GenetikSignal Selected to Present at WBT Innovation Marketplace in San Diego
Biotech company among 130 companies and technologies seeking capital, acquisition or licensing partners during WBT 2012
San Diego, CA – (28 August, 2012)– GenetikSignal, an anti-aging and oncology drug discovery biotech startup based in Maryland, announced today it has been selected to be a presenter at the tenth annual WBT Innovation Marketplace presented by Northrup Grumman taking place October 24 – 26, 2012 at the San Diego Convention Center. GenetikSignal is among 130 companies and technology innovators from across the globe that was individually chosen by the WBT Selection Committee to present during WBT 2012. GenetikSignal will speak about its anti-aging and oncology programs and discuss future plans for its proprietary modulaTORTM discovery platform to some of the country's leading venture capital firms, Fortune 1000 corporate licensees, federal agency representatives and university technology transfer managers.
GenetikSignal is targeting the PI3K/ mTOR pathway, a cellular signature that is involved in cancer progression and aging. GenetikSignal's leading technology is on the discovery of novel anti-aging naturally derived compounds for skin anti-aging and nutrition. The company's secondary focus is the discovery of novel oncology drugs in the mTOR pathway by targeting novel druggable targets in this pathway.
"We are honored to present alongside a wide array of highly regarded researchers and technologists from around the world who are making ground breaking discoveries," said Gina Devasahayam, Founder and CEO of GenetikSignal, a woman bioentrepreneur, current participant of the INNoVATE program, an NSF funded entrepreneurship program at the Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business, "The anti-aging technology is for an emerging market of baby boomers and will revolutionize the anti-aging skin care and nutrition consumer market. Current ingredients are not scientifically proven but rather a marketing play. For the oncology drugs market, our targets are not kinases but ATPases. The PI3K, mTOR and MAP kinases are being targeted by several biotech and pharma companies and GenetikSignal's concept is innovative compared to these "me-too" drugs. Our business model is the distributed partnering model proposed by Kauffman Foundation – rapid conversion of untapped research assets to commercial products with an in-licensing and early stage development strategy". The company's business consultant is Jean Schaefer, formerly of Pfizer and founder of Artemis Startup Consulting in Connecticut. GenetikSignal's VP of Chemistry Ryan Van De Water is a medicinal chemist formerly of Conforma Therapeutics acquired by Biogen Idec, San Diego for the discovery of novel Hsp90 inhibitors for oncology. The company has a scientific advisory board comprising experienced bioentrepreneurs and reputed academic scientists. Matt Kaeberlein, a leading aging biologist and Associate Professor at University of Washington, Seattle is a key partner for the aging technology and comments, "GenetikSignal's business strategy to target the aging consumer market is sexy". GenetikSignal is represented by the law firm of Morrison and Foerster and Charles Katz, Chair of the law firm's Emerging Company and VC practice states, "I promised to introduce GenetikSignal to our investor contacts more than a year ago and I will do so at the WBT event in San Diego."
"We are pleased to include GenetikSignal in this choice group of emerging companies and technologies to our exclusive forum of institutional investors, angel investors, and corporate licensees," said Paul Huleatt, CEO, WBT Innovation Marketplace. "We hope GenetikSignal will join the WBT alumni that have received over $786 million in early and seed stage funding and licensing. One in three WBT presenters goes on to license, secure venture funding or sell their IP outright."
As with each year previously, the 2012 WBT Innovation Marketplace represents the collaborative, yearlong effort of investors, licensees, and tech commercialization professionals. The WBT is deal-focused and diverse, showcasing companies and technologies that vary by geography, funding source and type of research institution. Participating technologies are selected by and presented to seasoned venture investors and Fortune 500 licensing scouts representing a variety of growth oriented industries.
WBT 2012 will be hosted by the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation and CONNECT, an internationally recognized and award winning regional program that catalyzes the creation of innovative technology and life sciences products in San Diego County by linking inventors and entrepreneurs with the resources they need for success.
About GenetikSignal
GenetikSignal (www.genetiksignal.com) is an innovative anti-aging and oncology drug discovery biotech startup. The company is currently in its seed round of financing. The company currently has its business office at the Johns Hopkins Science and Technology Park on 855 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD.
About WBT Innovation Marketplace
The WBT Innovation Marketplace is the world's premier showcase converging revolutionary new energy, life science, nanotech, material science and information technologies to seed limitless solutions for current market needs. Attendees will experience an unparalleled forum that is both deal-focused and unbiased with regard to geography, funding source or originating research institution.
Additional information can be found by visiting www.wbtshowcase.com
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