€2 millions for Life Science Entrepreneurs of Barcelona
This new project by former executive and businessman from Quebec François Arcand will prove the efficacy of a molecule to prevent cardiovascular diseases.
By Biocat
Just two years after it was created, Barcelona-based Life Science Entrepreneurs headed up by Quebec businessman François Arcand 
has received funding from private Catalan and Swiss investors for preclinical trials on an antiplatelet drug candidate that could prevent cardiovascular diseases thanks to the unique way it dilutes the blood of at-risk patients. After this first capital increase, the company is preparing a second round, for €2 millions, in early 2013.
"The drug candidate raises the interest of experts in the field because its novel mechanism of action could set it apart from antiplatelets like the standard-of-care Plavix® or the newcomer Eliquis®," explains Arcand, who before his current entrepreneurial efforts was the CEO of ERA Biotech (2004-2010) and Medicago Inc. (1997-2002). Life Science Entrepreneurs is dedicated to the development of high-risk/high-return scientific ventures to cover unmet needs in the life sciences field.
In order to carry out and manage this project, Arcand has hired three specialists from multinational pharmaceutical companies: Martin Austin , heading up business development (previously at F. Hoffmann-La Roche and Paul Royalty Funds); Dr. José-Luis Fàbregas Vidal , for scientific direction (previously at Almirall), and Dr. Jesús Llenas Calvo , in the pharmacology area (also from Almirall).
Once the clinical trials confirming the efficacy and safety of this drug called NmC have been completed, the company will continue to develop the drug through phase II —needing additional investment of €4 millions— and then license it to a pharmaceutical company with the idea of seeing first profit in 2015 and issuing dividends before 2026. The rights to the molecule have been obtained from a foreign university.