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YOU’RE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR IDEAS. SO ARE WE
CROWLEYLAWLLC.COM
AUGUST 2025
908-460-5529
Innovations in Neurological Healing Nerve and Nurture
Not a day goes by when I’m not reminded how much I love what I do.
At Crowley Law LLC, I have the privilege of working with some of the brightest leading lights in life sciences and technology. These innovative individuals and companies always amaze me with their drive and ingenuity. I enjoy the opportunity to help them achieve their goals as industry leaders and catalysts for revolutionary change in their respective fields of endeavor. One of my newest clients, EverTree Bio, exemplifies this spirit of innovation. Launched in 2024 and based in MBC BioLabs in San Francisco, this neurological drug discovery company is working to expand the world of medicine by using pluripotent stem cells to develop pharmaceuticals to treat Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. That said, allow me to explain the significance of that previous sentence. Primarily an academic pursuit in years past, stem cell research has expanded dramatically in the past decade. Now, pharmaceutical companies consider it a foundation for formulating practical medical solutions for various conditions. Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) are of particular interest, as their embryonic state means they can be differentiated in a dish to become any specific cell in the human body. Cells differentiated from hPSCs can be used directly as a treatment by replacing cells lost to disease, or as a tool to find drugs
that can repair disease-specific tissues that are otherwise inaccessible for testing.
A progressive nerve disease more common than Lou Gehrig’s disease or cystic fibrosis, Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease is an often devastating genetic condition affecting the nerves that connect the spinal cord and brain to the rest of our bodies. There are no approved treatments for CMT. The condition usually first appears in childhood and affects 1 in 2,500 people. Common symptoms include shrinking hand muscles, hammertoes, numbness, foot deformities, frequent tripping and difficulty feeling one’s feet. However, until now, these diseased cells were inaccessible to testing. EverTree Bio is implementing new technology to test these nerve cells directly by deriving them from hPSCs. The company is discovering novel drugs by testing the unique cells affected by the condition ( bit.ly/4nJKHe2 ) and using machine learning ( bit.ly/40mQmN9 ) iteratively to develop more effective drugs. This research could provide treatment and relief to the hundreds of thousands of people living with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease in the U.S. Continued on Page 3 ...
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Lessons for Launching Right From Vision to Venture
Some of the most valuable advice you’ll ever receive in your startup journey is a computer key click away. Available on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle versions, Philip Crowley’s new book, “AVOID STARTUP FAILURE!: Learn The Top Ten Causes Of Failure For Technology Startups And How To Turn Them To Your Advantage,” offers tips for life science and technology entrepreneurs on circumventing the common legal and strategic errors that prevent their innovations from reaching the marketplace and receiving the rewards in recognition and economic benefit that they deserve. Additionally, the book explains the types of documents used in a typical equity financing deal and those employed by venture capital firms and other investors. Told through the narrative of fictional innovator Sam Champion, “AVOID STARTUP FAILURE!” pinpoints and details the most significant oversights that prevent even the most ingenious technical concepts from taking off. Presented in a friendly and conversational style, it is a practical, easily understandable how-to guide for any new startup to follow. For example, Crowley offers a unique perspective on written business plans, stressing that the planning process — not the plan itself — matters most.
“Creating the plan requires the company management to think long and hard about goals, metrics, risks and benefits in a way that doesn’t happen without crystallizing the thinking into a written plan,” he writes. “Sophisticated investors will want to see that before they invest.” Additionally, he suggests that investors likely won’t view an initial business plan as a definitive document but rather as “a work in progress that can be, and should be, used and refined as the business grows and develops to guide strategic direction.” In another passage, Crowley reveals that many promising startups fail to reach their financing goals due to their lack of focus “on the one or two most promising near-term projects that can result in measurable success and potentially another funding point.” Just as successful real estate value is determined by location … location … location , Crowley declares in his book that fruitful startup entrepreneurship comes down to focus … focus … focus . To illustrate this point, he has seen promising startups falter in negotiations by not focusing on the key elements that would have made them most attractive to potential financial supporters.
“When I hear a presentation where an innovator or an academic researcher speaks about how his or her technology is broadly applicable to many industries — without specifying exactly how and why it would be used — I’m thinking to myself, ‘My money would be going to finance a science project.’ Other investors with whom I’ve discussed this point give me the same reaction. Needless to say, those proposals don’t often attract investment.” Look for more details about the book in upcoming editions of this newsletter. Go to bit.ly/4396BxS to order your copy today! Note: This book does not constitute legal advice but is a general discussion of issues Crowley has observed in his years in practice. Before addressing any particular legal issues, you should consult counsel to review your circumstances. Visit the Crowley Law LLC website at CrowleyLawLLC.com to access the firm’s library of free resources — including “From Lab to Patient, Garage to Market,” a regular video podcast featuring leaders in life sciences, technology, startups and related fields.
Calder Biosciences Inc. Stable Science Through Strategic Support
“Calder Biosciences is exploring a new era in vaccines by developing a 3D shape-stabilizing technology that locks vaccine immunogens in the same structure found on pathogens, enhancing immune protection. By preserving the correct shape for longer, our process improves antibody recognition and binding — boosting potency, efficacy and safety. “When we started working with Phil in 2017, we were still under a previous company, whose activities included work in industrial enzymes and protein chips. As we moved into vaccines, he believed it was best to start from the ground up with a new company. He created an asset transfer agreement, formed Calder and coordinated the operational paperwork needed to move us from an LLC to a C corporation.
Since then, we’ve received millions in grants and additional millions in venture financing. Moving forward, we’re working to secure strategic and investment partners to participate in a round of venture funding that will allow us to complete clinical manufacturing of our lead program, run a Ph1 study, and ultimately bring to the marketplace. “Phil devised a truly elegant legal framework to transfer the assets, and we’ve been very impressed by his services, background and expertise. We’ve previously worked with larger firms, but Crowley Law LLC’s capabilities and greater availability were a much better fit for our company.”
–Christopher P. Marshall, Ph.D.
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Do you want to make wiser business decisions? Give your critical thinking skills a reboot. In Episode 20 of his “From Lab to Patient, Garage to Market” podcast, host Philip Crowley welcomes Christopher Frank, chief executive officer at the global marketing research and consulting firm PSB Insights, for an engaging discussion on how critical thinking in data analysis can lead to more innovative entrepreneurship. In one highlight, Frank explores what he calls the “Context Triangle,” an approach that considers data from three distinct views: 1. Absolute Value: Is the number significant enough to matter? 2. The Trend Over Time: Has the number changed in a meaningful way? 3. Benchmark Comparison: How does it compare to industry or competitor norms? “You should never look at data in a vacuum,” Frank explains. “Data should always be in context. If you do that, you will start to move down a path of being a critical thinker.” Frank also cautions listeners to avoid the “analysis paralysis” that often comes from relying too heavily on being either a data-driven or an intuitive decision-maker. Instead, he advises that a more intersectional approach to the two methods will lead to greater and more sustainable success. In addition to his role with PSB Insights, Christopher Frank is co- author of the acclaimed books “Decisions Over Decimals: Striking the Balance between Intuition and Information” and “Drinking from the Fire Hose: Making Smarter Decisions Without Drowning in Information.” His thought leadership, expertise and industry impact have been spotlighted by Fortune, Forbes, Harvard Business Review and other prominent media outlets. Crowley encourages his clients and newsletter readers to experience this podcast episode and Frank’s invaluable insights for themselves. As he says at the beginning of this episode, “Chris is a master at turning data into actionable strategies that can lead to success and drive a business. I think that is particularly relevant for our digital companies and entrepreneurs in our audience.” Hosted by Crowley Law LLC Founder and Managing Partner Philip Crowley, the “From Lab to Patient, Garage to Market” podcast explores the critical issues and concerns impacting the biotech, life sciences and startup markets by offering fresh perspectives from industry leaders and experts. It is available on YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, all the major podcast channels and at CrowleyLawLLC.com . From Lab to Patient, Garage to Market Inside ‘The Context Triangle’ With Christopher Frank
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EverTree Bio’s cutting-edge work is directed by its founder and CEO, Dr. Sarah Kishinevsky, Ph.D. While working to complete her Ph.D in neuroscience, she founded and led BioVenture eLab, a first-of-its-kind entrepreneurship department at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York. Her dissertation — a collaborative research project between the Lorenz Studer and Gabriela Chiosis laboratories — resulted in the publication of (as stated on her LinkedIn page) “druggable targets for Parkinson’s disease by combining pluripotent stem cell and medicinal chemistry advancements in [her] co-sponsors’ laboratories.” Additionally, she spent several years as an independent strategy consultant, guiding idea-stage biotech inventors through commercialization and business plan development. Her ingenuity and commitment to innovation led her to initiate EverTree Bio roughly 18 months ago. I first met her while I served as a mentor at BioVenture eLab, and I have followed her subsequent career with great interest. Not surprisingly, Dr. Kishinevsky expressed her excitement over EverTree Bio’s groundbreaking work in a recent interview for this newsletter. “I love our team and knowing that we all have the same end goal of helping patients. It’s not just an academic exercise to find the best widget; we’re doing things that are very meaningful to us.”
Additionally, she shared some very kind words about her company’s work with Crowley Law LLC.
“Phil has very tailored advice for everyone here. He’s very to-the- point and considers practical solutions in response to what he hears. It’s easy to feel his passion for emerging technologies and his genuine desire to help. I thought of him immediately when we started our company, and I have been very happy with his work with us.” I’m delighted that our firm has helped EverTree Bio’s mission, and I’m excited to see how its work in treating Charcot-Marie- Tooth and other neurological disorders will progress. Dr. Kishinevsky and her team demonstrate the advancements possible in seeking new solutions to longstanding medical challenges and serve as a reminder of what makes life sciences and technology so fascinating. I wish them — and all my colleagues and clients — well in their work to broaden scientific knowledge and facilitate new directions in human healing.
Note: The foregoing may constitute attorney advertising under applicable bar rules.
–Philip Crowley
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In This Issue
1. Stem Cell Synergy
2. Prepare, Prioritize, Reform
Client Testimonial
3. Podcast Preview
4. Powerful Paths to Profit
Dominate Your Domain
Smart Tactics for Small- Business Triumph
“Success” as a small business means different things to different people, but everyone knows failure when they see it. Regardless of the product or service you’re attempting to sell, consistent growth in any market depends on your business’s willingness to embrace proven tactics. If you feel your budding enterprise is running in place — or worse, running on fumes — here are three basic pointers to help you reevaluate your mission and avoid missed opportunities. YOU DON’T KNOW EVERYTHING, BUT YOUR EMPLOYEES MIGHT. Suppose you’re an owner/manager prone to taking a my-way-or-the-highway approach to employee engagement. In that case, you’re setting up your operation for ruin by not welcoming feedback — and even criticism — from your workforce. Consider hosting regular meetings where staff members are encouraged to present new ideas or voice concerns.
Many businesses survey their customers, and doing so for employees will encourage greater buy-in and may alert you to issues influencing employee turnover and other operational concerns. GIVE YOUR COMPETITORS SOME BUSINESS (REALLY). Do you want to better understand how your chief competitors earn and retain their customers? Become one of their customers yourself. If you own a Mexican restaurant, there’s nothing wrong with going to the one down the street to sample their enchiladas. You can also research your competitors by reviewing their website, online customer reviews and social media content. TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN. If you’re concerned about training an employee because they might take the knowledge you’ve paid for and leave for a competitor, imagine how bad it will be if you don’t train them and they stay . Investing
in ongoing employee training — especially with in-house mentorship and leadership- building programs — helps your workforce stay productive and innovative. From role- specific certification to technical webinars to presentations by guest speakers, the opportunities for better educating small- business employees are endless. While the strategies mentioned herein aren’t groundbreaking, they are powerful and among the most overlooked in the push for business survival and profitability. Implementing one or all of them will help keep your market position strong while you focus on what matters most: your customers.
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