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Ichor Life Sciences Invests $1.5 Million in Mitochem Therapeutics for Ocular Aging Disease Research
August 11, 2022
LaFayette, N.Y. – August 11, 2022 – Ichor Life Sciences, a preclinical contract research organization, today announced a $1.5 million investment in MitoChem Therapeutics.
Based in Charleston, South Carolina, MitoChem Therapeutics develops treatments to address the effects of mitochondrial dysfunction—a hallmark of aging—in neurodegenerative diseases.
MitoChem Therapeutics and Ichor Life Sciences will work together to advance the development of a small molecule pharmaceutical eyedrop, targeting the mitochondria to treat age-related eye disease.
“Our lead compound is unique in its ability to treat a key mechanism of disease in a broad range of hard-to-treat diseases,” said Michael Voevodsky, CEO of MitoChem Therapeutics. “Ichor Life Science’s investment and capabilities will help advance our compounds into the clinic.”
MitoChem Therapeutics is the third company focusing on treatments for ocular disease in the Ichor portfolio, along with Lento Bio, Inc. and Lysoclear, Inc. Ichor has significantly expanded its ocular capabilities under the leadership of Chris Schillo, who was appointed Director of Vivarium Operations earlier this year. These activities represent a strategic push by Ichor to de-risk therapeutics with longevity applications by targeting ocular indications, while further bolstering its preclinical service offerings.
“An innovator in its space, MitoChem’s pre-clinical data is compelling,” said Dr. Kelsey Moody, PhD, MBA, and CEO of Ichor Life Sciences. “Through our placement with MitoChem, we anticipate making significant advancements related to the treatment of age-related ocular disease while assessing the drugability of fundamental hallmarks of aging more broadly.”
MitoChem Therapeutics will also open a satellite lab in Potsdam, N.Y., at Clarkson University’s Peyton Hall Biotechnology Incubator to support the work at Ichor. Ichor Life Sciences serves as an anchor tenant at the incubator, which is establishing a biotechnology and pharmaceutical start-up cluster in the region.
About Ichor Life Sciences
Ichor Life Sciences is a premium preclinical contract research organization offering services in discovery through pharmacology. The company operates R&D laboratories in LaFayette and Potsdam, N.Y., including an AAALAC-accredited vivarium. Services are provided through two divisions. Ichor Discovery Services provides world-class protein manufacturing, as well as a full suite of capabilities in structural biology, biophysics, and assay development. Ichor Pharmacology Services offers in vitro testing, histology, PK/PD, in vivo toxicology, and in vivo efficacy capabilities. Therapeutic areas served by Ichor Life Sciences include oncology, metabolic disease, musculoskeletal disease, ophthalmology, and geriatrics. Ichor Life Sciences was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in New York’s Finger Lakes intellectual corridor. For more information, go to ichorlifesciences.com.
About MitoChem Therapeutics
MitoChem Therapeutics is a privately held company developing therapies for diseases involving mitochondrial dysfunction. The company was founded to develop a new approach to treating neurodegeneration and aging diseases by focusing on protecting mitochondrial homeostasis. Early funding by Foundation Fighting Blindness and NIH has resulted in a proprietary library of mitochondrial protective compounds, and early proof of concept in numerous in vivo models for retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).The lead compound MC16 is a first-in-class small molecule that up-regulates pro-survival and anti-oxidant pathways. In 2021 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Orphan Drug Designation status to MC16 for treatment of RP. The company is pursuing partnerships to develop non-ophthalmic indications such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, ALS, muscular dystrophies, diabetes, ischemias and kidney diseases. For more information, please visit www.mitocheminc.com.