Six California startups selected for premier life sciences advisory program

Back

September 2, 2022

SAN FRANCISCO, SAN DIEGO, LOS ANGELES, SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California Life Sciences (CLS), the state’s most impactful life sciences membership organization, announced today the six California startups that have been selected to go through the 2022 fall FAST Advisory Program.

Now in its ninth year, FAST provides first-time entrepreneurs customized advisory and coaching to perfect their business model and build a commercialization strategy.

The following startups will participate in the fall FAST program:

  • Acelot  is developing small molecules that inhibit multiple toxic protein species associated with neurodegenerative diseases.
  • Angeles Therapeutics is a next generation cell therapy company that is solving the problem of lack of efficacy of CARs in solid tumors with its next generation CAR design.
  • BioMark Oncology is a translationally enabled, preclinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing a platform to further the use of response biomarkers in clinical trials.
  • TAB Diagnostic is a non-invasive diabetes testing and monitoring company developing the first portable saliva-based, graphene field-effect transistor assay to measure Glycated Albumin.
  • Weatherwax Biotechnologies is a seed-stage startup developing the next generation of induced-proximity medicines.
  • f5 Therapeutics is transforming the landscape of drug discovery by leveraging precision-based protein degradation.

“CLS is focused on promoting entrepreneurship and nurturing local innovation. Through our programs and partnerships, we offer our members access to resources, capital, and business services to help them scale and advance in their development lifecycle”, said Sibylle Hauser, executive director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at CLS.

Three of the startups participating in the fall program were selected from special tracks made possible by our partners Servier, Keck School of Medicine of USC, and MedTech Color. TAB Diagnostic was the second-place winner of the MedTech Color Pitch Competition, winning a spot in the fall FAST cohort.  Angeles Therapeutics was selected as part of the FAST-USC MESH track to bring advisory services to faculty entrepreneurs. And f5 Therapeutics is the first winner of the new, Servier FAST Discovery Award.

About California Life Sciences: California Life Sciences (CLS) is the state’s most impactful life sciences membership organization, advocating for the sector and its diverse innovation pipeline. For more than 30 years, CLS has served the community by supporting companies of all sizes, from early-stage innovators and startups to established industry leaders in the fields of biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and medical technology. As integral components of a healthy and collaborative ecosystem, CLS also works closely with universities, academic and research institutions, the investment community, and other critical partners that promote this vibrant sector. With offices in South San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, Los Angeles, and Washington DC, CLS works to shape public policy, improve access to breakthrough technologies, educate lawmakers, and advance equity within our ecosystem by championing innovative solutions for some of the most pressing challenges of our times. In doing so, CLS fulfills its mission to protect and nurture California’s life sciences industry, empowering discoveries that lead to healthier lives around the world. #WeAreCaliforniaLifeSciences