Quellis Biosciences

Quellis Biosciences was a biopharmaceutical firm focused on discovering and developing novel antibody-based molecules for serious rare diseases. Founded in 2017 by Jonathan Violin, Ph.D., and Vahe Bedian, Ph.D., the Boston-based company operated with a model centered on patient focus, data-driven research, and capital efficiency.

The company's formation was initiated by the biopharma incubator Viridian LLC, with initial seed financing from Xontogeny LLC. A significant milestone was achieved in December 2019 when Quellis emerged from stealth operations, securing $17 million in a Series A financing round led by the Perceptive Xontogeny Venture Fund (PXV Fund). This funding was aimed at advancing its pipeline of novel monoclonal antibodies. The company's lead program, QLS-215, was a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting plasma kallikrein, designed as a potential best-in-class treatment for Hereditary Angioedema (HAE), a rare and potentially life-threatening genetic disorder. To enhance its therapies, Quellis licensed Xencor's Xtend Fc technology, a clinically validated platform that improves an antibody's half-life, thereby reducing the required frequency and dosage for patients.

In a strategic move to advance its lead asset, Quellis Biosciences was acquired by Catabasis Pharmaceuticals (now Astria Therapeutics) in January 2021. The acquisition was a stock-for-stock transaction and was concurrent with a $110 million private placement financing to fund the continued development of QLS-215, including IND-enabling studies and multiple clinical trial phases. The acquisition marked the successful culmination of Quellis's strategy to develop a promising therapeutic candidate for a rare disease and transition it to a clinical-stage company for further development. Keywords: rare disease therapeutics, monoclonal antibodies, biopharmaceutical, Hereditary Angioedema, plasma kallikrein inhibitor, antibody engineering, Xtend Fc technology, drug discovery, biopharma incubator, venture capital, Series A, acquisition, Astria Therapeutics, Catabasis, Xontogeny, Jonathan Violin, Vahe Bedian, QLS-215, clinical development, patient-focused.