i2O Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing a platform to enable oral delivery of biological drugs that are conventionally injected. The platform uses an innovative ionic liquid technology and a unique coating that protects drug cargo through the digestive system and dissolves in the small intestine to release the active drug. The company was founded by researchers from Harvard University and is initially focused on developing oral formulations of peptide- and protein-based therapies, notably GLP-1 analogs. i2O's approach targets large molecules, peptides, and biologics that normally would not survive the hostile environment of the digestive tract. The company previously completed a seed round led by Sanofi Ventures and JDRF T1D Fund in April 2020. i2O is collaborating with Colorcon as part of a strategic investment to accelerate research and development and to leverage Colorcon's excipients and pharmaceutical development expertise. i2O Therapeutics is developing a platform to enable safe and effective oral formulations of therapies conventionally limited to injections, including biologics, large molecules, and peptide-based drugs. The company leverages an ionic liquid technology and a unique coating that dissolves in the small intestine to protect drug cargo and transiently enhance epithelial permeation. The foundational technology was developed in Samir Mitragotri’s Harvard lab and exclusively licensed from Harvard’s Office of Technology Development; the company was founded by a team of Harvard researchers and lists Samir Mitragotri and Ravi Srinivasan as co‑founders. i2O’s initial development focus is a novel oral formulation for GLP-1 analogs, with potential applications including oral insulin and other peptide/protein therapies. The announced seed financing will be used to rapidly expand the team and ramp up research and development. The company is based in Boston.

Total raised

$4M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Seed

Latest activity

Apr 2020