• POLYNEURON

  Led · Seed · May 2018

  Polyneuron is a clinical-stage biopharma company developing Antibody-Catch™ antigen-specific polymers designed to selectively eliminate pathological antibodies while leaving the rest of the immune system intact. Its lead candidate, PN-1007, is being developed as a potential treatment for anti-MAG neuropathy and is planned to enter Phase I/IIa clinical development, with patient studies scheduled to begin before the end of 2020. A second program, PN-1018, is being advanced toward clinical trial application (CTA) approval for Guillain-Barré Syndrome and Multifocal Motor Neuropathy. The company also plans to accelerate preclinical development of its Antibody-Catch portfolio in antibody-mediated renal and hematological diseases. Polyneuron was founded in 2014 as a University of Basel spin-off and is headquartered in Stücki Park, Basel, Switzerland. The company recently extended its Series A financing, bringing additional capital to fund these development plans. Polyneuron Pharmaceuticals is a biotech company pioneering the Antibody-Catch™ platform to design injectable, biodegradable high‑molecular‑weight glycopolymers that act as decoys for pathological autoantibodies. Its lead candidate, PN-1007, targets IgM autoantibodies that cause anti‑MAG neuropathy and has obtained orphan drug designation from the European Medicines Agency. The company plans to use its Antibody-Catch™ chemistry to broaden a product portfolio focused on antibody‑mediated autoimmune diseases and is advancing three additional programs through preclinical development. Proceeds from the recent financing will fund a first‑in‑human proof‑of‑concept trial for PN-1007 and support preclinical advancement of the other programs. Polyneuron was founded in 2014 as a University of Basel spin‑off and is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Polyneuron Pharmaceuticals develops injectable, biodegradable high‑molecular‑weight glycopolymers (Antibody-Catch™) designed to bind and eliminate disease‑causing autoantibodies while leaving the rest of the immune system intact. Its lead asset, PN-1007, has delivered preclinical proof of principle and the company plans to advance it into clinical development for anti‑MAG neuropathy. The company completed a CHF3.1 million seed financing (following a second tranche) and will use the proceeds to advance PN‑1007 and explore additional applications of the platform. Polyneuron has expanded its team, appointing Gerhard Müller as Chairman and Michael Wacker as Chief Business Officer. It also concluded a key licensing agreement with the University of Basel. Founded in 2014 as a University of Basel spin‑off, the company is headquartered at the Basel Inkubator in Switzerland and plans to begin the next round of fundraising to reach clinical proof of principle. Polyneuron Pharmaceuticals is developing a novel drug class based on its Antibody-Catch® technology to selectively neutralize pathogenic autoantibodies in autoimmune diseases. The approach aims to provide effective treatments while avoiding the broad immunosuppression and serious side effects of current therapies. The company intends to advance Antibody-Catch® toward clinical development and make the technology a clinical reality, according to CEO Dr. Ruben Herrendorff. Polyneuron won the third and final round of the Venture Kick program, receiving CHF 130,000 in funding. The startup is a University of Basel spin-off and was selected for the Swiss national startup team 2015. As part of that program it participated in an entrepreneurial business development trip to Boston and New York.

• Inthera Bioscience

  Participated · Seed · Dec 2015

  Inthera Bioscience is a Zurich-based biopharmaceutical company that develops targeted small-molecule therapies for solid tumors. It employs a proprietary technology platform to rationally design small-molecule inhibitors of intracellular protein-protein interactions (PPIs). The company’s drug discovery programs focus on novel oral agents that block aberrant cell signaling in solid tumors and are currently in pre-clinical development. Founded in 2013 by Ulrich Kessler and Paramjit Arora, Inthera’s lead program targets HPV-associated cancers. The company will use the Series A proceeds to complete pre-clinical development of its lead program and to expand operations and the pipeline. As part of the financing, Emmanuelle Coutanceau of Novo Seeds and Keno Gutierrez of Merck Ventures joined Inthera’s Board of Directors. Inthera Bioscience is a Swiss biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class targeted small molecule therapies for solid tumors. The company employs a proprietary technology platform to rationally design inhibitors of protein-protein interactions. It has discovered potent disruptors of hypoxia-inducible signaling and targeted agents against HPV-associated cancer, with programs currently in preclinical development. Inthera aims to advance its lead program from in vivo proof-of-concept into the clinic and to expand its emerging pipeline. The company was founded in 2013 by Dr. Ulrich Kessler and Prof. Paramjit Arora. Inthera recently completed a $3.7 million (EUR 3.4 million) financing to support these near-term development plans.

• Memo Therapeutics

  Participated · Series A · Jul 2015

  Memo Therapeutics is a late-stage biotech company based in Schlieren, Zurich, developing therapeutic antibodies for viral infections and cancer. Its lead program, AntiBKV, is a neutralizing antibody aimed at treating BK virus infection in kidney transplant recipients. The company holds FDA fast track status for AntiBKV and intends to use new funds to accelerate clinical development. Memo plans to expand its Phase II trial with a dose-evaluation extension supported by the financing. Its pipeline includes additional antibody candidates targeting infectious diseases such as cytomegalovirus (CMV) and immuno-oncology programs, including a partnership with Ono Pharmaceutical. The company is led by CEO Erik van den Berg. Memo Therapeutics AG (MTx) is a late-stage biotech based in Schlieren/Zurich, Switzerland, focused on developing best-in-class therapeutic antibodies for viral infections and cancer. Its lead program, AntiBKV, is a highly effective neutralizing antibody designed to treat BK polyomavirus infection in kidney transplant recipients, a condition that can lead to graft dysfunction and organ rejection. MTx plans to complete a multi-center U.S. Phase II study of AntiBKV and is preparing to scale up CMC manufacturing for a Phase III study and potential market entry. The company expects Phase II clinical data in 2024 and is preparing for a potential launch in 2025. Proceeds from its recent financing will also be used to advance additional pipeline candidates targeting infectious diseases such as CMV and immuno-oncology targets, and to support a partnership with Ono Pharmaceutical. Memo Therapeutics develops antibody discovery and immune repertoire analysis technologies that capture whole B-cell repertoires from any donor species and screen them in single-cell format to identify functional monoclonal antibodies. Its platform uses microfluidic single-cell molecular cloning and screening to assess millions of candidate antibodies and generate recombinant clonal cell lines expressing desired mAbs. The company’s pipeline focuses on infectious diseases and immuno‑oncology, with lead programs MTX-005 (a neutralizing antibody targeting BK virus) and COVAB 36 (an inhaled monoclonal antibody for SARS-CoV-2). Memo plans to use the new funding to advance MTX-005 into Phase 2 clinical development, expand its antibody pipeline, and secure new partnering agreements. The company also lists programs in cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Nipah virus, and says the recent funding together with a Swiss Federal COVID-19 grant will enable advancement of MTX-005 and COVAB 36 into clinical development this year. Memo Therapeutics is a private company based in Bio‑Technopark Zurich, Switzerland. Memo Therapeutics uses a droplet microfluidics-based single-cell platform (Dropzylla®) to capture and preserve entire B-cell repertoires and screen millions of candidate antibodies in functional assays. The platform generates recombinant clonal cell lines expressing monoclonal antibodies and is applied across species and indications for proprietary and partnered projects. The company’s pipeline includes programs in infectious diseases and immuno-oncology; its lead COVID-19 program is COVAB 36, a potent, fully-human monoclonal antibody that can be administered via inhalation. Memo received CHF 10.5 million from the Swiss Federal Funding Programme for COVID-19 Medicines to clinically develop COVAB 36, with the programme implemented by the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health and supported by Innosuisse. Memo completed preclinical development and plans to start phase 1 clinical studies with COVAB 36 in Q1 2022, and the project includes rapid development of a combination antibody partner for emerging variants via an ultra-fast update process. The company is a private firm located in Bio‑Technopark Zurich and was ranked in the TOP 100 Swiss Startups list from 2015 to 2017. Memo Therapeutics AG develops antibody discovery and immune repertoire analysis technologies built on microfluidic single-cell molecular cloning and screening. Its platform captures and preserves entire B-cell repertoires and screens them in single-cell format, assessing millions of candidate antibodies directly in functional assays to produce recombinant clonal cell lines expressing monoclonal antibodies with desired functions. The company’s pipeline includes infectious disease and immuno-oncology programs, with lead assets MTX-COVAB for COVID-19 and MTX-005 for BK virus in renal transplant patients. Memo says MTX-COVAB is a fully human, highly potent antibody that neutralizes all major known mutants and that it has agreed a fast-track development plan with regulators, planning to begin clinical studies in 2021. The CHF 14 million Series B financing will primarily fund advancement of MTX-COVAB through Phase II and GMP production, Phase II development of MTX-005, and expansion of additional anti-infectious candidates and partnering activities. The company is located in Bio-Technopark Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland.

No current team members are available.