PharmaVentures Business Review-Karus Therapeutics:...

In this interview, Fintan Walton speaks with Simon Kerry, CEO of Karus Therapeutics, an emerging biotechnology company founded as a spin-out from the University of Southampton in 2005 to focus on the discovery and development of new drugs to treat cancer and inflammatory disease. The company’s focus is the development of a new family of optimised, highly-potent and highly-selective histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors (HDI's) which the company believes have the potential to become best-in-class treatments for cancer and inflammation. Karus has completed two rounds of venture funding, and is now looking to conventional VC funds for a third round of financing, to be completed by the end of 2008. Dr Kerry anticipates significant growth for Karus over the next few years as it moves its first three programmes into the clinic for the treatment of cancer, psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis.