Participated · Grant · Sep 2024

Mabylon focuses on discovering and engineering human-derived, multi-specific antibodies sourced from diverse immune repertoires of allergic patients to treat allergies, neurodegenerative diseases, and inflammation. Its lead program, MY006, is a tri-specific antibody designed to neutralise peanut allergens and is being advanced toward a Phase Ia/b trial expected to complete in 2027. The company also has discovery and preclinical programs including MY010, a multi-specific cross-reactive antibody targeting birch Bet v 1 and related tree, fruit and nut allergens, and MY011 for grass pollen allergies. Mabylon says human-derived antibodies are more effective than those from animal models or artificial libraries, enabling rapid creation of high-quality antibody libraries against validated targets. The company is led by CEO Alcide Barberis and recently added Dr. Thomas Hecht to its Board of Directors, succeeding Prof. Adriano Aguzzi whose term ended in June 2025. Recent financing will fund the clinical readout for MY006 and further development of the early-stage pipeline. Mabylon develops therapeutic human-derived antibodies, with lead programs targeting peanut allergy, neurodegenerative targets (TDP-43 and APOE) and inflammasome-mediated inflammation. Its anti-allergen multispecific antibody MY006 is in IND studies and slated to enter clinical development in Q4 2025 in collaboration with Pfizer via the Pfizer Ignite program, while Mabylon retains all rights and decision-making independence. The company also collaborates with SciNeuro on TDP-43 and APOE programs, where SciNeuro holds Greater China development/commercialization rights and an option to expand worldwide; Mabylon received an upfront payment and is eligible for milestones and royalties. Recent grants (including CHF 0.8M from Innosuisse for the MY012 IBD program with the University of Zurich) and collaborations are funding preclinical proof-of-concept work. Since founding in 2015 the company has raised CHF 33.5 million in equity and non-dilutive funding and employed a team of 22 people. Mabylon is currently fundraising a Series B to advance its lead program into the clinic and another program to IND filing.

Led · Grant · Jun 2024

ProJenX is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel, brain-penetrant, targeted therapies with an initial focus on ALS. Its lead candidate, prosetin, is a brain-penetrant MAP4 kinase (MAP4K) inhibitor developed to counter ALS pathology across multiple forms of the disease. ProJenX has completed Parts 1a and 1b of the PRO-101 Phase 1 trial in healthy volunteers and plans to initiate enrollment for Part 1c in people living with ALS in Q3 2024. Part 1c will evaluate safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of prosetin in ALS patients and will be followed by a long-term open-label extension of 12 or more months. The company was created from a long-term research collaboration between Project ALS and researchers at Columbia University and uses a patient-specific, cell-based drug discovery platform. ProJenX announced receipt of a $1M Hoffman ALS Clinical Trials Award from the ALS Association to support the first clinical study of prosetin in people living with ALS. ProJenX is an NYC-based clinical-stage biotechnology company led by president and CEO Stan Abel that develops novel, brain-penetrant, targeted therapies with an initial focus on ALS. It was created through a long-term research collaboration between Project ALS and researchers at Columbia University. The company’s core product is prosetin, a first-in-class, selective, oral, brain-penetrant MAP4K inhibitor optimized for potency, motor neuron rescue efficacy, and preferential CNS distribution. ProJenX’s approach is based on a patient-specific, cell-based drug discovery platform that can be leveraged for research and drug development for ALS and other debilitating brain diseases. Prosetin is an investigational new drug and has not been approved by the FDA. The company announced an initial Series A closing to accelerate continued development of prosetin for people living with ALS. ProJenX is a New York City–based, clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel, brain-penetrant, targeted therapies with an initial focus on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Its lead asset, prosetin, is an oral, brain-penetrant MAP4 kinase (MAP4K) inhibitor that targets endoplasmic reticulum stress and was developed through a collaboration between Project ALS and researchers at Columbia University. The company was created by Medical Excellence Capital in collaboration with Project ALS and Columbia investigators and centers its approach on a patient-specific, cell-based drug discovery platform. ProJenX launched with a $5.1M seed financing to fund early clinical development of prosetin, expand its leadership team, and advance additional preclinical programs. The company intends to rapidly advance prosetin into ALS clinical trials leveraging Columbia’s Project ALS Therapeutics Core and multidisciplinary research groups. ProJenX emphasizes translating collaborative, lab-based discoveries into clinical candidates for ALS and other devastating brain diseases.

Led · Grant · Feb 2024

Coave Therapeutics is a genetic medicines company based in Paris that develops technologies to improve genetic medicine delivery. Its proprietary ALIGATER™ platform is designed to enhance targeting, specificity, efficacy and manufacturability of genetic medicines. The company is focused on overcoming gene therapy delivery challenges to extra-hepatic tissues and is building a pipeline targeting CNS, neuromuscular and eye diseases. Led by CEO Rodolphe Clerval, Coave positions ALIGATER as a platform with broad clinical applications. The company raised €32M in a Series A to advance the ALIGATER platform. Emmanuelle Coutanceau from Novo Holdings and Jean Francois Morin from Bpifrance will join Coave’s board of directors in connection with the financing. Coave Therapeutics develops targeted genetic medicines using its proprietary ALIGATER™ platform, which chemically modifies AAV capsids or lipid nanoparticles to improve efficacy, safety, and manufacturability. The company’s conjugated vectors (coAAV) enable targeted delivery to the central nervous system and the eye, achieving improved transduction and biodistribution across species at low doses. Its lead disclosed program in the article, CTx-TFEB, is a coAAV-delivered TFEB gene therapy designed to promote autophagy and clear toxic protein aggregates in neurons as a potential pan-ALS treatment. Coave recently received grant funding from the ALS Association to advance CTx-TFEB through preclinical proof-of-concept and aims to establish robust preclinical data to support a clinical transition. The company is headquartered in Paris, France and states its pipeline targets both rare and prevalent neurodegenerative and ocular indications. Coave is backed by unnamed international life sciences investors mentioned in the company description. Coave Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotech advancing gene therapies for rare ocular and CNS diseases using its AAV-Ligand Conjugate (ALIGATER) platform. Its lead candidate, CTx-PDE6b, is a first-in-class AAV-based gene therapy designed to deliver a full-length functional PDE6b gene for PDE6b-associated retinitis pigmentosa and is currently in a Phase I/II trial. The company has entered a licensing and co-development partnership with Théa Open Innovation to advance CTx-PDE6b through clinical development and commercialization in Europe and adjacent territories. Under the agreement Coave will co-develop the program with Théa and share development costs while retaining commercialization rights outside the partner territories, including the US. Financially, Coave will receive an upfront payment and an equity investment of €10 million and is eligible to receive up to €65 million in development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments, plus double-digit royalties on net sales in licensed territories. Coave is headquartered in Paris and is backed by investors including Seroba Life Sciences, Théa Open Innovation, eureKARE, Fund+, Omnes Capital, V-Bio Ventures, Kurma Partners, Idinvest, GO Capital and Sham Innovation Santé/Turenne. Coave Therapeutics, led by CEO Rodolphe Clerval and based in Paris, is advancing targeted gene therapies using its AAV-Ligand Conjugate (ALIGATER) platform to enhance AAV delivery and transduction. The company is progressing a pipeline that includes the lead clinical program CTx-PDE6b, currently in a Phase I/II trial, and preclinical candidates such as CTx-GBA1 (Parkinson’s disease and Gaucher disease) and CTx-ABCA4 (Stargardt’s disease). Coave will use proceeds to push CTx-PDE6b toward pivotal trials, further develop the ALIGATER platform, advance new preclinical coAAV programs in rare CNS and ocular diseases, and seek partnerships to accelerate clinic entry. The company is clinical-stage and focused on producing targeted gene therapy products via proprietary chemical conjugation of AAV vectors. Financially, the company has raised a total of €33.1M following the Series B expansion.