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Vibe Bio is a community of patients, scientists, and partners committed to identifying, funding and developing promising treatments to rare diseases and empowering patient communities with unprecedented ownership over the process.

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Monthly Vibe Bio Newsletter - March 2023

Every Cure for Every Community - In search of the ideal drug development model

Mar 14, 2023

Dear Vibe Bio community,

We are thrilled to share with you our monthly newsletter, designed to keep you informed and engaged with the latest updates from Vibe Bio and its community. In this newsletter, we’ll share insights into rare disease patient communities, partnership spotlights, unique biotech research funding opportunities, VibeCast updates, upcoming events, and more.

In addition to the community updates, the newsletter will also feature interviews with leading experts in rare diseases and biotech research, as well as profiles on patient advocates who are making a difference in their community.

Vibe Bio is at an exciting time as the team iterates on the input and feedback received from its early members. Our mission is to help create every cure for every community. Accomplishing this mission is a great challenge and we believe it is possible, given the right incentives. As many reading this already know, identifying promising (and fundable) drugs and treatments in a sea of drug development programs can be as challenging as finding a needle in a haystack. We want to make it easier and faster.

At Vibe Bio, our focus is on People, Capital, Tools - and specifically on helping biotech startups get the people, capital, and tools they need to reach their next major milestone. Whether the next milestone is a completed toxicology data analysis or raising their long-anticipated Series A round. We’re here to help your biotech startup make strategic decisions and connect you with the right resources.

Above all, we express our gratitude to YOU, the community, for providing valuable feedback, active engagement, and drug development proposals. We appreciate the support of all biotech founders, drug developers, innovation leaders, and patient communities who have shown interest in the Vibe Bio community and shared their stories with our fellow Vibers.

Partnership Spotlight

We’re excited to share that Vibe Bio is collaborating on an awareness campaign and Interactome Data project with KIF1A.ORG. KIF1A.ORG is a global community dedicated to improving the lives of those affected by KIF1A Associated Neurological Disorder (KAND) and accelerating research to find a cure.

KAND is a severe and rare neurodegenerative disorder with a progressive course. KAND is caused by mutations in the KIF1A (kinesin family member 1A) gene. There are over 500 people diagnosed with KAND worldwide. The condition can affect both the brain and body, such as the eyes, muscles and nerves.

In the tweet below, Dr. Dominique Lessard, Chief Science Officer of KIF1A.ORG, describing KAND and explaining one reason as to why there’s no treatment for KAND available yet.

Vibe Bio @VibeBio

We’re excited to announce our interactome project with @KIF1A, which will be used to inform KAND therapeutic development🧬

To better understand the roles of KIF1A, scientists need to understand all the interactions between DNA, RNA, proteins, and other molecules that make up a cell. Collectively, these interactions are called the interactome. Comparing interactomes between patients could even help us explain why different mutations in KIF1A cause different symptoms between KAND patients.

KIF1A.ORG @KIF1A

Our interactome project is made possible thanks to a collaboration of many members from the KIF1A and @VibeBio communities, as we work together to find treatments and cures for KAND. #ScienceIsBetterTogether

Below are questions for the community shared by Ethan Beswick during the March 2, 2023 Research Roundtable Community Summary discussing the Interactome Project and possible strategies to collaborate across the research ecosystem. You can download and watch the full Roundtable Presentation recording here.

If you or anyone you know is interested in getting involved in our partner projects, please reach out to our team!

VibeCast Updates

We’ve launched a new content series called VibeCast and you can learn more about it here. Below you can watch the full versions of our most recent episodes on YouTube. We also post short clips on TikTok and Instagram.

Let us know if you would like to suggest a guest for the show!

Upcoming Events

We also want to draw your attention to a few upcoming events where you can meet with members of the Vibe Bio team.

NFT LA - March 20th - 23rd
Rare Disease Innovation & Partnership Summit - March 21-23 (Philadelphia, PA)
Miami NFT - March 31st - April 2nd
Synthetic Biology Summit “Blockchain Meets Bio” - April 1-2 (Zuzalu, Montenegro)

We hope to see you there!

Community Feedback

We encourage you to explore our Discord server and learn more about our mission to accelerate the development of new treatments and cures. You can also follow us on social media to stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates from our community.

Tell us what else you’d like to see in future editions of the newsletter. We’d love to hear from you!