The fog has lifted to reveal a rebranded biotech: Parabilis Medicines. Formerly called FogPharma, the biotech picked its new name to reflect its focus on expanding what is possible in the treatment of serious diseases and commitment to ensuring its medicines reach patients globally.
Parabilis has a different profile than many biotechs that decide they need a new name. In many cases, a new name puts distance between a biotech and a tainted brand. FogPharma, in contrast, has rebranded at a time when its star is in the ascendancy. Having been founded by Greg Verdine, Ph.D>, in 2015, FogPharma became a Fierce 15 winner in 2023 and closed a $145 million financing round in 2024.
Amid the progress, the biotech decided it needed a new brand. Parabilis said the name “draws on Greek and Latin etymologies to mean both ‘beyond what’s possible’ and ‘obtainable.’” Those meanings reflect the company’s desire to redefine what is therapeutically possible and ensure access to its medicines.
Parabilis CEO Mathai Mammen, M.D., Ph.D., said the new name “captures the tremendous aspirations of a group of passionate innovators who are grounded in pragmatism ... [and] single-mindedly pursuing only those medicines that anticipate and address profound unmet needs.”
“Our new company name embodies this spirit: break boundaries, crush dogma, operate with the highest ambitions and focus relentlessly on the patient at all times,” the Parabilis CEO said in a statement.
Other aspects of the company are staying the same. The biotech remains focused on advancing its lead candidate FOG-001 through the clinic. FOG-001 is designed to inhibit interactions between beta-catenin and the T-cell factor (TCF) family of transcription factors. While other companies are targeting the same pathway, Parabilis’ focus on TCF sets it apart and could make FOG-001 work against multiple mutations.
FOG-001 emerged from Parabilis’ Helicon platform. The biotech used the statement about its rebranding to unveil changes to the platform, which it said integrates AI and experimental technologies to discover, optimize and deliver peptide therapeutics for not-yet-drugged targets.