• Laverock Therapeutics

  Participated · Seed · Jun 2025

  Laverock Therapeutics develops a programmable gene-control platform to create disease-responsive advanced therapies. The platform has been demonstrated across multiple therapeutic applications and cell types, including programmed T‑cell and macrophage therapies for solid tumors and hypoimmunogenic pancreatic islet cell programs targeting Type 1 diabetes. The company plans to scale its platform within T‑cell therapies using single-cell technologies, AI approaches, and patient-derived models to improve efficacy and safety in solid tumors. It also aims to expand its macrophage-based programs into non-oncology indications through consortium-driven development. Laverock is advancing toward clinical development of its lead programme and is using recent non-dilutive grant funding to strengthen both platform capability and pipeline expansion. Recent non-dilutive awards include over £2.2 million in the latest grants and a prior £1.8 million from UK Research and Innovation programmes.

• Dxcover

  Led · Equity · Feb 2025

  Dxcover develops the PANAROMIC™ Platform and MOSA-Dx™ multiomic spectral analysis approach to enable early detection of solid tumor cancers from minute liquid biopsy samples. The platform uses AI-driven analysis and reports results with a one-day turnaround, supported by data from over 9,000 patients and 250,000 spectra to tune sensitivity and specificity. Dxcover’s technology is globally patented and intended to provide rapid, clinician-actionable results to improve patient management. With the new $6.2M investment (bringing total funding to $21.4M since its 2019 spinout), the company will further advance its proprietary technologies and scale operations. Plans include expanding into new markets and indications, commercializing a Brain Cancer Liquid Biopsy across the UK and Europe, and establishing a US headquarters in Nashville following US incorporation in 2024. Recent senior leadership appointments (co-founders as CSO and CTO and a General Manager for UK/US sites) are aimed at accelerating commercialization and international growth. Dxcover develops a liquid biopsy platform that uses infrared spectroscopy of blood samples combined with AI algorithms to detect pan-omic biomarkers for early-stage cancers. The company has generated clinical data showing high-accuracy detection of Stage I and Stage II cancers and expanded its technology to eight cancers in 2022. The funding announced will accelerate development and commercialization of organ-specific tests, beginning with brain cancer and expanded colorectal cancer programs. Dxcover plans a multicenter study toward CE IVDR marking for its Brain Cancer test and will continue collaborative projects to broaden its pipeline. The company was formed in 2019 and is based in Scotland, United Kingdom, while expanding its network in Europe and the USA. Financially, Dxcover announced $11.9M in combined Series A and grant financing to support these activities. ClinSpec Diagnostics is a Glasgow spinout from the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry at the University of Strathclyde. Led by CEO Mark Hegarty, the company develops a liquid-biopsy blood test for early cancer detection that combines infra-red light and artificial intelligence, based on research by Dr Matthew Baker. The technology is intended as a minimally invasive assay for early detection of cancer. ClinSpec has received grant funding from the Higgs EDGE Special Award and Innovate UK through the precision medicine accelerator fund. It completed seed funding in 2019 and subsequent financing tranches, and has raised £5.1m to date. Following the latest investment, Prof David Onions of Norcliffe Capital joined ClinSpec’s board of directors. ClinSpec Diagnostics develops a multi-cancer early detection test based on a simple blood assay, spun out from the University of Strathclyde. Led by CEO Mark Hegarty, the company has run studies on brain, prostate and pancreatic cancers. It intends to use the funding to progress its multi-cancer development program, complete a second brain cancer trial, and develop a multi-cancer algorithm covering the most common cancers. The company plans to hire five more employees to strengthen scientific and operations teams, bringing headcount to fourteen. ClinSpec was established in 2016 and has raised grant funding from the Higgs EDGE Special Award and Innovate UK alongside prior seed investment. ClinSpec Diagnostics is advancing a blood test that can provide accurate results in ten minutes and aims to improve brain cancer survival through earlier detection. The technology uses infra-red light combined with machine learning and is based on research by Dr Matthew J. Baker at the University of Strathclyde. The company has demonstrated the brain cancer test’s potential in a clinical study at Edinburgh’s Western Infirmary. ClinSpec plans to further develop its brain cancer test and begin work on tests for prostate and pancreatic cancer. Management is led by CEO Dr Mark Hegarty. The firm says the technology also has applications beyond medicine, including testing in the food, drug and oil industries. Financially, the company has secured multiple funding sources to support development and hiring plans.

• Oxford Endovascular

  Participated · Series A · May 2024

  Oxford Endovascular is a medtech spin-out from Oxford University led by CEO Mike Karim that is developing OxiFlow (OXIFLOW), a next-generation flow-diverter for intracranial aneurysms. The device is designed to divert blood flow away from aneurysms at risk of rupture, place more accurately and safely than existing devices, and conform better to blood vessels to make more patients treatable. The company’s technology aims to reduce the risk of complications associated with current treatments for brain haemorrhage. Oxford Endovascular plans to use new funding to advance OxiFlow toward a First‑In‑Human clinical study and to scale up operations. The company highlights the clinical need by noting aneurysms affect about 1 in 50 persons. The description and plans above are drawn from the company’s recent announcement of its Series A+ round. Oxford Endovascular is developing OxiFlow™, a micro stent that uses ‘Origami’ engineering to be inserted via minimally invasive groin access and positioned across the base of a brain aneurysm to cause it to shrink and heal. The company is led by CEO Mike Karim and is a spin‑out from Oxford University. It raised $10m in a Series A to complete development work and to obtain first‑in‑human data through an early feasibility clinical study. The funds also aim to prepare the company for a subsequent larger fundraise to support FDA and CE Mark clinical trials. Oxford Endovascular plans to use those future trials to enter various international markets the article says are valued at over $1 billion. The company’s immediate focus is finishing development and generating initial clinical evidence to enable regulatory and commercial expansion.

• Glen Clova Scientific

  Led · Seed · Apr 2024

  Glen Clova Scientific (GCS) is developing a virus-like particle (VLP) technology platform that underpins a pipeline of biologic drug candidates for chronic inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. The company has three initial preclinical assets: GCS001 for senile pruritus, GCS002 for atopic dermatitis and GCS003 for eczema and asthma. GCS says its VLP platform can deliver enhanced performance and a simpler, more cost-effective manufacturing process compared with existing biologic drugs. The firm plans to advance preclinical development of these three assets and to exploit its platform in several non-pharmaceutical markets through partnerships. GCS was founded in 2022 as a spin-out from the University of Dundee. The recent financing provides capital to progress the pipeline and expand the proprietary technology platform.

No current team members are available.