Pfizer Invests In Discovery Start-Ups

Pfizer has made equity investments totaling $46 million in four early-stage drug discovery companies in a program through which the firms will have access to Pfizer’s R&D resources. Pfizer is investing in BioAtla, which is developing monoclonal antibodies called conditionally active biologics as oncology therapies; NextCure, a firm that Pfizer helped form and is focused on immuno-oncology; Cortexyme, specializing in treatments that alter the course of neurodegenerative diseases; and 4D Molecular Therapeutics, a new biopharmaceutical company with its eye on gene therapy.