Stoking the embers

Ember Therapeutics officially launched last week with a $34 million series A round from Third Rock Ventures to develop a pair of preclinical projects plucked from academia that could result in peripherally acting compounds to treat metabolic disorders, including obesity and Type II diabetes. The company is preparing to begin human testing on its own but is also in discussions with potential strategic partners.

Originally called Adipothermics Inc., Ember has used "a couple of million dollars" in seed funding over the last 12 months to license IP and continue its discovery and preclinical work, according to Third Rock's Lou Tartaglia...