, a technology designed to overcome the challenge of systemically delivering small interfering RNA (siRNA) to target cells. This system encapsulates siRNA within cyclodextrin-based polymers to protect it from degradation in the bloodstream and reduce immune reactions. The technology was originally invented in the Chemical Engineering Department of Caltech.

Calando's lead product candidate was CALAA-01, a nanoparticle formulation that combined the RONDEL™ system with a patented siRNA designed to target the M2 subunit of ribonucleotide reductase, a protein essential for cancer cell proliferation. In April 2008, CALAA-01 became the first fully formulated, targeted siRNA drug candidate for cancer to enter a Phase I clinical trial. Another significant product was IT-101, a nanoparticle therapeutic containing the anti-cancer drug camptothecin, which was developed using the company's Cyclosert™ delivery platform. In 2009, Calando licensed the Cyclosert™ platform and IT-101 to Cerulean Pharma Inc. for an upfront payment, plus potential milestone payments and royalties. By 2011, Arrowhead Research Corporation (now Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals) had increased its ownership to approximately 79%, solidifying Calando as a majority-owned subsidiary focused on completing clinical trials for CALAA-01. The company completed enrollment for a Phase 1b trial for CALAA-01 in August 2012.