Catalytic Impact Foundation

Great article in PharmaVoice about CIFs portfolio company Terran Biosciences Exciting times! Congratulations to Sam Clark, MD PhD and the team.

It was so great to get the CIF team together on a beautiful evening in New York City. (Unfortunately missing Ellen Itskovitz, CFA and Jon Luff). Also, check out the new swag! Richard Lipkin, Rachel Butler, Michael Paas, David Danar, MD, Robert Wolk, Sruti Tekumalla, Leilani Tiara Hambali

We are excited to announce our new investment in NUA SURGICAL a women's health company developing innovative surgical solutions in obstetrics. Their SteriCISION C-section retractor is designed to improve the ergonomics and decrease the risk of surgical complications for #Csections, ultimately improving safety for women, and assuring the best outcomes for mothers and babies. Elizabeth Garner Barry McCann #womenshealth #reproductivehealth #maternalhealth #laboranddelivery #obgyn #obstetrics #gynecology

Congratulations to Liz Powell, Candace McDonald, and Jodi Neuhauser on the launch of bipartisan Women's Health PAC. This effort is a leader in the growing movement to prioritize women's health in national politics. With increased funding, focused research, and growing investor interest in diseases that affect women exclusively or disproportionately, major medical breakthroughs are on the horizon. CIF is excited to be a part of this important effort and will continue to work closely with the Women’s Health PAC to make sure women's health receives the funding it so urgently needs. #womenshealth #reproductivehealth #womenempowerment #research #medicalresearch #reproductivecancers

Today, we’re excited to announce the development of TerXT, a combination of novel prodrugs of xanomeline and trospium designed to be long-acting treatments for schizophrenia. Using a novel prodrug approach we’ve been able to overcome inherent pharmacokinetic and physical property limitations of xanomeline and trospium with the goal of creating fixed-dose combinations for daily oral administration as well as long-acting intramuscular injection with multi-month duration. The original combination of xanomeline and trospium has been shown in recent trials to be an effective therapeutic for schizophrenia and is currently undergoing FDA review via the 505(b)(1) pathway. If approved, Terran plans to use the rapid 505(b)(2) approval pathway for our next-generation prodrug forms, potentially enabling market entry approximately five years after the initial xanomeline/trospium approval. This milestone is the result of tireless efforts by over 200 chemists who designed and synthesized 500 prodrugs, which were then tested in 285 in vitro and 365 in vivo studies to select the lead prodrug forms with optimized properties for long-acting administration. Terran has also now received notice of patent claims found to be allowable from the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the composition of matter for the world’s first prodrugs of xanomeline. The development of TerXT represents a major step in Terran’s mission to create effective, accessible, affordable, and patient-friendly neuropsychiatric therapies through innovative drug design and regulatory strategies. Read the press release here: https://bit.ly/4dI3OQy #schizophrenia #mentalhealth #drugdevelopment

I thoroughly enjoyed participating in Orrick's Inaugural Reproductive and Women's Health event last week. Such an honor to discuss a broad array of important topics with Tara Bishop MD, MPH, Robin Berzin MD Joanna Peña-Bickley Stephen Thau Nicholas Vetri Athena Shea Thora Johnson Liz Powell Elizabeth Comen, MD Sally Wolf Alison Greenberg Piraye Beim Maya Hardigan Anne Morrissey Neil Ray Marissa Fayer. The unmet needs in women's health must stay front and center... we need to continue the "movement" that is taking place for more funding of research and innovation, and to close the gap on investment in this critical and underfunded area of healthcare. The Catalytic Impact Foundation team is committed to furthering our investments in women's health innovation, and working with this growing community to address the unmet medical needs that affect the health, productivity and quality of life of all women.

What an amazing day CIF had at the NYSE Women’s Health Summit! Feeling incredibly inspired by the insightful discussions and remarkable individuals present. It was truly wonderful to listen to phenomenal speaker, Dr Jill Biden, Dr Chelsea Clinton Carolee Lee Lee of Women's Health Access Matters Dr Carolyn M. Mazure Head of The White House Initiative on Women's Health, enlightening and impactful keynotes. We are grateful for the opportunity to connect with peers from academia, consulting, and investing spheres. We were also excited to see AOA Dx Dx, a CIF portfolio company, at the event alongside trailblazers in the field. It was inspiring to witness the dedication of investors and leaders to revolutionize women's health.

According to Crunchbase, women now hold 17% of board seats in private companies, a significant jump from 7% in 2019. Equally noteworthy is the decline in the number of boards without any women, dropping from 60% to 32% over the same period. This significant increase shows movement in the right direction, not only reflecting a stronger commitment to diversity but also underscoring the invaluable contributions women bring to the table and the need for diverse perspectives in the decision-making process. CIF has a strong commitment to supporting diverse leadership. Half of CIF's portfolio companies are led by women, and we are proud supporters of gender and racial diversity and inclusion in the bioscience space.  #Womeninbusiness #WomenLeaders #WomenInLeadership #HealthScience #Impact #Change https://lnkd.in/gUQRfUw7

According to recent studies, the incidence of cancer among adults under 40 is on the rise, with colorectal cancer and breast cancer, two cancers that are notably becoming more common. Cancer screening has increased, helping to prevent cancer deaths in older populations, but the rise in early-onset cancers (those diagnosed before the age of 50) can't be accounted for by increased screening. Experts report that seemingly healthy young people are increasingly presenting with advanced-stage cancers. Lifestyle choices, including diet, lack of exercise, and obesity, may be contributing to cancer among younger populations. In addition, ongoing research suggests that environmental pollutants, changes in the gut microbiome, and societal shifts like delaying childbirth may also play significant roles in the development of early-onset cancers. CIF invests in companies working to combat cancer, including those working on early diagnosis and screening, cell therapies, cancer vaccines, and even a patient platform for clinical trials. More research and innovation is needed to better understand and address this concerning trend in cancer prevalence. #Healthcare #CancerAwareness #Prevention #EarlyDetection https://lnkd.in/dk8tBviS.

Congratulations to Cleerly on their Breakthrough Device Designation for their Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Staging System. Their CAD Staging System was also accepted into the FDA’s Total Product Life Cycle Advisory Program (TAP) Pilot, a program exclusive to devices granted Breakthrough Device Designation, aimed to help companies make these devices available to patients and physicians as quickly as possible. Cleerly aims to address the critical need for personalized diagnosis and risk assessment of heart disease. If successful, their CAD evaluation system allows physicians and patients to prevent heart attacks before they occur. #hearthealth #coronaryarterydisease #healthinnovations