Keeping Patients
in Sight

Delivering the right amount of drug for the right amount of time to improve patient safety and clinical outcomes.

The Ripple Therapeutics' Epidel technology is founded on a discovery that drugs can be engineered into controlled release Pharmaceuticals without the use of polymers or excipients.

Our Science

Partners

We recently signed an exclusive Licensing Agreement for the rights to our lead product IBE-814 IVT for North America and Europe Théa Open Innovation (“TOI”) a wholly owned subsidiary of Laboratoires Théa, the leading independent ophthalmology pharmaceutical company in Europe. We will be looking to license the rights to IBE-814 IVT in other territories following our Phase II trial. We believe there are a number of applications for our sustained release steroid prodrugs outside of our internal focus on ophthalmology. This includes injections for pain management (osteoarthritis, back pain, etc.) and as coatings on implantable medical devices where by reducing the fibrotic response and consequent inflammation we can increase the longevity of device function. We will look to collaborate with strategic partners to exploit these opportunities. We are also interested in working with pharma partners interested in evaluating our prodrug technology with their proprietary APIs in order to provide for an extended duration of release.

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Are you interested in participating in Series A round?

Our Science

The Ripple Therapeutics’ Epidel® technology is founded on a discovery that drugs can be engineered into controlled release materials without the use of polymers or excipients. The proprietary prodrugs are new chemical entities (NCEs) that have unique properties that allow them to be processed into standalone drug delivery implants (e.g. intravitreal implants, micro/nanoparticles, etc.) or as coatings on medical devices. Ripple Therapeutics’ implants and coatings are made up entirely from the prodrug without a polymeric carrier to control the implant or drug release properties. The implants and coatings undergo surface erosion to give zero order drug release profiles and are highly engineerable (e.g. different forms, shapes, and sizes) to tailor drug dose and duration for the specific indication of interest. The flexibility in molecular design results in drug doses that are within the therapeutic window, delivering the right amount of drug for the right amount of time. This has the potential to improve patient safety and clinical outcomes.

Precision Engineered Drug Delivery

Drug Delivery System Degradation

degradation infographic

Ripple Therapeutics is developing a library of proprietary prodrugs with unique polymer-like properties from different active pharmaceutical ingredients and local, sustained drug delivery products from these. Ripple Therapeutics is developing products on their own and in combination with strategic partners.

Technological Advantages

Sustained zero-order release kinetics
Drug release controlled via surface erosion
Drug release is concurrent with erosion of the implant
No polymer matrix = High drug ratio = Smaller implant design

Polymer-like properties provide flexibility for product design
Prodrugs synthesized with simple and scalable API reactions and purification methods
Drug delivery implants and coatings manufactured with standard polymer processing techniques, etc.

Polymer-Free Technology

IBE-814 Dexamethasone-Releasing Intravitreal Implant (IBE 814-IVT)

IBE-81 IVT is aimed at being best-in-class therapy for the treatment of posterior inflammatory eye diseases, including diabetic macular edema (DME), retinal vein occlusion (RVO) and non-infectious uveitis (NIU). The IBE-814 IVT implant is minimally invasive, delivered through a 30-gauge needle (vs. currently marketed intravitreal sustained-release steroid therapies which range from 22-25 gauge needle delivery). IBE-814 is designed to deliver a low, consistent, efficacious dose for approximately six to nine months. Our goal is to extend clinical benefit while decreasing common steroid-induced adverse events.

Status

Ripple Therapeutics announced in April 2021, that the first patient had been treated in RIPPLE-1, a Phase II trial evaluating IBE-814 IVT, a proprietary intravitreal dexamethasone implant targeting inflammatory retinal diseases.

RIPPLE-1 is a phase II, multi-center, single-masked dose-ranging study designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of two dosage regimens of IBE-814 IVT in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) or macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion (RVO).

To learn more about the RIPPLE-1 clinical trial, visit: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04576689

Pipeline

Ripple Therapeutics ophthalmology pipeline addresses multiple $1B+ market opportunities

pipeline

About Us

Ripple Therapeutics is the therapeutics/drug delivery spin out of Interface Biologics, Inc. (IBI) after the sale of its surface modification business to Evonik (ETR:EFK) was completed.

Our lead product (IBE-814 IVT) is a fully degradable intravitreal dexamethasone prodrug implant targeting DME, RVO and NIU indications. Our target product profile is zero-order drug release for 6-9 months with a 30G needle and 1/10th the loading of the leading commercial IVT product which suggests a potential to reduce steroid related cataract and IOP AEs. We have a strong preclinical data set and the FDA has confirmed an abbreviated regulatory path via 505(b)(2). We are currently planning a 50 patient, two dose Phase II clinical trial which will be initiated in Australia in Q3 2020

We have recently signed a Terms Sheet for a $15-22M Series A Financing. The initial tranche of $14.8M, led by Théa Open Innovation (TOI) with participation by existing investor Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and management, closed on December 10, 2020. We are looking to raise an additional $5-7M in a second tranche which will close in March 2021.

Our Team

Our leadership team has are experienced in managing both small and large public and private companies through various stages of growth and financing strategies (venture capital, M&A transactions, IPOs, PIPEs). They successfully sold the surface modification business of Interface Biologics to Evonik (ETR:EVK) in 2019 and founded Ripple Therapeutics in January of 2020.

Our team is made up of a high calibre group of PhD and MSc Chemists, Engineers and Material Scientists.

Leadership Team

Thomas P. Reeves

Co-Founder & President & CEO

Tom is one of the founders of Ripple Therapeutics (RIPL) following its spin out from Interface Biologics (IBI) in 2020. Tom joined IBI in 2008 and led the company through three rounds of venture financing and OEM licensing agreements with major medical device manufacturers including Fresenius Medical Care, AngioDynamics and Integra Life Sciences. In 2019, Tom led the successful sale if IBI’s surface modification business to Evonik (ETR:EVK). Prior to IBI, Tom was President & COO of OccuLogix (Nasdaq: OCCX) where he played a key role in their 2004 IPO and President & CEO of Borderfree where he led the sale to Canada Post in 2004. Tom spent 14 years in the computer industry with senior roles in Canada, Europe and the UK. He started his career at the Boston Consulting Group. Tom holds an MA, International Relations (Australian National University)and BA magna cum laude, Economics (Harvard University). Tom was a finalist as 2015 Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year

Wendy Naimark, Ph.D

Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer

Wendy is one of the founders of Ripple Therapeutics (RIPL) following its spin out from Interface Biologics (IBI) in 2020. Wendy has been leading teams in the development of local drug delivery products for over 20 years. She joined IBI in 2016 and led the Research & Development of both Epidel and Kinesyx technology teams and partner projects. Prior to joining IBI, Wendy led the Clinical Program for the development of a drug-eluting, self-expanding, biodegradable scaffold at 480 Biomedical. Wendy began her industry career at Boston Scientific in the Corporate R&D group, which developed the TAXUS® Drug Eluting Stent. At Boston Scientific her work spanned developing combination products to deliver angiogenic biological agents to leading Regulatory Submission Strategies for approval of Class III combination products. Wendy received her PhD in Biomaterials from the University of Toronto and began developing her career interest in local drug delivery at Caltech during her post-doctoral fellowship. Wendy is an inventor of 29 patents in the local drug delivery field.

Defne Garner, CA

Co-Founder & Vice President, Finance

Defne is one of the founders of Ripple Therapeutics (RIPL) following its spin out from Interface Biologics (IBI) in 2020. Defne joined IBI in 2013. She leads finance and administration and is a Chartered Professional Accountant, CA (CPA Ontario). Defne held previous roles as Assistant Controller, Latin America, at SAS Institute Inc. and completed her articling for her professional designation at KPMG LLP. Defne holds a MAcc, Master of Accounting (University of Waterloo) and a BSc, Biotechnology/Chartered Accounting (University of Waterloo).

Ian Parrag P.Eng, Ph.D

Co-Founder & Director, R&D

Ian is one of the founders of Ripple Therapeutics (RIPL) following its spin out from Interface Biologics (IBI) in 2020. Ian has a PhD in Chemical and Biomedical Engineering from the University of Toronto and a BASc in Biomedical Engineering (Engineering Science) from the University of Toronto. Ian joined IBI in 2010 and is responsible for leading the R&D Team in the discovery of novel prodrugs for drug delivery and in managing the nonclinical development (Preclinical evaluation and Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC)) for controlled drug delivery product concepts through to clinical readiness. As lead inventor for the Epidel technology, Ian is also responsible for managing and strategically developing Ripple’s platform and patent portfolio. Ian has 2 granted US patents, 6 pending US patent applications, 4 pending PCT patent application and 7 pending international patent applications along with a robust pipeline of provisional patent applications in process. Ian is an author of 5 peer-reviewed journal articles and recipient of a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Industrial R&D Fellowship.

Julie Fotheringham, MA, ACC

Vice President, Marketing, People & Culture

Julie has a passion for developing leaders. As an ICF-certified Executive Coach and facilitator, she brings wisdom and an understanding of adult learning to support others in realizing their full potential. Julie’s background as a Marketing Executive in both entrepreneurial and Fortune 100 companies, focused on healthcare, is key to understanding the challenges faced by the people and organizations she serves. She has provided marketing, training and development support to Interface Biologics and its spin out, Ripple Therapeutics, since 2009. Julie holds a BSc(Hons) in Biology from Queen’s University, Kingston ON and an MA in Organizational Development & Leadership from Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara, CA.

Board of Directors

Sandra Beach Lin, Retired President & CEO, Calisolar Inc.

Ms. Beach Lin brings 30+ years of polymer, technology and innovation experience to the Ripple Therapeutics and Interface Biologics Inc. Board, having served in C-suite positions at Celanese Corporation and AveryDennison, and in senior executive roles at Honeywell International and Alcoa. She also brings private company experience to IBI as the retired President & CEO of Calisolar Inc. (now Silicor Materials), a privately-held provider of solar silicon. Ms. Beach Lin is a member of the Board of Directors of American Electric Power (NASDAQ: AEP), Avient (NYSE: AVNT) and Trinseo Plc (NYSE: TSE).

Colin Francou, Managing Director, Théa Open Innovation

Colin has been the managing director of Théa Open Innovation since 2019. Prior to that, Colin was Head of Business Development at Laboratoires Théa. Previously, he had held R&D positions at INSERM, Sanofi, Laboratoires Servier and Laboratoires Théa. He was trained as a biomedical engineer (Ecole Centrale de Lyon and Claude Bernard University). Colin is also the general manager of the company Sincler.

François Lontrade, Executive Director, Laboratoires Théa.

François currently holds the Equity Investments Director and CFO position for TOI. He is also M&A Director for Laboratoires Thea and Managing Director of Sincler.

He has joined Théa in 2004 as Group CFO for 11 years. Then he has been Group Industrial, Purchasing and Supply Chain Director.

Before joining Théa, he was a Director in Management Consulting at Management Consulting Group and started his career in the automotive industry as a controller at Valeo. François Lontrade graduated as an engineer from ESPCI Paris and holds a Master degree in Finance from ESSEC Business School Paris.

Dion Madsen, Founding Partner, Amplitude Venture Capital

Dion brings over 25 years of senior management experience as an investor and health investor leader. Prior to founding Amplitude, he led BDC Capital’s Healthcare Fund, was Founder and Managing Director of Physic Ventures, and was Managing Director of Unilever Technology Ventures, Unilever’s North American corporate venture fund. Prior to Unilever, Dion was Director of Investor Relations and worked in Corporate Development at Chiron Corporation in San Francisco where he built a new strategy for the company’s $500M BioPharma business. Before moving to San Francisco, Dion spent five years as Partner of RBC Capital Partners’ Life Sciences Venture Fund, the first third-party capital fund in RBC Capital Partners’ history.

Dion is a founding member of C100, a select group of the top 100 Canadians in the San Francisco Bay area, and has sat on the boards of directors of many venture capital funds and companies in the pharmaceutical and health care industries. He has also held the roles of M&A Advisor, Strategic Consultant and CFO for a biotechnology company. Dion is a CFA® charterholder and has a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance and Marketing from the University of Saskatchewan

Jon Talamo, M.D.

Jonathan H. Talamo, M.D. is internationally known as an experienced surgeon and thought leader in the ophthalmology field, particularly in the areas of corneal disease, cataract and refractive surgery. He serves as a consultant or board member to numerous companies in the biopharma, medical device and health care delivery sectors. Following 25 years in clinical practice, Dr. Talamo worked in executive operating roles as Chief Medical Officer at Ocular Therapeutix where he played an important role in the development of Dextenza (extended release dexamethasone ophthalmic insert) and, most recently, as Chief Medical Officer and Worldwide Vice President of Clinical and Medical Affairs at Johnson and Johnson Vision. While at Johnson and Johnson Vision, Dr. Talamo helped lead the integration of Abbott Medical Optics as well as the development and launch of numerous innovative products, including the Tecnis Toric 2, Synergy and Eyhance Intraocular Lenses, Acuvue Oasis with Transitions and iDesign 2.0.

Careers

Integrity first. Data driven. Patient focused.

We persevere to find innovative solutions to complex problems.

We care. We collaborate. We have fun.

Our company environment is fast-paced, our culture is entrepreneurial, and our people are dedicated to the achievement of excellent scientific and commercial results.

We post all open positions on this website, and regularly review applications for employment from experienced individuals interested in working on challenging projects. We welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

We thank all who express an interest in joining the company. Due to the volume of applications, only those individuals chosen for an initial interview will be contacted.