Edimer Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Edimer Pharmaceuticals Inc. is poised to begin the first human trials of a protein-replacement therapy for XLHED, a disorder that impacts the development of teeth, hair and skin. Although the start-up is planning to test its therapy first in adults, Edimer's ultimate goal is to permanently correct the disorder by treating developing fetuses in utero. The company's compound is designed to cross the placental barrier, so that it can bind an endogenous receptor and trigger normal fetal development with just a single treatment.