The new funds will go to support development of the FiCAT platform prototype and preclinical validation with in vivo and ex vivo models.
The biotechnology firm completes the seed round funding with a total of €6 million led last December by AdBio Partners, Invivo Capital and Takeda Ventures.
The Integra Therapeutics gene writing platform is one of the most promising in the world for improving gene therapy to treat genetic diseases and cancer.
Barcelona, 29 March 2022. Integra Therapeutics, a biotechnology company that creates next-generation gene writing tools, has closed an additional €1.5-million investment from venture capital firm Columbus Venture Partners. This investment comes on top of the €4.5 million Integra Therapeutics raised last December from AdBio Partners, Invivo Capital and Takeda Ventures and completes its seed round in line with the company’s set goals.
The new funds will go to support development of the FiCAT platform prototype and preclinical validation with in vivo and ex vivo models. FiCAT is one of the most promising gene writing technologies in the world, as it addresses the current technical limitations of gene therapies (gene size, precision and stability) to make them safer and more efficient at preventing and treating genetic diseases and cancers with unmet medical needs.
The investment from Columbus VP comes through its third fund, Columbus Life Science Fund III FCR, which was presented in 2021 with €120 million. Damià Tormo, managing partner of Columbus VP, will join the Integra Therapeutics board of directors.
“We thank Columbus VP for their trust and enthusiasm and look forward to working with them to achieve safer, more efficient gene therapies for patients as quickly as possible. In rare diseases alone, we know that 72% are caused by genetic defects and that there isn’t currently any effective therapeutic treatment for most of them,” explains Dr Avencia Sánchez-Mejías, co-founder and CEO of Integra Therapeutics.
“We believe Integra Therapeutics, with ground breaking science, is destined to be one of the benchmark biotechnology firms in gene writing over the coming years. We can’t wait to start working with the management team at Integra and the current partners,” noted Damià Tormo.
Integra Therapeutics also recently brought Professor George Church, a pioneer in human gene editing, on board to join the company’s scientific advisory board.
About Integra Therapeutics
Integra Therapeutics is a biotechnology company that is creating next-generation gene writing tools to make advanced therapies safer and more effective. The company was founded in 2020 as a spin-off of Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) by Dr Marc Güell and Dr Avencia Sánchez-Mejías and is based at the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB). It is supported by international investors (AdBio Partners, Columbus Venture Partners, Invivo Capital and Takeda Ventures) and organizations in the healthcare and biomedicine sector. More information: www.integra-tx.com
About Columbus Venture Partners
Columbus Venture Partners is a Spanish venture capital firm that brings a unique approach for investing in outstanding opportunities in all stages of biopharmaceutical drug development and advanced manufacturing technologies for biopharmaceuticals. Columbus VP manages over $250 million allocated in its three funds and have built an impressive performance track record with recently successful exits on Viralgen, Askbio, PTS, Sanifit or Recovid among others. Columbus’ professional team combines a solid scientific, medical, and business corporate knowledge with a wide experience in business biotech field. More information: www.columbusvp.com
Media contact:
Gemma Escarré Comms
integratx@gemmaescarre.com