Canaan Partners’ Chimerix Does The Right Thing

Yesterday, the internet quivered with outrage as word spread of a drug company’s decision to deny giving an experimental drug to a 7-year-old boy dying of heart and kidney failure.

Josh Hardy had beaten cancer 4 times. But he needed brincidofovir, and Chimerix said no. It would cost $50,000 — because insurance does not pay for experimental drugs — and, the company president said, would divert manpower in the 50-person company. According to reports, Chimerix has $110 million in the bank.

Around the country, people used social media to put pressure on Chimerix. Westporters joined in — and found special reason to demand action.

One of the investors in Chimerix is Canaan Partners. The venture capital firm is headquartered in Silicon Valley, but its East Coast headquarters are right here: 285 Riverside Avenue.

Canaan controls one of Chimerix’s board seats. They could have nudged — or pushed — the company to take action.

Whether they did or not is unknown. But last night, Chimerix agreed to provide the medication to a boy who, without it, was almost certain to die.

Josh Hardy