• Valo Therapeutics

  Participated · Equity · Nov 2021

  Valo Therapeutics develops tumor antigen-coated replication-competent oncolytic viruses as therapeutic vaccines (its lead platform is PeptiCRAd) and a microchip-based neoantigen identification tool (PeptiCHIP). The company is led by David Hinton and is focused on advancing its lead tumour antigen-coated oncolytic virus candidate through clinical development. It received €19M in funding to expand and complete a Phase 1B clinical study of that lead candidate. The financing will also fund creation of an Italian operating company, Valo Therapeutics Italy Srl, based in Naples to enroll and treat patients in Southern Italy. Part of the investment will support initiation of large-scale manufacturing of the virus-supporting product to advance development toward the commercial phase. Funds will additionally support research activities at institutions in Naples and southern Italy. Valo Therapeutics is a Helsinki-based developer of adaptable immunotherapies for cancer and infectious diseases. Led by CEO Paul Higham, the company focuses on antigen-coated oncolytic viruses and vaccine vectors as therapeutic vaccines. Its lead platform, PeptiCRAd (Peptide-coated Conditionally Replicating Adenovirus), was developed out of Professor Vincenzo Cerullo’s laboratory at the University of Helsinki and aims to activate systemic anti-tumor cytotoxic T-cell immunity without the need to generate multiple genetically modified viruses. Valo is developing several neoantigen strategies including PeptiCHIP, a novel microchip-based technology that rapidly identifies a tumor’s antigen presentation profile to drive personalized immunotherapies, as well as PeptiENV and PeptiVAX. The company intends to use the €2.23M EIC grant to progress a project named "Pre-clinical validation and demonstration of PeptiCHIP." The EIC award is a 100% non-dilutive grant and also provides Business Acceleration Services including coaching, mentoring, and partnering events. Valo Therapeutics develops antigen-coated oncolytic adenoviruses and adaptable vaccine vectors — its lead platform is PeptiCRAd (Peptide-coated Conditionally Replicating Adenovirus) derived from the University of Helsinki. The company is advancing its lead candidate, PeptiCRAd-1, and also develops anti-infectives platforms including PeptiBAC, PeptiVAX and PeptiENV. Proceeds from the recent financing will be used to finalise preparations and initiate a Phase 1 clinical study of PeptiCRAd-1 and to continue development of the anti-infectives programs. Valo plans to use part of the funds to support preparation for an IPO in 2022. The company reported it raised €11M in the most recent Pre-IPO funding, bringing total funding to date to over €22M. Valo is led by CEO Paul Higham and recently promoted co-founder Dr. Sari Pesonen to Chief Scientific Officer. Valo Therapeutics develops peptide‑coated conditionally replicating adenoviruses (PeptiCRAd) to turn oncolytic adenoviruses into targeted cancer vaccines without creating multiple genetically modified viruses. The company also develops PeptiENV and other neoantigen strategies in collaboration with Professor Vincenzo Cerullo to improve responses to enveloped oncolytic viruses. Its PeptiCRAd platform was developed out of Professor Cerullo’s laboratory at the University of Helsinki. Led by CEO Dr Michael Stein, Valo plans to progress PeptiCRAd into first‑in‑human clinical trials, with the initial clinical program targeting melanoma, lung cancer and triple negative breast cancer. The company has operations linked to Oxford, UK and Helsinki, Finland. Financially, the company has raised a total of over EUR 10m to date, including recent additional funding.

No current team members are available.