Acceleron

Acceleron doubles space, hires workers

Maureen Martino — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 02:20:58 -0400

Acceleron Pharma announced plans to increase its headcount by 40 percent and double the size of its administrative, laboratory and manufacturing facilities in Cambridge, MA. "The new space is expected to house the company's second manufacturing facility for Growth and Differentiation Factors-related proteins," notes the Boston Business Journal. The company expects to begin Phase II studies with ACE-011 later this year and also plans to bring its second and third programs into the clinic by the end of 2008. These programs include the ACE-031 program for increasing skeletal muscle mass and strength and the ACE-041 program, which blocks the vessel maturation process.

Acceleron has gained notoriety for its work on therapies that regulate body tissues and systems. Researchers at the company often show a picture of the Belgian blue, a white bull with enormous muscles. The company believes the same kind of genetics at work in the Belgian blue would help repair the harsh physical damage of certain diseases. Back in February Celgene inked a $1.9 billion deal with Acceleron to develop three programs.

- check out the Acceleron release
- see the Boston Business Journal article

Celgene commits $1.9B to Acceleron

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 06:59:57 -0500

Celgene has agreed to option three development programs at Acceleron and collaborate on the development of its lead bone formation protein in two deals that could be worth upwards of $1.9 billion. Celgene is paying Acceleron $50 million up front and a $5 million equity payment and up to $510 million in milestones for ACE-011--which is in an early-stage trial. On top of that, Celgene will take a minimum $7 million equity stake in Acceleron if it goes public. And there's an additional $1.3 billion in payments for the options on discovery stage programs targeting cancer and cancer-related bone loss. A mid-stage trial of ACE-011 is expected to get underway later this year.

"This collaboration is an excellent strategic fit for Acceleron and the ACE-011 program. Celgene is one of the most successful biotech companies in the world and is the leader in the field of blood cancers, including multiple myeloma, an indication where ACE-011 has great potential," said John Knopf, Ph.D., CEO of Acceleron. Knopf signaled an approaching deal to FierceBiotech last fall, saying it expected to get a collaboration agreement inked in the first quarter. The biotech company delivered right on schedule.

- check out this release on the deal
- read the report from MassHighTech

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The race is on for muscle-enhancing therapies. Report
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Emerging Drug Developer: Acceleron

John Carroll — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:45:37 -0400

Acceleron close to partnering on promising bone-building therapy

Acceleron Pharmaceuticals is closing in on a licensing deal for its lead therapeutic development program. “We are in discussions with partners on ACE-011 where we would keep significant value,” says CEO John Knopf, PhD, in an interview with FierceBiotech. “And we expect in the next several months to announce a partnership.”

If Knopf wraps a deal in the first quarter of ’08, as he expects, Acceleron would be well ahead of the average timeline for most biotech pacts. While many biotech companies would prefer to wait for proof-of-concept data from a mid-stage trial, Knopf says Acceleron is well positioned to do a deal now because of clear indications that its bone-building therapy--which is headed to a mid-stage trial--can be effective for treating cancer patients. An early-stage trial of ACE-011 “demonstrated an increased level of a biomarker of osteoblast (bone forming cells) activity,” he adds. Another deal for a separate, earlier-stage therapeutic program for building muscles is in discussion, says Knopf, but any pact there probably wouldn’t be completed until well after Acceleron is partnered on ACE-011.

Initially, researchers are focusing on the impact the therapy has on multiple myeloma patients. Acceleron wants to demonstrate that ACE-011 can restore the bones of cancer victims, healing lesions that lead to non-impact fractures--a common symptom of multiple myeloma.

Scientists at the company have been concentrating on the activin receptor type IIA, a receptor for activin--a member of the GDF protein family which naturally inhibits the body’s bone-building activity. Researchers have combined the portion of ActRIIA that binds tightly to activin along with a component of an antibody molecule, giving them an inhibitor that can trigger fresh bone formation.

ACE-011 would have an advantage over other therapies in the same field, says Knopf, because it has a longer half life that would allow for once-a-month dosing. Researchers also point out that the therapy offers the potential for fresh bone development that could significantly improve the health of cancer patients.

Acceleron and others working in this field found clues to new bone- and muscle-building therapies in nature.

Researchers found that breeds of heavily muscled cattle lacked the myostatin gene. Then there were bully whippets, which lacked both myostatin genes. And in the lab, researchers found out that by knocking out the myostatin gene in mice they could triple their skeletal muscle mass. That kind of science has attracted some heavyweights in the drug development field, including Wyeth and Amgen.

Little Acceleron, though, has provided enough progress in its development programs to keep its investors happy. Just days ago Acceleron announced a third venture infusion of $31 million. That followed a $30 million round last year and a $25 million Series A in 2004. Bessemer Venture Partners, MPM BioEquities and QVT Financial led the round, with Advanced Technology Ventures, Flagship Ventures, OrbiMed Advisors, Polaris Ventures, Sutter Hill Ventures and Venrock all participating.

Some of that new money is being budgeted to start a Phase I trial for ACE-031 in muscle building. Earlier this year Acceleron announced preclinical data on the program that indicated the therapy has the potential to be a revolutionary new treatment for muscle-wasting diseases such as muscular dystrophy and ALS. And researchers are also anxious to bring the company’s third drug candidate--ACE-041, which inhibits VEGF and FGF-induced angiogenesis--into the clinic next year.

That’s a lot of work for a company with 80 employees, agrees Knopf. Over the next 18 months, he expects the company to grow considerably, but stay short of 150. By sticking to a familiar scientific approach and keeping much of the work in-house, Knopf is enthusiastic that a small player like Acceleron can be a model of efficiency.

Acceleron garners $31M Series C

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 07:59:55 -0400

Just months after raising its second venture round, Acceleron Pharma has announced a $31 million Series C. Much of that money will be used to advance its ACE-011 program for bone growth into a mid-stage trial. A Phase I study of ACE-031 is planned to gauge its effectiveness increasing muscle mass and strength. A third candidate--ACE-041--is scheduled for the clinic in the second half of next year. Acceleron has made headlines for its work with the Belgian blue, a bull with enormous muscles.

Bessemer Venture Partners led the round along with other new investors MPM BioEquities and QVT Financial. All existing institutional investors participated in the round including Advanced Technology Ventures, Flagship Ventures, OrbiMed Advisors, Polaris Ventures, Sutter Hill Ventures and Venrock.

- see Acceleron's release for more

ALSO: Relypsa, a spinout of Ilypsa, has raised $33 million in its first round of funding. Amgen acquired Ilypsa in June for $420 million. 5AM Ventures and New Leaf Venture Partners led the round for the company, which is being led by two former Ilypsa execs. Release

Related Articles:
The race is on for muscle-enhancing therapies. Report
Acceleron takes a lesson from the giant Belgian blue. Report
Acceleron garners $30M in venture capital. Report

ALSO NOTED: Knopf tapped to run Acceleron; FDA clears Samaritan IND; Wockhardt in hunt for Par; and much more...

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 06:59:50 -0400

> Chutes & Ladders: Acceleron Pharma has named John L. Knopf, Ph.D., as its new CEO. Dr. Knopf, a founder of Acceleron, has served as the executive vice president of corporate development and recently, as president. Release

> The FDA has cleared Samaritan Pharmaceuticals' IND for SP-6300, a treatment for Cushing's syndrome. Samaritan can proceed with its proposed Phase II clinical study of Cushing's syndrome SP-6300's efficacy in patients experiencing Hypercortisolism. Release

> Rumor Mill: Ranbaxy, Wockhardt, and Sun Pharma are all said to be courting U.S.-based Par Pharmaceuticals. Report

> New York State and New York City have sued Merck to recoup more than $100 million they spent on Vioxx, joining six other states suing on behalf of their Medicaid plans. Report

> The feds will investigate whether ADHD drugs actually increase the risk of heart problems. Report

> Big kudos to the Novartis osteoporosis drug Reclast: A New England Journal of Medicine study showed that patients with broken hips were more likely to survive if they were given a yearly dose of the drug. Report

And Finally... It's not by chance that the lonely tend to get sick and die younger. Researchers say that the lonely are statistically much more likely to suffer from dysfunctional immune systems. Report