Synthetic biology company Esphera SynBio announced the closing of a $2 million seed financing round. The funding builds on the company’s advanced R&D activities and proceeds are directed at identifying an initial cancer vaccine clinical candidate and general corporate purposes. And seed investors GKCC and FACIT supported the financing.
With synthetic biology, Esphera produces engineered exosomes by expressing proprietary transgenes that serve as nanomedicines. And unlocking new possibilities in vaccine innovation, the company applies the technology platform for developing therapeutics for cancer and infectious disease.
Esphera’s platform produces therapeutic nanomedicines that can act as powerful immunostimulants, delivering customized antigenic payloads to stimulate immune responses. And these nanomedicines are designed to enhance the efficacy of vaccines, offering personalized solutions to combat infectious disease.
The company is based on foundational intellectual property from the labs of Drs. Carolina Ilkow and John Bell at The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and Dr. Lichty at McMaster University, and it operates research facilities in Hamilton, Ontario and Ottawa, Ontario.
KEY QUOTES:
“This financing enables us to validate our vaccine platform and advance a potential best-in-class therapy for patients living with cancer. While our clear focus is on advancing toward future clinical trials, maximizing the broad potential of our technology will also necessitate the exploration of strategic partnerships.”
– Dr. Brian Lichty, co-founder and CEO of Esphera
“With the fields of engineered exosomes and therapeutic vaccines undergoing rapid evolution, Esphera’s pioneering approach places the Company at the forefront of a transformative opportunity for patient care. Esphera’s team of entrepreneurial scientific leaders has the experience required to build a strong pipeline of innovative therapeutics.”
– Dr. David O’Neill, Chair of the Board of Directors of Esphera and President of FACIT
