Idun

Idun Pharmaceuticals was a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of drugs that control apoptosis, or programmed cell death. The company's research centered on the caspase family of enzymes and the Bcl-2 family of proteins, which are key regulators of cell survival and death. Their lead clinical candidate, emricasan (IDN-6556), was a first-in-class pan-caspase inhibitor developed to treat liver diseases such as Hepatitis C and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. In 2005, Pfizer acquired Idun for approximately $298 million to bolster its portfolio in liver disease and inflammation. Following the acquisition, several Idun assets were later licensed to Conatus Pharmaceuticals, a company founded by former Idun executives to continue the development of caspase inhibitors.