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20-minute presenters

AM-Pharma B.V.

AM-Pharma, a private biotech company based in Utrecht, the Netherlands, is developing its proprietary recombinant human alkaline phosphatase therapeutic, ilofotase alfa, for treatment of acute kidney injury and the rare disease hypophosphatasia.

www.am-pharma.com/

ARTHEx Biotech S.L.

Arthex is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focusing developing innovative medicines for diseases with high unmet medical needs through the modulation of microRNAs.

The Company’s lead investigational compound, ATX-01, is an antimiR designed to target microRNA 23b (miR-23b), which is associated with regulating the expression of muscleblind-like (MBNL) proteins involved in the pathogenesis of Myotonic dystrophy type 1.

ATX-01 holds significant potential to deliver therapeutic benefit to DM1 patients, based on its dual mechanism of action that targets both toxic DMPK and MBNL proteins.  ATX-01 is a very unique molecule with the potential to be best-in-class among the current landscape.

www.arthexbiotech.com

Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics, Inc.
[​NASDAQ: BCLI]

BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. is a leading developer of innovative autologous adult stem cell therapeutics for debilitating neurodegenerative diseases. BrainStorm holds the rights to clinical development and commercialization of the NurOwn® technology platform used to produce debamestrocel (autologous MSC-NTF cells) through an exclusive, worldwide licensing agreement. Debamestrocel has Orphan Drug designation status from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). BCLI is currently planning a phase 3b clinical trial of debamestrocel in ALS before market licensing application. BrainStorm has completed a Phase 3 trial in ALS; this trial investigated the safety and efficacy of repeat-administration of autologous MSC-NTF cells. BrainStorm completed under an investigational new drug application a Phase 2 open-label multicenter trial of autologous MSC-NTF cells in progressive MS.

Brainstorm has developed an additional technology platform based on exosomes, Exosome MSC-NTF in advanced pre-clinical research and has been published. Exosome MSC-NTF has shown efficacy in two animal models of lung injury and in over 6 different in vitro models of inflammation, generating promising pre-clinical data of reduced inflammation and prevention of lung fibrosis. This platform compliments NurOwn as an allogenic product enabling the targeting of diseases with larger patient volumes for acute and preventative treatment.

www.brainstorm-cell.com/

Cantargia AB
[NASDAQ Stockholm: CANTA]

Development of antibody based therapeutics targeting IL1RAP. The target is involved of disease progression of both cancer as well as autoimmune/inflammatory disease.

Lead asset: nadunolimab with positive phase 2a data in both NSCLC and PDAC. A phase 1/2 ongoing in triple negative breast cancer and phase 2/3 in preparation for first line therapy in pancreatic cancer.

Second asset: CAN10 entering phase 1, in development for myocarditis and systemic sclerosis.

Listed on NASDAQ Stockholm (CANTA).

www.cantargia.com/

Evaxion Biotech A/S
[NASDAQ: EVAX​]

Evaxion Biotech A/S is a pioneering TechBio company based upon its AI platform: AI-Immunology™. Evaxion’s proprietary and scalable AI prediction models harness the power of artificial intelligence to decode the human immune system and develop novel immunotherapies for cancer, bacterial diseases, and viral infections. Based upon AI-Immunology™, Evaxion has developed a clinical-stage oncology pipeline of novel personalized vaccines and a preclinical infectious disease pipeline in bacterial and viral diseases with high unmet medical needs. Evaxion is committed to transforming patients’ lives by providing innovative and targeted treatment options. For more information about Evaxion and its groundbreaking AI-Immunology™ platform and vaccine pipeline, please visit our website.​

www.evaxion-biotech.com/

Expert Systems, Inc.

Expert Systems is a hybrid AI/ML platform company where we combine human and artificial intelligence to accelerate drug discovery.

Built from decades of proprietary experimental data and decades of expertise in early drug discovery, our expert systems' platform informs decision making and enables the selection of candidate drugs for clinical trials and research.

www.expertsystems.inc/

iOmx Therapeutics AG

iOmx is a clinical-stage company that harnesses deep tumor and myeloid biology insights, along with its proprietary iOTargTM target screening platform, to generate novel treatments for the most prevalent solid tumor indications. The company is translating unexplored immune evasion biology into a growing pipeline of biomarker-enabled drug programs. Focused on developing drugs with single agent activity, iOmx is creating potential new backbone therapies in a modality-open fashion. By applying its comprehensive drug discovery & development expertise iOmx is committed to shaping the future of cancer therapy.

iOmx is backed by international venture capital investors, such as ATHOS, Sofinnova Partners, Wellington Partners, MIG Capital as well as M Ventures. A EUR 65m Series B round was closed in September 2021.

www.iomx.com/

Kamari Pharma Ltd.

Kamari pharma is a clinical stage biotechnology company developing “First and Best in Class” treatments of rare and severe genetic dermatological diseases, such as Keratoderma and Ichthyosis. Kamari’s drugs are based on proprietary small molecules that modulate TRPV3, an ion channel that when overactivated or overexpressed, leads to severe skin diseases.. Kamari is developing both oral and topical drugs. The topical drug has just recently shown significant safety and efficacy in a phase 1b clinical trial in Keratoderma patients as demonstrated from topline results. This proof-of-concept study, held in centers in the UK and Israel, met its primary efficacy endpoint in almost all the treated patients (13 out of 15). In addition, the safety profile exhibited was very good. The topical TRPV3 inhibitor has also completed a phase 1 study in Lichen Simplex Chronicus-itch patients, in Germany, demonstrating excellent safety as well as efficacy trends. These novel “Best in Class” drugs are intended for helping patients with unmet needs, where efficacious treatments are currently unavailable. The untreated patient populations of Keratodermas and Ichthyosis are rare, yet still constitute a significant market opportunity.  Kamari’s oral TRPV3 inhibitor, following proof of concept in animal models, will be advancing into clinical trials next year for treating keratoderma and severe and rare dermatological conditions such as Olmsted syndrome. Orphan designation protection by major regulatory agencies, in addition to a strong patent estate, will allow long terms market exclusivity.    

Kamari’s management team is composed of highly experienced individuals, with a track record of leading drug development programs through FDA approvals and financing their companies in the public equity markets.

Kamari, funded by leading VCs, such as Pontifax, is now raising its next round of financing in order to secure the further development of its “Best in Class” high potential drugs.

www.kamaripharma.com/

Macomics Ltd.

Our founders have led the field in understanding the role of macrophages in development, tissue repair and cancer.

We have developed a platform, ENIGMAC, enabling first-in-class target discovery and validation in in diseases where macrophages are key to disease etiology including oncology, inflammation, and CNS disorders. The platform enables CRIPSR screening in iPSC models, including macrophages and microglia.

Our lead program is a first-in-class pan-LILRB antibody in IND studies, with a unique  mode of action that translates into higher anti-tumoral activity. The program is supported by a novel blood based biomarker for selection of priority solid tumour indications.

In 2023 Macomics entered into its first partnership with Ono Pharma. The company is now exploring partnerships across tx areas to fully exploit its platform.

macomics.com/

MC2 Therapeutics a/s

MC2 Therapeutics is developing novel treatment paradigms for immunology and inflammation (“I&I") diseases and has moved two first-in-class drug candidates with novel modes of action and multiple indication potential (“I&I pipeline in a product”) into phase 2 development. These are:

MC2-32: Oral HSP90 Inhibitor targeting multiple pro-inflammatory pathways with unique profile releasing the full formidable effect of HSP90 in I&I without the class side effects

MC2-25: Iso-cyanate Scavenger for urea associated skin diseases

MC2 is currently pursuing multiple indications where there are no or very limited approved treatment options including oral MC2-32 for Hidradenitis Suppurativa (Ph2a completed) and MC2-25 for Chronic Kidney Disease-associated Pruritus (Ph2 enrollment completed, n=111) and MC2-25 for Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus (Ph2a ongoing).

mc2therapeutics.com/

Mestag Therapeutics Ltd.

Mestag harnesses new insights into fibroblast-immune interactions to develop impactful treatments for patients. We are progressing a pipeline of sophisticated first-in-class antibodies designed to improve the lives of patients with cancer and inflammatory disease.  Together with our collaboration partner Janssen Biotech, Inc. we are also identifying novel targets for future therapies.

Our founding investigators comprise global experts in inflammatory disease, cancer, computational biology and fibroblast biology from the University of Oxford, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. We are supported by leading life science investors SV Health Investors, Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc., Forbion, GV (formerly Google Ventures) and Northpond Ventures.

Mestag is headquartered in Cambridge, UK, and in 2021 was recognized on the Fierce 15 list of innovative biotechnology companies.

www.mestagtherapeutics.com/

MetrioPharm AG

MetrioPharm is a Swiss clinical-stage company developing first-in-class self-regulating immunomodulators for inflammatory and infectious diseases. MetrioPharm has developed a platform of oral small molecule immunomodulators that target the pathologically dysregulated (reprogrammed) mitochondrial metabolism in macrophages without being immunosuppressive. MetrioPharm's lead candidate MP1032 demonstrated preclinical & clinical efficacy (three Phase II studies) in several inflammatory and infectious diseases with an excellent safety profile. As a monotherapy, MP1032 produces therapeutic effects similar to corticosteroids (cortisone-based therapeutics), but without serious side effects. MP1032 has demonstrated synergistic/supra-additive effects in combination with an ultra-low dose (10% of the normal dose) of corticosteroids, showing the potential to create a new class of "super corticosteroids" that are more effective and have no serious side effects. MetrioPharm focuses its R&D on orphan diseases such as Duchenne muscular disease (DMD) to replace the anti-inflammatory standard therapy of high-dose corticosteroids causing severe side effects. MP1032 recently received the Orphan Drug Designation and the Rare Pediatric Disease Designation for DMD by the US FDA. In addition, MP1032 has demonstrated broad host-directed antiviral activity in preclinical studies against 6 tested COVID-19 variants and multiple influenza virus variants, as well as antibacterial activity against multiple bacterial strains. This novel approach of host-directed therapies has the potential to treat emerging and even completely novel viruses without the need for prior adaptation, which is essential for future pandemic preparedness. The results of a Phase IIa Covid study with 131 hospitalized patients, financed by an EU-grant of EUR 7.9 million, were recently published in Lancet-Europe. In addition, MP1032 has potential for the treatment of Long Covid. Its host-directed mechanism of action addresses four key drivers of this new indication: a persistent virus, mitochondrial immune dysregulation, microemboli and pulmonary fibrosis. MetrioPharm recently raised CHF 18 million in 2023 and targets a second closing in 2024.

www.metriopharm.com/

Oryzon Genomics, S.A.

A public clinical-stage biopharma developing epigenetics for CNS disorders and Oncology. +50 highly-qualified professionals located in Barcelona, Boston and San Diego. Listed in Spain, aiming at NASDAQ-listing.

Two uncorrelated Phase II compounds: iadademstat (oncology) and vafidemstat (CNS).

Iadademstat, a best-in-class LSD1 inhibitor, is in clinical development for AML and solid tumors. PoC with strong clinical activity in combo with azacitidine in a Phase II in unfit AML patients, and encouraging signals in 2L-ED-SCLC. Two ongoing trials in R/RFlt3mut+ AML and neuroendocrine tumors, preparing a new trial in SCLC.

Pioneering development of epigenetic drugs in CNS with vafidemstat, a safe LSD1 inhibitor. Positive results reducing aggression in a Phase IIa basket trial in psychiatric patients. Two ongoing Phase IIb trials, one in borderline personality disorder (LPO achieved, top line data expected 1Q24) and the other in schizophrenia (actively recruiting). Also launching a CNS personalized medicine program, starting with a Phase I/II trial in Kabuki syndrome.

www.oryzon.com/en

Rinri Therapeutics Ltd.

Rinri is the world’s leading company to be exploring the potential of a regenerative cell therapy for sensorineural hearing loss, and the only company to be addressing neural hearing loss.

www.rinri-therapeutics.com/

Sapient Therapeutics Ltd.

Sapient Therapeutics is a UK based biopharmaceutical company focused on neuroscience drug discovery and early clinical development. Our lead asset (SAP021) has completed a successful comparative Phase 1 study in 2023 and will move to the next phase of clinical development in 2024. SAP021 is a solid dose form of cannabidiol (CBD) for therapeutic use in treatment-resistant epilepsy and schizophrenia. 

Our leadership team is comprised of experienced neuroscience and cannabinoid medicine pharmaceutical professionals with a strategy to utilise the FDA 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway to bring new prescription medicines to patients with serious diseases in the shortest possible timeframe.

sapienttx.com/

TME Pharma
[EPA: ALTME]

TME Pharma is a clinical-stage biotech company focused on developing novel therapies for treatment of the most aggressive cancers. We specialize in approaches targeting the tumor microenvironment (TME). Our unique technology breaks tumor protection barriers against the immune system and blocks tumor repair by neutralizing chemokines in the TME. 

The lead compound NOX-A12 acts in two distinct mechanisms of action, presenting great potential for developing this asset in various oncology indications. Currently, TME Pharma is focused on brain cancer (glioblastoma, GBM), where we delivered exceptional clinical results.

TME Pharma’s approach works in combination with other forms of treatment to overcome resistance to immunotherapies such as CPIs, CD3 bi-specifics, anti-vascular agents, and cell therapies to increase therapeutic impact. TME Pharma’s mission is to improve treatment outcomes for patients with cancer where tumor microenvironment significantly limits survival.

www.tmepharma.com

Vaccentis AG

Vaccentis AG is a Zurich-based company focused on the biotech and pharmaceutical sector. All research, development and clinical activities are carried out by a highly specialised subsidiary, VCC MEDICAL. 

VCC MEDICAL DIVISION IS DEVELOPING CLINICALLY PROVEN PRODUCTS, SHOWN TO MAINTAIN REMISSION AND ALLEVIATE DISEASE.

VCC-001 cancer vaccine Phase III data in Renal Cell Cancer has demonstrated clinical effect and was well tolerated, a disease with few current treatment options

VCC-001 cancer vaccine concept has significant potential in colon and pancreatic cancers.

www.vaccentis.com

Vidac Pharma Holding PLC
[Hamburg & Stuttgart:T9G]

Vidac Pharma is a Phase 2 clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class oncologic and onco-dermatologic therapies. Its breakthrough new technology, which corrects a common characteristic of all cancer cells harbors the promise of a fundamentally new way of treating cancer and become a routine part of oncology combination therapies. The company, established in 2012, is led by Prof Max Herzberg, one of the founding fathers of Israel’s life science industry. Vidac Pharma is developing medicines to help cancer patients by reversing the abnormal metabolism of cancer cells and halting cancer cell proliferation. The company boasts a strong leadership team, with many decades of experience in science and management between them, backed by an international group of scientific advisors of the highest standing.

www.vidacpharma.com/en/

10-minute presenters

AATec Medical GmbH

AATec Medical GmbH develops novel biotherapeutics for respiratory inflammatory diseases such as COPD, asthma, bronchiectasis and pulmonary infections. Our products are based on recombinant alpha-1 antitrypsin for inhalation. Driven by our passion to innovate we strive to provide urgently needed therapeutics to patients with severe respiratory diseases of highest medical need.​

www.aatec-medical.com

AC BioScience SA

AC BioScience, after years of intensive research into its two legacy oncology molecules, has achieved a breakthrough discovery with its new immunomodulating molecule ACB2112. In combination treatments with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors, ACB2112 potentiates the therapeutic benefits in resistant mouse models (CT26) in colorectal cancer. Its unique Mechanism of Action is effectively targeting the main mechanisms of immune escape and is enabling MSI-L/MSS patients to respond to therapy.

Given the outstanding anti-tumor results of ACB2112 in murine colorectal cancer experiments in November 2023, the company now focuses all its pre-clinical efforts to fast-track pharmaceutical development of this drug.

The drug represents a potential new standard of care for patients with colorectal and possibly other cancers with has a huge market potential. It is secured by composition-of-matter and application patents in oncology and other applications.

The company now raises CHF 5M to progress our lead molecule to the clinic.

www.ac-bioscience.com

ActiTrexx GmbH

We are a clinical Phase I/II biotech company focused on the development of cellular and biologic therapies for overshooting T cell mediated autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases with high medical unmet needs.

With our lead cellular product, Actileucel (activated regulatory T cells), our goal is to prevent GvHD at an early stage and to provide a curative therapy with few side effects for patients undergoing blood stem cell transplantation for the first time. Actileucel is a safe and efficient treatment option that addresses a significant unmet medical need. Actileucel has the potential to overcome current risks and limitations inherent in stem cell transplantation.

​www.actitrexx.de/

Atamyo Therapeutics SAS

"Atamyo Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharma focused on the development of a new generation of effective and safe gene therapies for muscular dystrophies and cardiomyopathies.
​
A spin-off of gene therapy pioneer Genethon, Atamyo leverages unique expertise in AAV-based gene therapy and muscular dystrophies from the Progressive Muscular Dystrophies Laboratory at Genethon.

Atamyo has a clinical-stage pipeline with first-in-class vectors which include new capsids, new promoters, and organs-detargeting technologies:
- ATA-100 is in phase 1b/2b in LGMD-R9/LGMD2I associated to deficiencies in the protein FKRP.
- ATA-200 has received clinical trial clearance for LGMD-R5 related to deficiencies in γ-sarcoglycans,
- ATA-300 is in IND-enabling studies and targets LGMD-R1/ LGMD2A or calpainopathy;
- The cardiomyopathy programs pursues several targets in Dilated Cardiomyopathies

Atamyo’s seasoned management has a unique expertise in developing biotech products from Research to late stage clinical development:
- Stephane Degove, its CEO, is a biotech entrepreneur with 25 years’ experience in pharma/biotech and strategy.
- Isabelle Richard, PhD, its Chief Scientific Officer, heads the Muscular Dystrophy department at Genethon and a pioneer in the research on gene therapy targeting muscular distrophies.
- Dr Sophie Olivier, its Chief Medical Officer, has extensive clinical development experience in large and small pharma organizations and has overseen multiple regulatory interactions with both the FDA and the EMA, particularly in regard to pediatric development and rare diseases.
- Catherine Cancian, its Chief Technical Officer, has 25 years CMC development in biologics, including gene therapy

The name of the company is derived from two words: Celtic Atao which means “Always” or “Forever” and Myo which is the Greek root for muscle. Atamyo conveys the spirit of its commitment to improve the life of patients affected by neuromuscular diseases with life-long efficient treatments.

www.atamyo.com

Bioxodes SA

Bioxodes is developing a first-in-class drug candidate, Ir-CPI, for the prevention of thrombosis and neuroinflammation in acute hemorrhagic stroke patients.

Our drug candidate has the possibility to reach the market by 2028 thanks to potential Orphan Drug Designation (ongoing application).

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a devastating cerebrovascular orphan disease leading to high morbidity and mortality. To date, no specific or effective treatment approaches are available during the first 72 hours of onset. This critical time-window represents an opportunity for drug development, especially for drugs targeting the secondary brain injury, a major contributor to poor outcomes after ICH. Neuroinflammation, an important cause of SBI, plays a critical role in the neurologic decline of ICH patients.

Our breakthrough drug candidate, Ir-CPI exhibits a unique mechanism of action by targeting coagulation factors (FXIIa & FXIa) and neutrophils, key driver components of the neuroinflammatory process.

www.bioxodes.com

eleva GmbH

Eleva uses its proprietary moss cell culture (Bryotechnology) to produce highly complex and difficult to express biopharmaceuticals with optimized human-like glycosylation. The first moss-based protein has been successfully tested in a clinical trial.

RPV-001: recombinant alpha-galactosidase enzyme for the treatment of Fabry disease as an enzyme replacement therapy, clinical safety confirmed in phase I study.

CPV-104: extensive pre-clinical testing completed (dry AMD, PNH, C3G, ANCA, lupus nephritis), toxicity studies ongoing, potential treatment for multiple complement indications.

Bryotechnology provides a highly robust production platform that can be run in state-of-the-art bioreactors over a wide range of temperature and pH conditions. Stability, consistency, and homogeneity of N-glycosylation are remarkable and less affected by process conditions and scale. The GMP-compliant system is easily transferable and is known for its batch-to-batch stability and safety. By using simple culture media and avoiding virus filtration systems, even challenging proteins can be produced in a cost-effective manner. The platform is available for out-licensing.

The Eleva team is eager to tackle the most challenging molecules. We welcome your enquiries regarding strategic partnerships, collaborations, co-development, and licensing of RPV-001, CPV-104 and the Bryotechnology platform.

www.elevabiologics.com

FoRx Therapeutics AG

FoRx Therapeutics is a preclinical-stage company that develops innovative cancer-specific therapeutics targeting distinct DNA Damage Response (DDR) pathways.

www.forxtherapeutics.com

​Humanetics Corporation

Humanetics is a privately held, clinical stage pharmaceutical company located in the Minneapolis metropolitan area.  Humanetics entered the field of radiation modulators through a cooperative research program with the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute (AFRRI).  AFRRI's mission is the discovery and early development of drugs that can protect warfighters from the harmful effects of radiation. From this program, BIO 300 emerged as a lead candidate and the underlying technology was in-licensed from the Department of Defense to Humanetics.  In the ensuing years, the Company has progressed this program into clinical stage with a primary focus on improving the treatment outcomes for patients receiving radiation treatment of solid tumors.  Humanetics has three open INDs for BIO 300.  We have active clinical programs focused on medical countermeasures, solid tumor radiotherapy and in COVID-19.  The Company has recently received a $20 million grant from the DoD for BIO 300.

www.humaneticscorp.com/

Innovent Biologics
​[HKEX: 01801]

Inspired by the spirit of "Start with Integrity, Succeed through Action," Innovent's mission is to discover and develop, manufacture and commercialize high-quality biopharmaceutical products that are affordable to ordinary people. Established in 2011, Innovent is committed to discovering and developing, manufacturing and commercializing high-quality innovative medicines for the treatment of oncology, autoimmune, cardiovascular and metabolic, and ophthalmology diseases to enhance the quality of the patients' lives. Innovent has 10 products in the market, 2 NDA under NMPA review, 5 assets in Phase III or pivotal clinical trials, and 19 more molecules in early clinical stage. Innovent has also entered into 30 strategic collaborations with Eli Lilly, Roche, Sanofi, Adimab, Incyte, MD Anderson Cancer Center and other international partners. We strive to work with many collaborators to help advance the biopharmaceutical industry, improve drug availability and enhance the quality of the patients' lives.​

www.innoventbio.com/

Legacy Healthcare

Legacy Healthcare is a Swiss-based biotech, with a European/US management team. Its first drug candidate, Coacillium, has been filed for approval with EMA for the treatment of moderate to severe alopecia areata (AA), a debilitating autoimmune disease characterized by random, disfiguring hair loss, with possible life-long relapses. Approval in Europe could occur in Q4 2024 and interactions with the FDA are ongoing.

Two oral JAK inhibitors, Olumiant (Eli Lilly) and Litfulo (Pfizer), have been recently approved for the treatment of AA, representing a major advance. However, the toxicity profile of these immunosuppressant drugs restricts their use to patients with a severe form of the disease only, banning early intervention. 

The safety of Coacillium on the opposite allowed also to include, in addition to severe AA patients, patients at an earlier stage of the disease (moderate AA), giving a chance to prevent disease progression, and increasing the patient base by 4-fold.

Coacillium has shown to normalize both endothelial cells activation - without immune-suppressant effect - and hair follicle cycling, two relevant targets in AA and other immune-dermatology diseases and in a Phase 2-3 registration trial, Coacillium cutaneous solution was superior to placebo after 24 weeks of treatment, both in terms of clinical efficacy and improvement of quality of life. It was well tolerated as expected. More importantly, most Coacillium-responders continued to improve after treatment discontinuation, during the 24 weeks treatment-free follow-up period of the study, supporting a possible disease-modifying effect.

Based on the product profile, third-party research showed that US payors are willing to reimburse Coacillium in line with oral JAK inhibitors in AA, at $3,000 per month of treatment. In addition, the product being efficacious, the safest, and requiring no follow-up, physicians’ intention to prescribe was high.  The potential annual peak-sales have been forecasted at several billion USD. 

www.legacyhealthcare.ch/

LIfT BioSciences Ltd.

LIfT Biosciences is a biotech bringing to market a first-in-class alpha neutrophil cell therapy that overcomes the limitations of current therapies in solid tumours by destroying tumours both directly and indirectly. LIfT’s Immunomodulatory Alpha Neutrophils (IMANs) turn the tumour microenvironment against the tumour as they recruit the rest of the immune system to destroy the tumour to give a durable response and lasting immunity.

The patented breakthrough N-LIfT platform is produced from a patented process using exceptional stem cells (iPSC or HSC), a proprietary enhancement media and genetic engineering (e.g. CARs). The resulting CAR-IMAN cells give cancer patients potentially hundreds of times the cancer killing ability they naturally possess.

The company is working with a range of pharmaceutical license partners to develop a portfolio of CAR-IMAN cell therapies to deliver complete remission across all solid tumours before the decade is out. LIfT BioSciences was founded by Alex Blyth following the death of his mother to pancreatic cancer.  

Technology
Immuno-Modulatory Alpha Neutrophil progenitors (IMANs) produced from iPSCs or HSCs using our N-LIfT Platform

Stage
Pre-clinical work completing, IND filing

Focus
Solid Tumours with high unmet medical need, starting with SCC-NSCLC, PDAC, HNSCC, UCC

Patents
2016 Filing Granted, 6 Patents with FTO

Current Raise
£25m+ Series A. Pharma license discussions underway.

Recent Achievements
- Successful production from iPSCs and GMP ready production from HSCs at 10L
- Increase T-cell and NK cancer killing 250% in Lab-on-chip tumour model
- Unmodified IMANs shows comprehensive solid tumour organoid killing (superior to Keytruda & Abraxane) in NSCLC, PDAC
- HER-2 CAR IMANs increase cancer cell killing x5 over the already potent unmodified

LIfT IMANs have preclinical validation of all of the characteristics required to overcome the challenges to achieving sustained remission in solid tumours.

www.liftbiosciences.com

Mabylon AG

Mabylon AG, a private Swiss biotech company, is leading innovation in antibody-based treatments for severe allergies, inflammation, and neurological disorders. Our B-cell screening platform identifies natural human antibodies with high specificity and therapeutic potential, based on which we are developing lead compounds. MY006, our first-in-class multispecific antibody therapeutic for peanut allergy, is tackling the growing food allergy market.

Our development plan aims to bring our peanut allergy asset to clinical proof-of-concept, with the intention of concluding Phase 1a and 1b of MY006 (safety and efficacy) by Q1 2027. MY006 is envisaged of providing immediate and long-lasting protection from accidental exposure to peanut allergens. MY006 will be a highly competitive product in comparison with desensitization treatments, one approved and others under development, as well as with anti-IgE therapies that are currently under investigation for peanut allergy.

Mabylon is currently financed for carrying out its preclinical R&D activities and is seeking a Series B investment to bring our peanut allergy antibody product MY006 to clinical development, thus reaching the next value inflection point by completing Phase 1b (efficacy data in addition to safety).

Return on investment, or exit, will be realized once Mabylon reaches clinical proof-of-concept (safety and efficacy upon completion of Phase 1b) with our anti-peanut allergen antibody product, which will define the value inflection point that will enable an IPO or a trade sale of the company. In this regard, we have already established a key collaboration on a commercial basis with Pfizer through the Pfizer Ignite program, which allows access to Pfizer’s extensive R&D infrastructure, thus enhancing our antibody development capabilities. This partnership allows Mabylon to develop a trusted relationship with Pfizer, validating each step of the clinical development process of our MY006 product, and therefore positioning them to becoming a preferred exit partner for Mabylon’s shareholders.

www.mabylon.com/

MRM Health

MRM Health is a clinical-stage biotech in inflammatory, CNS and metabolic diseases, with recent positive data in phase 2a clinical trial with MH002 in Ulcerative Colitis.​

www.mrmhealth.com

Ochre Bio

Ochre Bio is a preclinical biotechnology company developing a pipeline of novel RNAi therapeutics for chronic liver disease and it's complications.​

www.ochre-bio.com/

PDC*line Pharma SA

Founded in 2014 as a spin-off of the French Blood Bank (EFS), PDC*line Pharma is a Belgian-French clinical-stage biotech company that develops an innovative class of active immunotherapies for cancers, based on a GMP-grade allogeneic therapeutic cell line of Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells (PDC*line). PDC*line is much more potent than conventional dendritic cell-based vaccines in priming and boosting antitumor antigen-specific cytotoxic T-cells, including the T-cells specific for neoantigens, and is synergistic with checkpoint inhibitors. The technology can potentially be applied to any type of cancer. Following a first-in-human phase I feasibility study in melanoma, PDC*line Pharma focuses on the development of PDC*lung01, a candidate for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) currently in phase I/II trials, and PDC*neo with neoantigens in preclinical development. The company has a staff of 42, with an experienced management team. It has raised close to €61M in equity and non-dilutive funding. In March 2019, PDC*line Pharma granted an exclusive license to the LG Chem Life Sciences company in South Korea and an exclusive option in other Asian countries, for the development and commercialization of the PDC*lung01 cancer vaccine for lung cancer. The total deal is worth €108M, plus tiered royalties on net sales in Asia.​

www.pdc-line-pharma.com/

Secarna Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Co. KG

Secarna Pharmaceuticals is the leading independent European next-generation antisense drug discovery and development company addressing high unmet medical needs in immuno-oncology and immunology, as well as viral, neurodegenerative and cardiometabolic diseases.   With its proprietary ASO platform, the Company is developing molecules with significantly improved efficacy and a comprehensive safety profile, addressing targets that are difficult to reach therapeutically with conventional approaches. Several technologies have been successfully applied to enhance delivery at the target organ or cell type. With over 20 discovery and development programs, including both proprietary pipeline projects and partnered programs, Secarna focuses on targets in indications where antisense-based approaches have clear potential benefits over other therapeutic modalities.


www.secarna.com/

STALICLA SA

Stalicla, founded in 2017, a precision neuro clinical stage company, has raised $80m with Novartis, Pitcted, Edmond de Rothschild, and SPRIM as shareholders. Preparing for a $65m Series C to support Phase 2 trials and advance its neuro precision pipeline.​

stalicla.com

TauC3 Biologics Limited

TauC3 Biologics is developing a disease-modifying treatment for tauopathies, including frontotemporal dementia due to tau pathology (FTD-tau) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). Tauopathies are devastating and ultimately fatal neurodegenerative diseases typically manifesting as progressive dementia or movement impairment.  Brain examination reveals abnormal deposits of tau protein that are believed to be preceded by toxic, soluble forms that lead to neuronal death. Currently in preclinical development,  the company’s therapeutic candidate, TBL-100, is a humanized monoclonal antibody that uniquely targets a truncated form of tau known as tauC3 that appears to be highly elevated in these conditions.  TauC3, is by far the most noxious form of tau due to its heightened propensity to aggregate, promote spread of tau pathology through the brain, and impair the delivery of mitochondria and other essential cellular constituents to synapses.  TauC3’s ability to cause normal tau to aggregate confers enormous potential amplification causing extensive cellular damage.  TBL-100 has 1000-fold specificity for tauC3 compared to normal tau and is believed to act at least in part by promoting clearance of tauC3 from the brain.  In addition to its therapeutic potential, TBL-100’s specificity may enable use as a diagnostic agent for tauopathies, a critical tool that is currently lacking.  

Bringing together world-class expertise and drug development talent to turn its vision into a reality, TauC3 Biologics is poised for efficient preclinical development and subsequent early clinical development, with the aim of rapidly demonstrating safety and proof of concept.

www.tauc3bio.com

TOLREMO Therapeutics AG

TOLREMO therapeutics’ mission is to prevent non-genetic cancer drug resistance by dismantling the earliest defense to targeted therapies. Led by phenotypic insights, we discovered a pivotal mechanism that governs critical transcriptional resistance pathways. Our clinical compound, TT125-802, is an orally available small molecule inhibitor designed to block these survival techniques to significantly improve the durability of established treatments. By stopping cancer drug resistance as it emerges, we aim to surmount a universal challenge for current and future targeted therapies for lasting patient benefit.​

www.tolremo.com

Urania Therapeutics

Urania Therapeutics is developing small-molecule drug candidates targeting the human ribosome for the treatment of genetic diseases and cancers caused by nonsense mutations.

uraniatx.com/

Vandria SA

Founded in 2021 as a biopharmaceutical spin-off from Amazentis, Vandria, based in Switzerland, specializes in discovering and developing innovative small molecules. Our focus is on inducing mitophagy (the selective process of digesting damaged mitochondria, replacing them with healthy mitochondria to improve overall mitochondrial function) to effectively combat age-related and chronic diseases. We are a platform company and have a CNS and a muscle program in the IND / CTA enabling stage as well as earlier pre-clinical projects targeting lung (idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, COPD) and liver (NASH). We also have a ferroptosis inhibitor program in the discovery stage, targeting a unique molecular target. Our ferroptosis tool compound has a potent and dose-dependent anti-neuroinflammatory effect.​

www.vandria.com/

Rising stars: global biotech seed session

​Adoram Therapeutics SA

Adoram Therapeutics, a University of Geneva spin-off, is developing next-generation (allosteric) small molecule drugs, which are safer and more effective than conventional (orthosteric) small molecules. We have developed an allosteric screening platform to efficiently identify positive or negative modulators of GPCR drug targets. We are securing investments to progress two preclinical stage assets towards human trials, and to expand our pipeline.

adoram.ch/

AKIGAI

AKIGAI will disrupt the field of neuropathic pain (NP) by 2027.

With 4 layers to protect our EGFR inhibitor (EGFR-I) in the market, AKIGAI will reposition EGFR-Is, well known cancer drugs, for the treatment of NP.

Founders are oncologists, who serendipitously observed dramatic NP relief by EGFR-Is in the clinics. We have rarely witnessed such dramatic and meaningful drug effects as by treating patients with 11 different NP entities at 10 different hospitals.

We have off-label and randomized phase-II proof-of concept data from 100+ successfully treated patients.

Evidence from 8 different NP rodent models confirmed the effect and uncovered the MoA: Selective translocation of ion channeles on damaged pain fibers.

AKIGAI is aiming at an orphan designation from the EMA in May-24, followed by a pivotal trial and rapid upscaling into other NP entities.

www.akigai.no/

Akribion Genomics AG

Akribion Genomics develops a revolutionary, genetically-programmable and new therapy class for oncology, using novel nucleases, causing programmable cell depletion via RNA biomarker recognition. The nuclease can target a wide variety of cancer indications defined by genetic make up of patients and can also be applied beyond oncology.

The nucleases are protected by a strong IP position with FTO and the key patent granted in September 2023.

The technology had initially been developed within and the company is a spin out of BRAIN Biotech, a stock listed industrial Biotech player that focuses on industrial applications.

www.akribion-genomics.com

Encelta AG

At Encelta, we are revolutionising cancer care by addressing the critical need for robust T cell therapy. Many cancer patients face compromised immune systems and dysfunctional T cells. To combat this challenge, we've pioneered an off-the-shelf T cell product  that is safe and effective.

What sets us apart? We've engineered T cells that are free from life-threatening GvHD, allowing for universal donor-to-patient compatibility. Our T cell product seamlessly integrates with all approved T cell engagers (TCEs) and over 100 molecules currently in clinical trials.

We have successfully conducted studies on cancer cell lines and primary human tumors. We have scaled up manufacturing from a few million to over 100 million T cells and have successfully completed our preliminary in vivo studies in mice.

Epicelya Therapeutics AG

Epicelya Therapeutics is a biotech startup working with two RNA-technology platforms.

Platform 1 enables the control of gene expression in cells by selectively activating or deactivating specific genes. This is achieved by accurately targeting specific loci on the genome and modifying the chromatin structure through epigenetic changes, with effects lasting for weeks to months. The platform also incorporates genome-wide screening capabilities, facilitating the discovery of novel target loci in disease model systems. Our team includes experts in epigenetics within primary cells and tissues, who have pioneered advanced technologies in the field.

Platform 2 offers the capability to eradicate cancer cells through a novel autonomous mechanism, specifically by targeting a DNA-encoded marker, such as a point mutation or fusion protein present in the cancer cell. This method does not require a disease driver and operates independently of any molecular pathway, ensuring high specificity. As a stealth technology, its discovery remains unknown to the public at present the technology offers the potential to address a wide spectrum of previously undruggable and non-curable pathologies.

We are composed of a small yet highly experienced team and have developed a pipeline of selected applications for both platforms. Our IP is well-managed and continually expanded.

eversyn

eversyn provides a platform for the glycoengineering of next-generation biopharmaceuticals. The platform is scalable to production scales.

www.eversyn.de/

EvlaBio AG

EvlaBio is a life science startup dedicated to the development of first-in-class therapeutics in the cardiovascular and cardiorenal space. The lead asset is a therapeutic monoclonal antibody (mAb) targeting the FGF23/FGFR4 pathway for the treatment of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) in the setting of chronic kidney disease (CKD). LVH and HFpEF occur in CKD patients as a consequence of FGF23/FGFR4 overdrive. Hence, blocking the FGF23/FGFR4 interaction has the potential to prevent cardiac hypertrophy and ameliorate heart failure in patients with CKD. The serviceable obtainable market of patients with LVH due to FGF23/FGFR4 overdrive ranges between 5 and 6 M in the seven major markets, representing a substantial commercial opportunity.

Based on its underlying mechanism of action, the EvlaBio approach is expected to be hemodynamically neutral. This is a critical differentiating feature from currently available treatment options. With respect to modality, the EvlaBio will be the first biologic developed for this indication, and it has the potential to be a first in class and first in indication therapy.
We also have a biomarker strategy leveraging specific features of target biology in place, ensuring effective clinical trial design.
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evlabio.com/

FluoSphera

FluoSphera is a patent-protected technology platform developing a unique set of disruptive technologies mimicking the clinical response to drugs under systemic conditions to accurately predict drug safety and efficacy. Such high-throughput systemic assays reliably identify the most promising lead compounds early during drug discovery to decrease drug development failure in the clinic, thus increasing the chance for the patients to get access to the best therapeutics while reducing animal experimentation.​

www.fluosphera.com/

Fusix Biotech

Fusix Biotech is a university spin-out from the Technical University of Munich, founded in 2022. They are a seed stage preclinical biotech company that is developing a best-in-class oncolytic virus platform for cancer immunotherapy of solid cancers. Their proprietary InFUSE platform offers an optimized therapeutic and gene delivery vector for intravenous infusion. They are currently raising a seed round for lead candidate selection and manufacturing process development.​

fusixbiotech.de/

Hêmera srl

Hemera, a spin-off of the University of Verona and the University of Milan, was established in 2021 as a pioneering biotech company specializing in regenerative medicine for neurological diseases. Our primary objective is to accelerate the clinical development of an autologous cell therapy aimed at nervous tissue regeneration, with a primary focus on spinal cord lesion treatment.

Spinal cord injuries pose a significant challenge as there is currently no cure, profoundly impacting the lives of affected individuals and incurring substantial social, healthcare, emotional, and familial costs. In response to this unmet medical need, Hemera has developed REMaST®, a novel therapy utilizing specialized immune cells called macrophages. These cells are cultured in vitro to optimize their pro-regenerative potential, even within the hostile microenvironment of damaged spinal cords.

Driven by a team of scientists, senior managers and serial lifescience entrepreneurs, including our esteemed co-founders Dr. Ilaria Decimo, Francesco Bifari, Guido Fumagalli, and Massimo Locati, Hemera's innovative approach has shown promising results in preclinical studies, both in vitro and in vivo, on small animals. These findings provide a robust scientific foundation for further investigation into REMaST®'s potential applications, particularly in cases where motor recovery is deemed impossible.

Currently, REMaST® is undergoing an observational study phase, with 3 patients enrolled across five renowned spinal cord injury treatment centers in Italy. Our ultimate goal is to restore autonomy and significantly improve the quality of life for individuals affected by spinal cord trauma. Hemera is committed to advancing groundbreaking therapies that offer hope and tangible benefits to patients in need.
hemerapharma.com/

Phialogics AG

Phialogics is a preclinical biotech company specialized in engineering next-generation biologics to rebalance the immune response in acute and chronic inflammation.

Phialogics concept is based on the targeted modification of immunoglobulin receptor domains (IgVs) to modulate immune response in inflammatory diseases. IgV mediated receptor-ligand interaction represents a significant source of novel biologics. Phialogics lead molecules replicate endogenous protein-protein interactions to efficiently modulate the function of their target receptor. So far, only this unique platform technology can achieve such a high level of precision.

www.phialogics.com/

Prolevi Bio AB

Prolevi Bio is a preclinical-stage Swedish start-up with a founding and operational team comprising of pharmacists, fundamental and clinical scientists and serial entrepreneurs.

The company’s primary assets include formulations for challenging active pharmaceutical compounds. As our first product we have developed a thyroid hormone formulation for hypothyroid patients that mimics circadian rhythm (natural release cycles).

www.prolevi.bio/

PROSION Therapeutics

PROSION pioneered the first approach capable of disrupting the most common communication between disease relevant proteins, making many well-known undruggable targets finally druggable. They call it the ProM technology.​

www.prosion.eu/

RNATICS GmbH

RNATICS develops nucleic acid therapies targeting disease-causing RNAs in tissue resident macrophages of the lung via inhalation. The primary indications are inflammatory lung diseases with subsequent fibrotic lesions induced by viral infections or volatile toxic substances. The proprietary technology enables efficient delivery of oligonucleotides specifically to lung macrophages through receptor-ligand interaction. This allows for the first time to address the underlying disease biology of lung hyperinflammation beyond symptomatic treatment.

The lead candidate RCS-21 is an antisense oligonucleotide against miR-21 coupled to the macrophage-targeting moiety. miR-21 has been validated as promising target for therapeutic intervention in pulmonary inflammation in preclinical proof-of-concept studies in a human as well as mouse context. IND-enabling work is being finalised, and we aim to begin first-in-human clinical trials this year.

www.rnatics.com/

StemInov SAS

Our goal is to bring the benefits of Wharton Jelly Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (WJ-MSC) as fast as possible to patients; We advance proprietary cell therapy programs such as septic shock & ARDS. We also plan to partner with leading initiatives from industrial and academic fields through licenses thanks to our innovative technology platform.

Our most advanced therapy is Whartsep, the 1st affordable, large-scale and off-the-shelf, WJ-MSC cell therapy that tackles the full complexity of septic shock and ARDS (patented) through unique immuno-modulative and adaptive mode of action.

www.steminov.com/

VALANX Biotech GmbH

Through the power of synthetic biology and genetic code expansion we have developed a novel site-specific protein conjugation platform that allows precise control over conjugation site and number of conjugations on the protein of interest. Based on this platform we are developing a number of cutting-edge biologics towards potential treatments for various indications.

Our technology is market-leading in speed, purity and conjugation yield and enables the development of the next generation of Antibody-Drug-Conjugates and protein conjugates in general.

www.valanx.bio/