Participated · Seed · May 2025

AMPLY Discovery applies a biology-first, AI-powered platform to mine multi-omic and genomic datasets—extending into non-coding regions—to uncover disease-relevant signals and rapidly prioritise therapeutic candidates. The company then validates these signals through iterative laboratory testing, producing high-quality programmes positioned for licensing or collaboration. Spun out of Queen’s University Belfast, AMPLY operates a portfolio model that generates multiple discovery programmes in areas of high unmet need and drives them to clear, partner-ready inflection points. Its recent recruitment of Dr Oliver Rausch, former Head of Biology at Storm Therapeutics, as Chief Scientific Officer strengthens the firm’s expertise in RNA biology and oncology drug discovery. AMPLY is intentionally structured for partnering, aiming to supply differentiated oncology assets to larger biopharma companies. Financially, the company has secured a strategic investment from Keeps Biomed to accelerate its oncology pipeline; no further operating metrics were disclosed.

Participated · Equity · Mar 2025

StimOxyGen is a spin-out from Ulster University developing cancer treatments that deliver oxygen directly to tumours to enhance the effectiveness of radiotherapy and immunotherapy. Its lead candidate is intended as an adjunct therapy to radiotherapy and has shown significant tumour reduction in preclinical studies across multiple cancer types. The company will initially focus on pancreatic cancer, which has limited treatment options and a poor five-year survival rate. StimOxyGen is led by CEO Sian Farrell, CSO Professor Anthony McHale and Non-Executive Director Dr Les Russell. The company raised £1.5M and plans to use the funds to advance key preclinical studies, scale up manufacturing and expand its team as it moves toward clinical translation.

Participated · Series A · Mar 2023

GenoME Diagnostics is a spin-out from Queen’s University Belfast built on over a decade of academic research at the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research. Its lead product, OvaME, is a novel blood test designed for earlier and more accurate detection of ovarian cancer. The company plans to extend its pipeline and underlying technology to other cancer types and potential non-cancer applications. GenoME’s team includes founders Prof Paul Mullan, Dr James Beirne and Dr Laura Feeney, with Dr Shannon Beattie as CEO and Chris Mosedale as Chief Business Officer. The startup says its first commercial markets are disease monitoring and diagnosis, with a longer‑term ambition to enter public screening programmes. Recent funding will support completion of lab testing, regulatory filings in the EU, and expansion of its regulatory approach to the UK and North America. The company previously raised a £300k pre-seed round in 2021.

Participated · Series A · Nov 2022

Re-Vana Therapeutics develops proprietary photo-crosslinked, biodegradable sustained-release ophthalmic drug-delivery technologies, including EyeLief®, EyeLief-SD™ and OcuLief®. The company aims to reduce the frequency of intravitreal injections for a range of retinal diseases, including neovascular age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD). Re-Vana intends to use recent financing to advance development of its drug-delivery platforms and to expand operations and development teams. Founded in 2016 as a spin-out from Queen's University Belfast, the company is headquartered in Belfast with a U.S. office in Tampa, Florida. Its technology may enable a broader set of sustained-release products across multiple therapeutic areas. The company strengthened its board in conjunction with the financing, appointing Robert Avery, M.D., of Visionary Ventures and InFocus Capital Partners as a board member and naming Michael O’Rourke as board chair. Re-Vana closed a Series A round totaling $11.9M to support these plans. Re-Vana Therapeutics is developing proprietary photocrosslinked EyeLief™ and OcuLief™ biodegradable technologies to deliver biologic and small-molecule therapeutics for retinal and other ocular diseases. The platform has demonstrated at least four months sustained release of an anti-VEGF drug with greater than 50% drug loading and targets 4–6 months delivery for large-molecule biologics and 6–9 months for small molecules. Proceeds from recent financing will advance proof-of-concept and preclinical development and enable expansion of the company’s research and development team. Re-Vana also holds rights to a novel nanoparticle polymer–based drug delivery technology for ophthalmic applications. The company was founded in 2016 as a spin-out from Queen’s University Belfast and maintains its main office in Belfast with a U.S. office in Tampa, Florida. Re-Vana has previously received Innovate U.K. funding (more than $400K) and entered a 2020 strategic feasibility collaboration with a global pharmaceutical company.

Participated · Equity · Nov 2022

CV6 Therapeutics is a drug development biotechnology company led by CEO Dr Robert Ladner that specializes in innovative small-molecule therapeutics for cancer and inflammatory diseases. Its lead oncology candidate, CV6-168, has completed all pre-clinical development milestones. The company plans to use recent funding to progress CV6-168 into a Phase 1a first-in-human trial in advanced cancers and to perform further scientific development work. CV6 aims to start the Phase 1a clinical trial in 2023. An inflammatory-disease asset, CV6-1271, remains in preclinical development. Mechanistically, CV6-168 induces cancer-cell DNA uracilation, which—especially when combined with thymidylate synthase inhibitors—leads to uracil-based DNA damage, cell death, and stimulation of the immune response to enhance anticancer effects.