HanAll Biopharma and Daewoong Pharmaceutical have expanded their open collaboration strategy by investing in Vincere Biosciences, a Cambridge, MA-based company developing therapeutics targeting mitophagy. These investments, via the Freemind Investments (FMI) investment platform, fosters collaborations around Parkinson’s disease therapeutics as well as Vincere’s artificial intelligence platform, which ranges from tools to accelerate drug discovery to algorithms that assist with subject selection in clinical trials.
 
Vincere Biosciences aims to conquer degeneration in Parkinson’s or age-related degeneration, through the discovery and development of small molecules leveraging computational tools alongside traditional biology and drug discovery expertise. The company is focused on developing first-in-class disease-modifying therapeutics by targeting the modulation of mitochondrial quality control mechanisms such as mitophagy. By increasing mitophagy to sequester and recycle damaged mitochondria, Vincere’s compounds increase the ratio of healthy mitochondria and counteract a key deficit in Parkinson’s disease as well as in a broad range of other age-related disorders.
 
“This investment reflects our commitment to strategic collaborations, especially at this pivotal moment of convergence between drug development and artificial intelligence. With the diverse and complementary research approaches among Vincere, Daewoong, and HanAll, we look forward to finding paths to help Parkinson’s patients,” said Sean Jeong, M.D., MBA, CEO of HanAll Biopharma.
 
Sengho Jeon, CEO of Daewoong Pharmaceutical, said, “We are very pleased to invest in Vincere Biosciences to accelerate the development of innovative therapeutics for Parkinson’s disease, an area of great focus for us.”
 
“This partnership highlights the joining of forces across a shared mission to deliver disease-modifying medicines for Parkinson’s disease,” said Dr. Spring (Bahareh) Behrouz, PhD, CEO of Vincere Biosciences. “Daewoong and HanAll’s track record of success in clinical studies and shared strategic alignment complement our team’s deep understanding of the underlying biology. We look forward to a productive relationship that will accelerate the delivery of therapeutics to patients in need.”