University of Arizona Startups to Present at White Hat Investors

Sept. 18, 2018

Tucson, Ariz. – On October 3 and 4, 2018, in Phoenix, Arizona, at the Phoenix Convention Center, White Hat Investors(link is external) will be holding its annual luncheon. Of the 32 companies who will be presenting during the two-day event, five are University of Arizona startups – companies commercializing inventions stemming from research programs at the UA:

  • Avery Therapeutics(link is external), dedicated to advancing tissue-engineered therapeutics to treat diseases and injuries to human muscle. Avery's lead product, MyCardia, is a tissue-engineered heart graft developed to treat heart failure and is currently in the pre-clinical development phase. Inventors: Steven Goldman, MD, and Jordan Lancaster, PhD, UA College of Medicine. Avery Therapeutics was selected for the AZBIO Fast Lane Award in 2017.
  • Catalina Pharma(link is external), developing a TRPV1-inhibitor as treatment of anesthesia-induced hypothermia. Inventors: Amol Patwardhan, MD, PhD, and Frank Porreca, PhD, UA College of Medicine. This project is in collaboration with another inventor, Andrej Romanovsky, at Dignity Health.
  • D3Sciences(link is external), development of tools that improve tissue sampling for rapid, precise, and cost effective delivery of care to cancer patients. Inventors: Charles Hennemeyer, MD, and Michael Larson, MD, UA College of Medicine.
  • Reglagene(link is external), developing Quadruplex Master Switch Technology (QMST) to discover small molecule medicines that fight disease through the control of gene expression. Inventors: Laurence Hurley, PhD, Vijay Gokhale, PhD, and Hyunjin Kang, UA College of Pharmacy. Dr. Hurley was honored as Arizona Bioscience Researcher of the Year in 2017.
  • Valley Fever Solutions(link is external), developing Nikkomycin Z (NikZ) as a superior potential cure for Valley Fever (coccidioidomycosis). Inventor: Dr. John Galgiani, UA College of Medicine.

“Being accepted to present at the White Hat luncheon is a great honor and fantastic opportunity for these companies,” says Director of New Ventures Joann MacMaster at Tech Launch Arizona, the office of the UA that commercializes inventions stemming from University research. We are excited to see them taking next steps towards commercialization success.”

White Hat Investors 2018, the biotech and healthcare investor conference that showcases the best of the Rocky Mountain & Southwest Region, will be held at the Phoenix Convention Center and represents the high point of Arizona Bioscience Week.

Contacts
Paul Tumarkin
pault@tla.arizona.edu
520-626-8770