IPierian turns its stem cell technology on Alzheimer's, antibody drugs

After fits and starts, iPierian Inc. will focus on developing monoclonal antibodies targeting Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions, the company said Monday.

The South San Francisco stem cell technology and drug development company -- whose top-drawer investors include Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers    , Google Ventures and venture groups tied to GlaxoSmithKline and Biogen Idec -- said its antibody drugs will zero in on tau protein and the Complement pathway.

IPierian’s goal over the next six months is to identify a suite of antibodies for the tau and Complement programs, said CEO Nancy Stagliano, and to raise another round of financing by the end of the year.

Ultimately, iPierian is aiming to begin a human trial with one of those potential drugs in 2014, Stagliano said.

New wave of Bay Area companies tame DNA data storm

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Andreas Sundquist is no medical doctor, but his expertise in electrical engineering and computer science places him and technologists like him on the cusp of solving some of the knottiest human medical problems.
Sundquist’s DNAnexus Inc. is one of at least a half-dozen young Bay Area companies using computational biology and genetics to unleash exabytes of stored genome sequencing data into everyday health care. By blending their computer algorithms and software with medical know-how, experts say, clouds full of cheaper and cheaper DNA data could rain down treatments and new drugs for previously mysterious and common medical conditions.
The burgeoning industry of genome analysis — at the intersection of the Bay Area’s high-tech and biotech expertise — could make some visionaries very rich. On the other hand, easy-to-use genetic data could turn today’s diagnostics industry upside down.
But to Sundquist and other pioneers, their companies’ value lies in volume and the ability to turn Big Data into big-time answers.
“You can argue that social networks are for rich kids, that Twitter is for value seekers,” Sundquist said. “But everybody has DNA.”