Accelerating
Breakthroughs in EB
Our mission is to help patients with
EB to live, and to live well
About EB
What is EB and DEB?
Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) is a painful genetic skin condition that causes the skin to tear or blister at the lightest touch. DEB (Dystrophic EB) is one of the most severe subsets of EB.
Skin literally as fragile as a butterfly wing
Layers of skin tear
and blister
Genetic condition
No current cure
Affects ~ 500,000 people worldwide (8,000 of which have DEB)
Not contagious
Affects internal
organs
Often leads to fatal
aggressive skin cancer in chronic wounds
DEB is caused by a single gene mutation
Single gene mutation of COL7A1
COL7A1 is the gene that produces collagen 7.
Collagen 7 is used to form anchoring fibrils, which stick the top layer of the skin (epidermis) to the bottom layer (dermis).
Without this, the two layers of skin have no way of binding and therefore blisters can form and the skin can tear off with the slightest of friction.
It’s not just skin: collagen 7 plays an equally crucial role in the eyes, mouth, esophagus and rectum.
Our mission
To help Abe and all those with EB live, and live well
Our goal is to transform the lives of people with DEB, as well as to develop and support technologies that will help cure thousands of other rare diseases that impact ~ 400m people worldwide.
what we do
Invest & Support
Financial investments in promising companies who focus on EB as their primary indication.
Non financial support, including trial design, ecosystem engagement, market access support, trial location support, patient perspective, business model / complementary therapy analysis.
Build
We incubate businesses to help accelerate certain treatments for EB.
We attract EIRs to drive novel therapies in EB. We support with angel capital and are initially part of the management.
Once companies hit a certain milestone where they can raise private capital, we support in the fundraising and rounding out of their management teams.
Why ABE is uniquely positioned
Disease focused, with 360 degree view on technologies / modalities
Strong network across KOLs, industry and big pharma
Entrepreneurial by background
Expertise in venture investing and company building
Personally motivated: will not give up until the job is done
OUR INVESTMENTS
Nonsense Tx
Type:
Investment / incubation
Scientific overview:
Nonsense mutations cause about 10-12% of cases across over 10,000 rare diseases, impacting roughly 40 million people. These mutations often lead to the most severe disease outcomes. At Nonsense Tx, we focus on developing small-molecule therapies to boost collagen 7 production for Dystrophic EB patients. Early lab results using primary patient cells—tested with a leading expert on nonsense mutations in EB—have shown very promising outcomes.
Why Invest In EB
2x FDA approved drugs
DEB is a multi $ bn per year market
A clear FDA pathway & advantageous designations
Large unmet need
A well organized community with multiple funding sources
Lots of research has been done
ABE’S TEAM
Alex Hersham
Founder & Abe’s Dad
Father of Abe, who was born with Dystrophic EB.
CEO & founder of Zencargo, a leading supply chain management company with 130+ employees, ~$80m capital raised.
Previously VP at Cerberus Capital Management & Goldman Sachs.
Ivan Fedyunin
PhD: Partner
$100+m investments, 20+ companies; Board Director and Observer.
Previous experience as COO of a biotech startup, outlicensed mAb to a strategic Pharma, R&D director (40 people, 5 laboratories).
PhD on tRNAs and protein translation, highest distinction from Max Planck Institute/Potsdam University.
Simon Baeriswyl
PhD: EIR & Advisor
CEO at Neurophoenix and advisor at CSB.bio. Previously an experienced Biotech COO / CEO at Enterome, Diotheris and others.
Big pharma partnering experience at Sanofi HQ in Paris. Biotech & pharma consultant at The Boston Consulting Group.
PhD at Université Paris Descartes.
Lev Osherovich
PhD: EIR & Advisor
Partner at Delin Ventures, previously at Versant Ventures.
Serial biotech company builder at Inception, Ridgeline and Delin. Co-inventor of key patent behind our approach to nonsense suppression.
Focuses on Nonsense Tx at ABE as a Co-Founder.
Nataliya Migulina
PhD: Advisor
Currently Life Sciences at Phillips. Previously was at Forbion, focusing on fibrosis.
PhD at UCMG, at the Department of Pathology and Medical Biology.
Focuses on fibrosis and inflammation.
Cody Tranbarger
EIR & Advisor
Harvard MBA & EIR at Atlas Ventures.
Previous Biz Dev at Prime Medicine. Prior to that, ran Gene Therapy research at Casdin Capital.
Focuses on Gene Therapy & Gene Editing Research at Abe.
Thibaud Portal
Advisor
Founder/COO of Alys Pharmaceuticals & Venture Advisor at Medicxi. Prior to this, he held various roles in his 24 years at Galderma, including Global Head of Research and Global Head of
Development Strategy and led multiple global approvals of dermatological drugs.
He thereafter led the Prescription Medicines Global Business Unit
Working closely with Debra Research, Cure EB & others
Our Story
A note from our founder: Our journey to cure DEB began when Abe was born.
Our mission is very personal to me. My son, Abe, was born in April 2023 with severe generalized Recessive Dystrophic EB. Those first weeks were a blur of hospital stays, uncertainty, and intense emotions. But by May, I resolved to take action by building companies that focus on DEB.