Organization & Developments: Ataxion

Parents

2014: Ataxion is coming out of stealth mode today with plans to develop drugs that can subdue the symptoms of a group of debilitating central nervous system disorders known as hereditary ataxias
2014: Biogen has the option to buy Ataxion for an unspecified, prenegotiated price after the tiny biotech finishes its first Phase 1 clinical trial.
Ataxion is a product of Atlas Venture Development Corp., an initiative put together by the VC firm to pick up preclinical drug assets discovered by others that it thinks it can move forward more efficiently under its own care.
In collaboration with Aniona, is focused on developing specific channel modulators for treatment of hereditary ataxias
The idea is to form a small startup around a set of assets, team up with a pharmaceutical partner, and drive the startup to a value inflection point—say, a Phase 2 trial—at which time that partner might have the exclusive chance to acquire it.