Our Story

Following the acquisition of his former start-up company AlphaCore in 2013, Peptinovo founder Ren Homan arrived at a curious insight. Could HDL particles carry proven drugs to more effectively treat cancer? After 30+ years developing HDL particles for cardiovascular diseases Ren was determined to apply these same HDL mimics to a completely new arena: cancer treatment.

Ren’s outsider’s view was the source of a whole new path of innovation for cancer care. To translate his concept into tangible results, Ren joined forces with co-founder Bill Elliot, a seasoned expert in oncology development and clinical studies – the perfect counterbalance.

Ren self-funded the company and the Peptinovo Biopharma company started by applying for NIH grants in 2014. What started in a small lab in Ann Arbor, Michigan, ultimately lead to the development of the patented breakthrough nanotechnology: PALM™ (Peptide-Amphille Lipid Micelle), Peptinovo’s smart drug delivery platform.

In 2018 the company reached a major milestone demonstrating that tumor suppression data equaled or exceeded the standard of care, and crucially, the safety data showed no signs of nerve damage Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN), a common limiting side effect of many chemotherapies. The promising results marked the start of an accelerated pace of development with the clear goal of revolutionizing cancer treatment.

The year 2019 heralded the move towards commercialization as we partnered with Cantilever Investors. With Cantilever as lead investor, the company raised over $3.5M, expanded our team, and created custom labs needed for the scale up and continued development of the platform.

Animal testing results continue to show a strong safety profile that not only avoids CIPN but also significantly reduces most other adverse effects like nausea, fatigue and even hair loss while also showing equal or improved efficacy—a new path to improve cancer survival without sacrificing quality of life.

Together, Ren’s outside-in vision and Bill’s grounded expertise in oncology form the essence of Peptinovo Biopharma. It’s the perfect blend of disruptive innovation and practical application, shaping our efforts to improve the landscape of cancer therapeutics.