Focal Medical is Revolutionizing the World of Targeted Therapeutics
We are developing targeted therapeutic products built on our active, energy-based technology.
Our research has broad application in the treatment of inoperable and resistant solid tumors. Our lead program is a potential treatment for locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer.
Our novel technology is a first-in-class platform, for use as either an implant or in outpatient settings, that actively and precisely drives drugs into target organs using iontophoresis via non-circulatory pathways. Iontophoresis is the harnessing of mild electrical forces to transport molecules.
With deep experience in both pharma and medical devices, our team is uniquely positioned to develop novel targeted therapeutic products for the localized treatment of serious diseases.
Five facts about Focal Medical
1. Location and ownership
We are privately owned and located in Raleigh, North Carolina. Institutional investors include Khosla Ventures, Spectrum Financial and Piedmont Capital Partners. Founders and management hold a significant stake.
2. Origins
Our technology was first developed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in conjunction with UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. It grew from a collaboration between renowned chemical engineer Joseph DeSimone, PhD, and distinguished cancer surgeon and pancreatic cancer researcher Jen Jen Yeh, MD.
3. Funding
Our company has received approximately $20 million in funding, both through grants from the National Institutes of Health and the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, and investment from institutional and high net worth investors.
4. Intellectual property
We hold multiple patents granted on a global basis. The patents for our implantable systems cover a broad range of applications.
5. Pipeline
Our lead program is the targeted delivery of gemcitabine to treat locally advanced nonresectable pancreatic cancer. We have active development programs in other solid tumors and have a collaboration with Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine evaluating the treatment of oral cavity tumors in canine companion animals as a model of the human condition for melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
In observing the challenges of delivering chemotherapy to pancreatic tumors, Professor Joseph DeSimone and his graduate students set out to design a device that could leverage iontophoresis to drive local drug delivery. DeSimone’s team partnered with UNC colleague Dr. Jen Jen Yeh and her lab for preclinical studies, focusing their efforts on the delivery of gemcitabine. Dr. Yeh had developed a state of the art patient-derived xenograft model in her efforts to improve pancreatic cancer outcomes. Of the many treatments her lab had tried, only iontophoretic delivery of anti-cancer agents successfully shrank tumors.
The work that began over a decade ago has become Focal Medical, a company dedicated to energy-based innovation in drug delivery technologies. We are excited by the potential to apply these technologies to improve cancer therapy in pancreatic cancer and other solid tumors and in genomic medicine.
Cofounders
Known for his engineering prowess and entrepreneurial vision, Joe has been honored with the presidential National Medal of Technology and Innovation. He previously served as a professor of chemistry at UNC-Chapel Hill, where he was awarded the NIH Director’s Pioneer Award, used in part for the research that led to Focal Medical. Joe is currently the Sanjiv Sam Gambhir Professor of Translational Medicine and Chemical Engineering at Stanford University.
Jen Jen is a surgical oncologist and a professor in the departments of surgery and pharmacology at UNC-Chapel Hill. She also serves as vice chair of research in the Department of Surgery and co-director of clinical research at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. Her lab uses genomics to identify novel therapeutics for pancreatic cancer, and she’s passionate about translating those findings to the clinic.
MANAGEMENT TEAM
Acting CEO
With a background in engineering, Tony has spent more than 20 years developing medical devices, at both startups and larger companies. He’s worked for Abbott and Closure Medical, which was acquired by Johnson & Johnson. Before Focal Medical, he co-founded Novocor Medical Systems and served as CEO. Tony’s technical specialties include pharmaceutical manufacturing, bioadhesives and sealants, product sterilization and drug delivery systems, all supported by extensive experience in obtaining successful approvals for PMA and IND regulated medical products.
CTO
With a background in Analytical Chemistry and Polymer Science, Bill has over 25 years of experience in medical device and biotechnology development, from concept to commercialization. He led successful projects at AorTech and Closure Medical, directed R&D programs at Ethicon and Allergan, and founded an additive manufacturing MedTech firm and a consulting firm before joining Focal Medical. Bill’s technical specialties include bioadhesives and sealants, the use of additive manufacturing in medical devices, soft tissue repair and reconstruction, and drug delivery systems, with a significant track record in successful US and OUS regulatory submissions.
VP, Clinical Development
Nancy brings over 20 years of leadership experience in the pharmaceutical industry, driving business objectives, including non-clinical discovery, late-stage clinical development, registration, and approval of a range of important pharmaceutical products. Nancy holds a PhD from West Virginia University School of Medicine. Nancy leads Focal Medical’s clinical trials planning and operations.
Board of Directors
Medical Advisory Board
Focal Medical, Inc.
2301 Stonehenge Drive Suite 115
Raleigh, NC 27615
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