Beyond Celiac, the leading catalyst for a cure for celiac disease, today announces the creation of Beyond Celiac Investments (BCI), an investment program to accelerate the development of treatments and a cure for celiac disease by leveraging the speed and scale of venture capital and capital markets. BCI launches with an initial funding of $2 million and additional capital will be raised through donations.
“Our research has uncovered no venture funds with a specific focus on celiac disease or autoimmune disorders, though many venture funds invest in companies that have the potential to address it,” Alice Bast, President and CEO, Beyond Celiac, notes. “Our plans for BCI are to invest significant resources to identify promising treatments under development as well as those that have been investigated or approved for other purposes that also might benefit celiac disease patients. Our scientific and business expertise in selecting and supporting these treatments reduces risk, cost and time to market for potential celiac disease treatments,” she adds.
BCI is using the Development Catalyst business model, designed to increase development and commercialization activity across the Celiac treatment spectrum. The model enables drug development through nonprofit means. Using donated funds also means that all financial returns from BCI’s investments return to Beyond Celiac to be used for future investments and grants to benefit Beyond Celiac’s cure acceleration mission and celiac disease population.
Because BCI uses donated funds through a venture philanthropy model, investing can begin immediately. “BCI’s Development Catalyst investment strategy will focus dollars where we can have the greatest impact on the most promising investments. We are building relationships with targeted venture capital firms and corporate venture capital efforts at pharma companies that understand the unique role that both Beyond Celiac and Beyond Celiac Investments can play in sourcing, due diligence and supporting scientific and commercial success of portfolio companies across pre-commercial and commercial stages,” Bast explains.
The Beyond Celiac Investment Team includes Alice Bast, President and CEO; Jordan Dubow, M.D., Chief Medical Officer; Debra Silberg, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer; and Eric White, Fund Manager.
BCI fulfills the fourth phase in the Beyond Celiac Science Plan, developed in 2021 to drive the search for a cure by 2030 so that the 3.2 million people diagnosed with the disease can live healthy lives and eat without fear of gluten exposure. The Science Plan has four scientific priorities: evidence generation, translational research, clinical trials and drug repurposing. The first three phases of the plan are well underway and the drug repurposing priority is now expanded to include investments in all types of treatments. Beyond Celiac is the nation’s top recruiter for celiac disease clinical trials and works with pharmaceutical companies to ensure that trials are designed with the patient perspective in mind. Beyond Celiac is the largest 501(c)3 celiac disease research grant funder, including five research grants totaling $1.6 million in 2023.
