Endpoints News, “Exclusive: A longtime VC takes on his own rare disease as Sanofi, Boehringer commit $80M to launch new platform study”

December 18, 2023

“Over three decades of investing, Luke Evnin has backed and advised dozens of biotechs developing medicines. Now, the longtime VC is turning his know-how and industry contacts loose on his own rare disease.

The result is a first-of-its-kind Phase IIb trial in scleroderma, with the study recently winning the FDA’s OK to begin, Evnin exclusively told Endpoints News. The study uses a platform design, meaning multiple drugs will be tested against a shared placebo group. Additional treatments can also be added to the trial as it progresses.”

Scleroderma News, “Boehringer joins CONQUEST platform trial of SSc-ILD treatments”

October 6, 2023

“Boehringer Ingelheim has joined the CONQUEST platform trial, adding a second experimental medication to the multidrug study launched by the Scleroderma Research Foundation (SRF) to speed therapy development for interstitial lung disease (ILD) associated with scleroderma (SSc).”

Applied Clinical Trials, “Boehringer Ingelheim Joins Scleroderma Research Foundation’s Conquest Trial Platform”

October 6, 2023

“Boehringer Ingelheim becomes the second company to contribute to the project after Sanofi was brought on in August.”

San Francisco Business Times, “Why a disease foundation invited companies to join its new drug trial platform”

August 15, 2023

“Even as drugs advanced against arthritis, psoriasis and other diseases connected to the body’s immune system turning against healthy tissue, Luke Evnin saw potential treatments for scleroderma get passed by. He decided to do something about it.”

BioCentury, “Bringing the platform trial model to scleroderma”

August 11, 2023

“A new platform study sponsored by the Scleroderma Research Foundation could spur much needed therapeutic innovation for the rare autoimmune indication, while also serving as proof of concept for the role master protocols can play in rare diseases.”

Rare Disease Advisor, “Scleroderma Research Foundation Launches CONQUEST Platform”

August 8, 2023

“Sanofi will be the first contributor to the CONQUEST clinical trial platform that has been recently launched to address critical issues in clinical development and enable advances in systemic sclerosis (SSc) research, the Scleroderma Research Foundation (SRF) announced.”

The Wall Street Journal VC Health Pulse, “MPM Capital Co-Founder Urges Drug Development for Rare Disease; Biotech Venture Financing Market Tightens”

“Rare disease venture capitalist Luke Evnin has financed several successful biotechnology startups that develop treatments for cancer. Now he is encouraging drugmakers to tackle another disease: a rare autoimmune condition that he has himself, WSJ Pro reports.”

Scleroderma News, “Sanofi is first to join CONQUEST platform trial for scleroderma”

August 3, 2023

“Sanofi will be the first company to join CONQUEST, a new platform trial launched by the Scleroderma Research Foundation (SRF), with a treatment candidate for interstitial lung disease associated with scleroderma.”

Pm Live, “Scleroderma Research Foundation launches clinical trial platform to advance treatments”

August 2, 2023

“Using a model created over a decade ago to accelerate oncology drug development but not previously used for autoimmune disorders, the CONQUEST platform is designed to identify agents that are ready to progress from phase 2b to phase 3 clinical trials.”

The Wall Street Journal, “Venture Capitalist Seeks to Spur Drug Development for Rare Autoimmune Disease”

August 1, 2023

“Venture capitalist Luke Evnin has financed several successful biotechnology startups that develop treatments for cancer. Now he is encouraging drugmakers to tackle another disease: a rare autoimmune condition that he has himself.”

Fierce Biotech, “Scleroderma clinical trial initiative snags Sanofi as first partner to accelerate research”

August 1, 2023

“Sanofi will be the inaugural partner for the Scleroderma Research Foundation’s new clinical trial initiative to advance treatments for the rare autoimmune disorder of the skin and organs.”

Applied Clinical Trials, “Scleroderma Research Foundation (SRF) Launches Conquest Trial Platform”

August 1, 2023

“The Scleroderma Research Foundation (SRF) has announced that Sanofi will contribute the first experimental agent to CONQUEST, a clinical trial platform created by the SRF. The platform is designed to advance treatments for scleroderma and to identify those agents that should progress from Phase IIb to Phase II clinical trials.”