An AI-driven drug discovery company leveraging data from 100 million years of evolved disease resistance in mammals.
Using our exclusive biobank of genetic data along with our in-house platform, Convergence™, we replicate how extreme animal models resist disease, paving a way for us to create new drugs that do the same for humans.
*A sped up thermal video (1 hour of real time) of a 13-lined ground squirrel coming out of hibernation.
Blockbuster drugs, like ACE inhibitors and the first generation of GLP-1 agonists, came from studying diverse species.
Studying natural genetic resistance gave us new drugs for cholesterol (PCSK9 inhibitors).
These three examples alone represent over a $30B market opportunity.
Fauna Bio is the first company to combine these approaches – creating new therapeutic opportunities in a wide range of disease with >$60B market opportunity.
What is natural disease resistance?
Animals help us study extreme metabolic changes, obesity resistance, and muscle preservation. These insights can lead to the discovery of novel therapeutic targets and the development of drugs that mimic these natural protective mechanisms.
13-lined ground squirrel:
13-lined ground squirrels are able to massively change their metabolism (235x in 1hr!) throughout hibernation, rebuild skeletal muscle despite being motionless for 6 months, reverse damage to the heart and brain and can reverse early stages of fibrosis (scarring).
Spiny mice:
Spiny mice are a remarkably adapted species that can heal damage to the multiple organs, including the brain, spinal cord, kidney and skin without scarring.
Tenrec:
Tenrecs are able to maintain their ability for cardiac regeneration late into adulthood (we lose this ability just after we are born).
Elephant seals:
Elephant seals are deep diving marine mammals with resistance to metabolic disorders including diabetes and obesity related disease.
Scorpion Mouse:
Scorpion mice are very normal looking mice that have adapted incredible pain tolerance to scorpion venom, their main prey.
Bumblebee Bat:
Bumblebee bats are a hibernating bat species with tolerance to DNA damage, parasites, and viruses.
Our Partners
Academic partnerships: Access to new data from more extreme species
More info
UW-OshKosh: Fauna Bio has dedicated research space at UW-Oshkosh to work with the 13-lined ground squirrel colony and perform its own in-vivo experiments.
UNLV: A collaboration to examine heart samples from tenrecs to study how hearts can repair damage more efficiently.
UF: A collaboration to use spiny mice to better understand mechanisms of regeneration in the brain and skin.
Latest from Fauna Bio
Fauna Bio Announces Strategic Collaboration with Lilly to Discover Novel Obesity Targets Using Convergence™ AI Platform
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Fauna Bio Announces Strategic Collaboration with Lilly to Discover Novel Obesity Targets Using Convergence™ AI Platform
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