Download Company Overview Linnaeus Therapeutics is a biotechnology

Company Overview
Linnaeus Therapeutics is a biotechnology company engaged in the
identification and development of topically deliverable small molecule
agents that modulate skin pigmentation.
Problem
Many dermatologic conditions result in skin that appears darker or lighter than normal,
including acne, psoriasis, vitiligo, and injuries from solar, thermal, and mechanical
trauma. Patients perceive these changes as disfiguring, which results in significant
anxiety, frustration, and depression. There is a large unmet need for safe and effective
approaches to modulate skin pigmentation, as individuals across the globe turn to
unsuccessful and unsafe methods in attempts to normalize skin color, or alter skin tone
for perceived aesthetic benefit. The estimated global market for skin darkening and
lightening agents is estimated at over $20 billion annually, with $5 billion spent in the
U.S. on skin “tanning” alone. Many of these currently utilized approaches rely on either
1) UV tanning beds, which cause DNA damage and contribute to premature aging,
wrinkles, and skin cancer; 2) synthetic chemicals that react with skin to create an
artificial, superficial cosmetic change in skin tone without actually influencing skin
pigment production; or 3) potentially harmful agents or procedures that are expensive,
not especially effective, and can cause additional tissue damage, scarring, or cancer.
Solution
The founders of Linnaeus Therapeutics have developed a platform approach to
modulate skin pigmentation by either increasing or decreasing melanin pigment
production by skin cells using small molecule compounds suitable for topical delivery. In
vitro studies have demonstrated the ability of several compounds to modulate
effectively the melanin content of engineered human skin tissues. One of the studied
compounds also induces pigmentation, or “tans,” normal mouse skin when applied as a
topical cream in an in vivo study. Importantly, pigmentation modulation in this model is
achieved without the DNA damaging effects of UV radiation exposure. Future pipeline
indications may explore the potential to decrease the rate of skin cancer through the
regular application of pigment modulating agents to high-risk populations.
Founder Information
Todd Ridky M.D., Ph.D., Co-Founder, is an active physician-scientist, practicing
dermatologist, and expert in human skin biology. Dr. Ridky is an Assistant Professor in
the Department of Dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania. He received a B.S. in
chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Ph.D. in Biochemistry
and M.D. from Case Western Reserve University, and completed dermatology residency
and epithelial biology postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University.
Contact:
Dora Mitchell
Asst. Dir., PCI Ventures
University of Pennsylvania
[email protected]
215.573.4504
Chris Natale, Co-Founder, received a B.S in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from
Penn State University, and is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Cell and Molecular
Biology graduate program and part of the Developmental, Stem Cell, and Regenerative
Biology graduate group at the University of Pennsylvania. Basic science discoveries
during his thesis research in Dr. Ridky’s laboratory inspired the formation of Linnaeus
Therapeutics.