The Venture Codex

Participated · Series D · Jan 2013

Bone Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company based in Gosselies, Belgium, developing cell and biologic therapies for orthopaedic indications. Its lead allogeneic cell therapy platform, ALLOB, comprises human allogeneic bone-forming cells derived from ex-vivo cultured bone marrow MSCs and is in two Phase I/IIA proof-of-concept trials for delayed-union fractures and spinal fusion. Patient recruitment for the ALLOB trials was expected to complete in the first half of 2022 with results in the second half of 2022. Its next-generation viscosupplement JTA-004, a patented mix of plasma proteins, hyaluronic acid and a fast-acting analgesic, is in Phase III for knee osteoarthritic pain and the company planned a marketing-authorisation application in the first half of 2022. Bone Therapeutics has a diversified portfolio from pre-clinical immunomodulation programs to mid-to-late stage orthopaedic candidates and is engaging partners to commercialise JTA-004 in Europe, the US and Asia. The company secured a €16M loan from the European Investment Bank to accelerate clinical development and regulatory preparation of ALLOB and JTA-004. Bone Therapeutics develops autologous and allogeneic bone cell therapy products to address high unmet needs in bone fracture repair and prevention. Its lead autologous product PREOB is in pivotal Phase IIB/III trials for osteonecrosis and non-union fractures and in Phase II for severe osteoporosis. The allogeneic off-the-shelf product ALLOB is in Phase I/IIA for delayed-union fractures and lumbar fusion. The company manufactures to GMP standards and holds a portfolio of 11 patent families. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Gosselies (south of Brussels), Bone Therapeutics is conducting further research to support its clinical programs, including a two-year project to investigate ALLOB’s mode-of-action. Financially, the company received non-dilutive support totaling €5 million for 2015, including an additional €2 million grant announced here, an amount the CEO said equals 13.5% of its IPO proceeds. Bone Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing cell therapy products containing osteoblastic (bone-forming) cells for minimally invasive treatment of fracture repair and fracture prevention. Its autologous product PREOB is in pivotal Phase IIB/III trials for osteonecrosis and non-union fractures and in Phase II for severe osteoporosis, while its allogeneic “off-the-shelf” product ALLOB is in Phase I/IIA for delayed-union fractures and lumbar fusion. The company runs preclinical programs to optimize manufacturing and broaden indications and administration routes, and it emphasizes GMP manufacturing and a substantial IP estate covering 11 patent families. Recently Bone Therapeutics was granted EUR 3 million in non-dilutive funding from the Walloon Region to support three preclinical research projects over two years. Planned projects include cryopreservation optimization for ALLOB, studies of cell adhesion and chemotaxis, and development of donor bone marrow preselection techniques to improve production yields. The company was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Gosselies (South of Brussels), Belgium. Bone Therapeutics develops innovative cell therapy products for the treatment of bone diseases, with a lead product, PREOB, in Phase III clinical development for osteonecrosis and non-union fractures. The company intends to use new capital to accelerate its bone cell therapy platform and to sustain the ongoing Phase III program. It is also developing an allogeneic bone cell therapy, ALLOB®, which was expected to enter the clinic in 2013, and MXB, a combined cell‑matrix product for large bone defects currently in preclinical development. Founded in 2006 and led by CEO Enrico Bastianelli, the company is based in Gosselies, Belgium. The articles report no operating metrics such as revenue or user counts.

Participated · Series B · Mar 2012

Promethera develops cell-based therapies and complementary biologics to reduce the need for liver transplantation, with lead programs derived from its patented HepaStem platform. Its lead product candidate, HepaStem, consists of expanded liver stem cells manufactured under cGMP and is being evaluated in a phase 2a trial in ACLF with safety and efficacy results presented at EASL 2019. The company is preparing to initiate a late-stage clinical trial in NASH, planned to start in Europe and expand to the US and Asia. Promethera also advances H2Stem and antibody programs such as the anti-TNF-R1 antibody Atrosimab to diversify its pipeline. The company operates internationally with facilities in Mont-Saint-Guibert (Belgium), Durham (NC, USA), Tokyo (Japan) and Basel (Switzerland). The organization is scaling manufacturing and advancing preclinical work while progressing multiple clinical programs. Promethera Biosciences is a global innovator in cell-based medicines focused on severe liver diseases. Its lead clinical program is derived from the company’s patented HepaStem cell technology platform, which the company says has immune-modulatory and anti-fibrotic properties. In addition to cell-based therapies, Promethera develops antibody technologies to complement and diversify its therapeutic options. The company operates R&D and GMP facilities in Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium, and Durham, North Carolina, USA. It recently acquired Baliopharm AG, adding an antibody candidate that specifically binds TNF-R1 to its pipeline. Promethera plans to use new funding to accelerate and broaden clinical development in indications with significant unmet need, including acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), NASH and fibrosis. Promethera Biosciences is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on cell therapy and regenerative medicine for inborn and acquired liver diseases. It develops products using allogeneic progenitor cells, stem cells and mature hepatocytes harvested from non-transplantable healthy human livers (HHALPC, HHLivC) and has three cell products: HepaStem, H2Stem, and Heparesc. The pipeline targets both orphan indications (urea cycle disorders, α1‑antitrypsin deficiency, hemophilia) and larger indications such as acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), fibrosis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Promethera plans to expand its development focus to these larger indications and accelerate clinical development toward the clinic. Headquartered in Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium, Promethera was founded in 2009 as a spin-off of Université catholique de Louvain and maintains a U.S. operation with a GMP manufacturing facility in Durham, North Carolina. The company raised EUR 10 million in a Series C-extension to fund these initiatives and support expansion into Asian markets. Promethera Biosciences develops Promethera® HepaStem, a cell-based therapy for in-born errors of metabolism and acquired liver diseases, and Promethera® H2Screen and H3Screen, non-therapeutic in vitro products based on a patented liver progenitor cell type. The company was founded in 2009 as a spin-off of the Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL) and is led by CEO Eric Halioua. It is clinical-stage and intends to use recent funding to advance the clinical development of HepaStem and a collaborative program with EMD-Millipore. The platform is based on cells isolated from healthy adult human livers. Promethera has 44 employees. Promethera Biosciences develops and commercializes allogeneic progenitor-cell products to treat liver diseases and offers liver cell models for the pharmaceutical industry. Its lead products include Promethera® HepaStem, a cell therapy for severe liver diseases in children and adults, and Promethera® HepaScreen, a cell model that mimics human liver metabolism and detoxification for drug testing. The company was founded in 2009 as a spin-off of the Université Catholique de Louvain and is led by CEO Eric Halioua. Promethera is based in Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium and currently employs 40 people. In March 2012 it raised €23.6m in a Series B composed of a €17m capital increase and a €6.6m loan from the Walloon Region. New strategic and financial backers in the round include Boehringer Ingelheim, Shire, Mitsui Global Investment, ATMI and SambrInvest, joining earlier Series A investors.

Participated · Series A · Sep 2011

Amakem develops ophthalmology drugs, with a lead candidate, AMA0076, targeting glaucoma. AMA0076 is a novel Rho Kinase (ROCK) inhibitor developed using Amakem’s proprietary ‘Localized Drug Action’ platform. The company intends to use new funds to advance its ophthalmology drug development portfolio and progress AMA0076 to clinical proof of concept. Amakem is based in the BioVille life sciences incubator at the University of Hasselt and is led by CEO Jack Elands. Founded in 2010, the company has raised to date more than €21m.