Participated · Seed · Jun 2024

EpilepsyGTx is a biotechnology company focused on creating adeno-associated viral (AAV) gene therapies for refractory epilepsy and other disorders of neuronal hyperexcitability. Its lead candidate, EPY201, is designed for single, minimally invasive administration directly to the epileptogenic focus and aims to provide durable seizure freedom for patients with focal refractory epilepsy (FRE). The therapy avoids systemic exposure and eliminates the need for brain tissue resection, ablation, or chronic antiseizure medication. The newly secured funding will support first-in-human Phase 1/2a clinical trials to assess EPY201’s safety and efficacy. Beyond this program, the company is building a pipeline of transformative, localized gene therapies addressing severe neurological conditions. EpilepsyGTx has raised $43 million to date, including a $10 million pre-seed and seed round led by the UCL Technology Fund with participation from Zcube, and the recent $33 million Series A. FRE affects approximately 10 million people worldwide, highlighting the significant unmet need EpilepsyGTx seeks to address.

Led · Equity · Jun 2024

Sensars develops high-selective nerve stimulators and related neuromodulation technology, centering development on its SENSY product. The company advanced SENSY after securing EUR 1.1 million in funding from HTH, a VC focused on human health. Sensars is also leading the Eurostars SENSOLE project, a system that fuses wearable sensors, a neurostimulator and AI software to monitor and treat gait disabilities, backed by a EUR 500,000 grant. Sensars Germany received a EUR 600,000 grant from the BMBF to test SENSY in amputees in collaboration with the University of Heidelberg. The firm's approach emphasizes producing natural touch and movement sensations to improve pain management compared with conventional stimulators. Sensars has received startup recognition including Venture Kick, participation in Venture Leaders Life Sciences, and inclusion in the TOP 100 Swiss Startups in 2017; Francesco Petrini is co-founder and CEO.

Led · Series A · Sep 2022

Leuko is developing PointCheck™, a platform technology that non-invasively measures white blood cell levels by shining light through the skin at the top of the fingernail and using algorithms to detect dangerously low counts. Its first application targets more frequent at-home monitoring for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy to enable earlier preventive treatment. The company says more frequent monitoring can reduce chemotherapy-related hospital admissions by 50%, improve outcomes for over two million cancer patients annually, and save more than $4 billion in healthcare costs. Funds from a $4.5 million SBIR Phase IIB award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Cancer Institute will accelerate product development and generate the clinical evidence required to commercialize the platform. Leuko spun out from MIT and the Madrid M+Vision Consortium and was co-founded by Carlos Castro-Gonzalez, Ian Butterworth, Aurelien Bourquard, and Alvaro Sanchez-Ferro. CEO Carlos Castro-Gonzalez said the grant will advance the next stage of clinical development and move the technology closer to wide patient availability. Leuko develops PointCheck, a platform that combines optics and AI to enable noninvasive, at‑home white blood cell (WBC) monitoring without a blood draw. Patients place a finger on the internet‑connected PointCheck device for one minute daily and data is sent to their care team for triage. The technology has demonstrated excellent diagnostic accuracy and home usability in recent peer‑reviewed studies. Leuko aims to improve clinical outcomes for more than 2 million chemotherapy patients annually, targeting a 50% reduction in chemotherapy‑related hospital readmissions and over $6B in annual healthcare savings. The company plans to accelerate clinical trials to obtain regulatory approval in collaboration with leading cancer centers, and to pursue go‑to‑market and partnership activities with healthcare providers, device distributors, and pharmaceutical companies. Leuko was spun out from MIT and the Madrid M+Vision Consortium and was founded by Carlos Castro‑Gonzalez, Ian Butterworth, Aurelien Bourquard, and Alvaro Sanchez‑Ferro. Leuko is developing PointCheck™, a proprietary, portable device that noninvasively measures white blood cell levels from a patient’s finger without drawing blood. The scalable PointCheck™ solution combines optics and AI to make blood testing faster, more accessible, and more cost-effective than state-of-the-art methods. The technology is targeted at immunosuppressed patients who need daily at-home monitoring so physicians can detect dangerously low white blood cell counts and deploy preventive treatment. The company says the device could improve clinical outcomes and reduce hospitalization costs. Leuko was co-founded in 2017 by four MIT scientists and entrepreneurs—Carlos Castro-Gonzalez, Aurelien Bourquard, Ian Butterworth and Alvaro Sanchez-Ferro—and was spun out from MIT and the Madrid M+Vision Consortium. The new funding is intended to support ongoing development and clinical studies of the PointCheck™ platform. No operating metrics or revenue figures were disclosed in the announcement.

Participated · Series A · Aug 2022

Neurofenix develops the Neuroball, a grip-based device and companion home therapy platform that tracks shoulder-to-fingertip movement and individual finger motion for upper-limb stroke rehabilitation. The system uses motion and orientation sensors, runs software on a dedicated tablet, and gamifies exercises to drive higher repetition counts. In company studies patients using the platform performed more than 600 movements per day versus the typical 30–40 therapist-led repetitions, and one patient reached 300 consecutive days on the platform. Neurofenix reports improved range of movement and reduced pain in its trials. The device is not yet broadly available and is not currently covered as a prescribed medical device, though it does qualify for HSA/FSA spending. The company is based in the U.K. and has presence in Atlanta; it raised new funding to pursue U.S. commercial and clinical expansion and to develop adjacent therapies such as cognitive training, speech and language. Founders Guillem Singla (CEO) and Dimitrios Athanasiou (CTO) lead product and clinical efforts as the company prepares the further studies needed for wider regulatory and insurance coverage.