Participated · Series A · Oct 2022

Ochre Bio is a biotechnology company developing RNA therapies for chronic liver diseases using deep phenotyping, precision RNA medicine, and testing in live human donor livers. The company has generated spatial‑sequencing, single‑cell sequencing, and imaging data in over 1,000 diseased human livers across three continents. Ochre has launched 'Liver ICUs' across the US to test RNA‑based drug candidates directly in human livers. Proceeds from the Series A will be used to translate discovery research into RNA drug candidates and to fund human liver preclinical testing in 2023 to select therapies for clinical development in 2024. The company plans to broaden its discovery and development platforms, including a state‑of‑the‑art RNA chemistry platform and an exploratory platform to expand research into a wider set of liver diseases. Ochre's longer‑term goals include regenerating organs in patients and improving the viability of marginal donor livers to reduce the need for transplants. Ochre Bio develops RNA medicines for chronic liver diseases and uses deep phenotyping ('phenomics') to digitize liver biology at scale. The company has generated large amounts of spatial genomics data from freshly donated human livers and uncovered hundreds of novel potential liver targets that are being validated in their labs. By 2022, Ochre plans to build a complete in silico human liver of over 10^11 measurements to predict the effect of perturbing any gene in major liver cell types. In addition to computational work, Ochre tests therapeutics in explanted human livers maintained extracorporeally and has developed a full-stack GalNAc-siRNA development process validated in actively perfused human livers. Planned uses of recent funding include advancing RNA therapies, expanding the deep phenotyping platform, onboarding five transplant center partners to test therapies on discarded donor livers, and moving products toward clinical development; the company also opened a Taiwanese lab to study liver disease in Asia. Ochre is based in Oxford, England and is built on over 15 years of experience in liver genomics and advanced therapies.

Led · Equity · Mar 2022

Oxford Medical Products develops Sirona, an oral hydrogel tablet that expands in the stomach to reduce hunger and suppress appetite. The company has raised £2.5M in equity to conduct the first human trials of Sirona in partnership with Southampton and Bristol University Hospitals. Funding will also be used to develop line extensions targeting patients with type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and to begin research on a drug-delivery platform built on its core hydrogel IP. Sirona is positioned as a non-invasive, at-home alternative to gastric balloon procedures: tablets can be taken at home, remain in the stomach for several weeks, then break down and pass naturally. Oxford Medical Products was founded in 2017 by Professor Jan Czenurska and Dr Hutan Ashrafian; Dr Camilla Easter is CEO and Dr Nick Edwards joined to help commercialize the technology. Oxford Medical Products (OMP) is developing Sirona, a self-expanding hydrogel capsule that expands in the stomach to occupy space, reduce hunger, and drive significant weight loss. Sirona is designed to mimic the mechanism of a gastric balloon but can be swallowed and used at home rather than placed endoscopically. The capsules expand rapidly, provide continuous 24/7 satiety for several weeks, then gradually break down and pass naturally to preserve safety. OMP positions Sirona as a lower-cost alternative to surgical solutions, with the intention of making effective weight-loss treatment accessible to many more people. The company is currently completing pre-clinical testing, plans first human studies in 2022, and aims to launch a commercial product in 2024. OMP has begun scaling operations and hiring, including recruiting a polymer scientist to advance its platform technology.

Led · Equity · Oct 2021

Exogene develops an AI platform paired with in-house, high-throughput wet-lab TCR screening to identify rare, natural TCRs for TCR-based cell therapies. The company raised US$2 million to produce core wet‑lab datasets to train and validate its AI and to advance a pilot project with Immunocore. Exogene says its platform can screen billions of TCRs in seconds, addressing scalability limits of current wet‑lab approaches. It plans to partner with pharma and biotech to discover TCRs for therapeutic applications and also to develop its own TCR‑based cell therapies for out‑licensing. Longer term, Exogene aims to expand beyond cancer into larger markets such as immune system rejuvenation by targeting senescent T cells. The company is based at the BioEscalator in Oxford, UK.

Participated · Equity · Sep 2021

Sanome is a London-based health startup that has developed a diagnostics innovation engine combining biomarkers to produce medical-grade, at-home diagnostic products (IVDs). The company’s home tests are clinically validated and aim to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. Sanome plans to develop and validate a first set of IVD candidates through strategic and commercial partnerships. The recent funding will be used to expand the team across London, Amsterdam, and Cambridge and to deliver on key strategic and commercial partnerships. The company was founded by Benedikt von Thüngen (CEO) and Dr Marc van der Schee (Chief Medical Officer). Sanome raised £2m in its first round of funding to support these plans.