Viral vectors for novel cell models, gene therapy and vaccine development gain further funds from private investors

SIRION Biotech GmbH closes new financing round with additional investors

SIRION Biotech GmbH has won two additional private investors, one of them being Aumenta GmbH. Both contribute to a large extent to the current financing round side by side with the existing investors Creathor Venture, HTGF, Bayernkapital and KfW, next to the Managing Directors. The new funds will further strengthen access to the Japan and USA markets and drive the evaluation of clinical programs for viral vectors and commercial projects for novel cell models. The laboratories in Munich will be expanded by GLP facilities (Good Laboratory Practice).

In its 6th year, the company has accelerated its growth dynamics with over 100 clients conduct-ing discovery and research in industry and academia: all signs point to a high time for working with strategic cell models, close to reality. In addition, viral vectors are increasingly being used for novel vaccines and gene therapies. The first gene therapy application has recently been ap-proved in Europe last November. One of SIRION’s core competences is the design of de novo viral vectors and subsequently of custom cell models. The company has also developed Ad19a, a novel vector envelope, that shows superior performance in animal and human organisms, transducing cell types that are immunologically relevant.

Stemming from its fee-for-service business the company has experienced a wide variety of ap-plications in over 300 single projects and accesses a large science network. Individual leads with high clinical potential will be pursued in collaborations to which the company contributes its sci-entific competence and GLP facility. About half a dozen such collaborations have already been initiated or are close to being executed.

About SIRION Biotech
SIRION Biotech was founded in Munich in 2006 with the idea of enabling novel cell models closer to reality than ever before. This required the assembly of an all-encompassing, novel viral vector platform. Both, designing de novo viral vectors and the subsequent creation of custom cell models will pave the way for superior compound development in the drug, cosmetics and food industries. SIRION’s technologies have been validated in over 300 single projects with more than 100 academic and industrial partners. As a result, primary cell immortalizations have become highly reliable, as have de novo viral vectors to be used in gene therapy and vaccine applications.

Contact:
SIRION BIOTECH GmbH
Dr. Christian Thirion
Am Klopferspitz 19
D-82152 Martinsried
Tel.:     +49-89-700 961 99-15
Thirion@Sirion-Biotech.com
www.SIRION-Biotech.com

About High-Tech Gruenderfonds
High-Tech Gruenderfonds invests in young, high potential high-tech start-ups. The seed financing provided is designed to enable start-ups to take an idea through prototyping and to market launch. Typically, High-Tech Gruenderfonds invests EUR 500,000 in the seed stage, with the potential for up to a total of EUR 2 million per portfolio company in follow-on financing. Investors in this public/private partnership include the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, the KfW Banking Group, as well as strategic corporate investors including ALTANA, BASF, B. Braun, Robert Bosch, CEWE Color, Daimler, Deutsche Post DHL, Deutsche Telekom, Evonik, Lanxess, media + more venture Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG, METRO, Qiagen, RWE Innogy, SAP, Tengelmann and Carl Zeiss. High-Tech Gruenderfonds has about EUR 573.5 million under management in two funds (EUR 272 million HTGF I, EUR 301.5 million HTGF II).

Contact:
Marco Winzer
Investment Director
High-Tech Gründerfonds Management GmbH
Schlegelstraße 2
53113 Bonn
Tel.: + 49 228 823001-00
info@high-tech-gruenderfonds.de
www.high-tech-gruenderfonds.de