Elasmogen

Elasmogen is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of next-generation biologics for treating inflammatory diseases, autoimmune disorders, and cancer. The company was spun-out from the University of Aberdeen in 2016 by CEO Dr. Caroline Barelle and CTO Professor Andy Porter. The technology's origins trace back to the university in 2006 and a prior spin-out, Haptogen, which was acquired by Wyeth in 2007 and subsequently became part of Pfizer. When Pfizer closed its Aberdeen lab, the patents for the underlying technology reverted to the university, creating the opportunity for Elasmogen's formation. Dr. Barelle, a former team leader at Pfizer's Aberdeen lab and Programs Manager at Haptogen, founded Elasmogen to keep her scientific team together and continue developing these medicines. Professor Porter, also a founder of Haptogen, manages Elasmogen's intellectual property strategy and holds a professorship at the University of Aberdeen.

The core of Elasmogen's business is its proprietary soloMER™ technology. SoloMERs™ are small, stable proteins (11 kDa) derived from VNARs (variable new-antigen receptors), which are antibody-like proteins found in the immune system of sharks. These molecules are significantly smaller—only 9% the size of human antibodies—and more robust, allowing them to penetrate tissues and solid tumors more effectively. Their unique structure enables them to bind to cryptic epitopes on disease targets that are often inaccessible to traditional antibodies, potentially offering increased potency. This technology platform is protected by a multi-layered IP position, with over 25 patents granted worldwide covering the isolation, humanization, and various therapeutic applications of soloMERs™.

Elasmogen's business model revolves around developing its internal pipeline of drug candidates and forming strategic partnerships with other biopharmaceutical companies. Revenue is generated through these collaborations, which may involve co-development agreements, licensing of the soloMER™ platform, and milestone payments. The company has established partnerships with firms like Almac Discovery for oncology applications and Amgen (via Feldan Therapeutics) for intracellular biologic delivery. The company's internal pipeline is focused on several key areas. This includes developing soloMER-Drug Conjugates (SDCs) and orally delivered bi-specific products for autoimmune diseases like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and ocular conditions such as uveitis. A significant portion of their work also targets oncology, with a pipeline of soloMER-based Radiopharmaceutical Therapies (RPTs) designed to deliver radioisotopes directly to solid tumors. The company has raised significant capital to advance these programs, including a Series A round of approximately £8 million ($9.95M) in May 2022, led by BGF and the Scottish National Investment Bank, to move its lead drugs through pre-clinical trials.

Keywords: soloMER technology, biologics, drug discovery, autoimmune diseases, oncology therapeutics, inflammatory disease, biopharmaceutical, VNAR, shark antibodies, single-domain antibodies, University of Aberdeen spin-out, Caroline Barelle, Andy Porter, radiopharmaceutical therapies, soloMER drug conjugates, ocular diseases, cancer therapy, ROR1 target, drug delivery platform, biologics drug development, clinical-stage biotech