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Tavira Therapeutics Secures Pre-Seed Financing And Attracts Top Talent To Expand Its Innovative Gene Therapy Platform

Oct 1, 2024

3 min read

LEUVEN, Oct 2, 2024 Tavira Therapeutics, a spin-out biotechnology company created in 2023 from KU Leuven, is developing an innovative platform to improve gene therapy delivery, specifically targeting different body tissues. The modularity of this technology simplifies the process of generating novel recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV) vectors with enhanced targeting capacity for a variety of disease indications. Tavira Therapeutics is currently leveraging rAAV gene therapy capabilities and expertise developed at KU Leuven to help achieve its goals. 


Making sure that rAAV vectors are more efficient at delivering their precious cargo to the right cells has been a challenge for gene therapy for quite some time. However, a few years ago, the Trellis Research Group headed by Prof. Dr. Els Henckaerts at KU Leuven developed an innovative process that equips rAAV vectors with molecules that accurately target them towards their intended locations. This advancement enables more efficient delivery and can help future rAAV gene therapies to have fewer side effects. Working with her colleagues Benjamien Moeyaert, Veronick Benoy, Inge Van Hove and Vibha Tamboli, Prof. Henckaerts co-founded Tavira Therapeutics with General Inception in 2023, with the intention of bringing this new technology to patients. The company has so far attracted more than one million euros in pre-seed financing, including additional investment from General Inception (via 'Igniter Europe’, an industrial holding affiliated with General Inception) as well as new funding from the Gemma Frisius Fund of KU Leuven


"These additional investments in Tavira Therapeutics will help accelerate the advancement of our innovative rAAV capsid platform technology, driving further development and enhancing its potential impact," said Prof. Henckaerts. "In collaboration with our partners, we strive to create new gene therapies that will provide breakthrough treatments for genetic disorders that are currently incurable. At the moment, we are focusing on diseases of the central nervous system, but we are hoping to move into additional indications in the near future." 


The company has achieved crucial in vitro data and is looking to obtain in vivo validation for the technology in the next few months. As Tavira Therapeutics matures its platform technology, the company currently plans to build a senior management team, to develop its lead asset towards pre-IND stage and prepare for business partnerships with leading biopharma companies. 


With this in mind, the company has recently appointed Bob Smith as its Independent Chair of the Board of Directors, bringing a wealth of experience and a distinguished career in gene therapy, including his recent role as Senior Vice President, Global Gene Therapy Business at Pfizer. This appointment marks a significant step in Tavira’s company building efforts and strategic growth. 


"I’m excited to be joining the Tavira Therapeutics Board of Directors as its Independent Chair and to help the Tavira Therapeutics team to further research and advance the development of its innovative gene therapy platform" stated Mr. Smith


Prof. Dr. Els Henckaerts, co-founder of Tavira Therapeutics, says: “The gene therapy field is in need of innovative delivery systems that give us the ability to target cells more effectively and to help us produce better therapies for the people that desperately need them. Tavira Therapeutics is working towards providing that innovation. It is our ambition to see our research reach the clinic and help change the lives of patients suffering from debilitating genetic disorders.” 


Prof. Dr. Els Henckaerts and Bob Smith


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