TUCSON   520.748.4400

Esperance Pharmceuticals

Esperance Pharmaceuticals is developing a bi-functional targeted oncolytic protein platform using its cationic lytic peptide (CLYP™) technology. Esperance’s conjugated proteins consist of two domains, a cancer cell targeting domain such as a receptor ligand or antibody, and a cell membrane disrupting domain. The company’s lead drug is EP-100 which targets the LHRH-Receptor on ovarian, endometrial and breast cancer cells.  EP-100 completed a Phase I clinical trial in 2011 and has advanced to a Phase II clinical trial in ovarian cancer at various clinical sites in the United States.

The Louisiana Fund I LP (Baton Rouge, La.) founded Esperance on technology discovered by researchers at Louisiana State University, the LSU AgCenter and the LSU Pennington Biomedical Research Center. In October 2006, Research Corporation Technologies co-led a $9 million Series A investment in Esperance to advance its lead anticancer conjugates toward early clinical testing.  In August 2011, Sanofi led a $7.5 million Series B investment in Esperance to advance EP-100 into Phase II clinical development.

Co-investors with RCT in Esperance include the Louisiana Fund I, Themelios Ventures Partners LP (Shreveport, La.) and Sanofi (Paris, France).