VECT-HORUS Raises 2.5 M€ To Finance Its Development Projects In The "Targeted Therapy" Field
Marseille, 22 Mars 2017 - The French biotechnology start up VECT-HORUS, a European leader in the design of vectors that facilitate the delivery of drugs into the brain and other organs, announces completion of a new fund raising round for 2.5 million euros, from private shareholders including Société de Capital Risque (SCR) Provençale et Corse, a wholly owned subsidiary of Banque Populaire Méditerranée (BPMed). Since its creation, VECT-HORUS raised over 17 M€, including 6 M€ in grants and research tax credit.
This new fundraising will allow the company to increase its technological lead in vectorisation and development of innovative therapeutic and imaging molecules for the treatment of indications with high unmet medical needs. Indeed, VECT-HORUS, through its VECTrans® technology, provides ground-breaking solutions for innovation in high therapeutic needs indications such as central nervous system diseases and some cancers.
The first research cooperation agreements with major pharmaceutical groups have been signed and with the strengthening of its group of investors, the company has secured significant financial resources to carry out its targeted therapy programmes. The company business plan of the company is aimed at achieving a balance between its research and development programmes and an increasing income flow through alliances with leading pharmaceutical companies. Sauveur Cascone, Head of development at SCR Provençale et Corse, declared “We particularly appreciate the VECT-HORUS team and their technology applicable to large markets thanks to their highly innovative offering intended for large pharmaceutical companies, including the most famous and the most important in that sector. By entering in the share capital of this company, we continue to fulfil our mission as a cooperative bank serving its region and supporting the creation of innovative companies.“
“We are very pleased with the continued support from our historical shareholders and with the arrival of new private investors, and particularly with the participation of SCR Provençale et Corse in this fundraising campaign. We reached an important stage that will help in anchoring the company in the region” said Alexandre Tokay, CEO of VECT-HORUS.
About VECT-HORUS
VECT-HORUS is a French biotechnology company that designs and develops vectors to facilitate the delivery of drugs or imaging agents into the brain and other organs. VECT-HORUS developed highly specific and stable vectors protected by several families of patents and patent applications. By combining pharmaceutical agents to its vectors, VECT-HORUS enables their transport across the BBB, which significantly impedes brain delivery of most drugs. The company has demonstrated proof of concept of the technology in animal models by developing different vectorized molecules, among them the endogenous neuropeptide neurotensin, which is in regulatory preclinical studies. The technology has also enabled the signing of a scientific collaboration agreement with SANOFI in the field of neurodegenerative diseases. Founded in 2005, VECT-HORUS is a spin-off from the CNRS-Aix Marseille University NICN laboratory directed by Dr. Michel Khrestchatisky. Its founders are Alexandre Tokay, Chairman, and Michel Khrestchatisky, Scientific Counsel. VECT-HORUS has 21 employees, mostly in R&D, including Dr. Jamal Temsamani, head of Development and Corporate. The Company is involved in the DHUNE program (www.dhune.org). This multidisciplinary university-hospital federation is accredited as a national and international excellence center for neurodegenerative diseases with the aim of achieving significant progress on these diseases in the next 5 years. www.vect-horus.com
VECT-HORUS is one of the 15 ‘success stories’ among 1,000 companies spun off CNRS laboratories. Press here to download the Press kit: http://www2.cnrs.fr/presse/communique/3837.htm
About Banque Populaire Méditerranée
With 2,380 employees and 244 agencies, Banque Populaire Méditerranée is involved on a daily basis with 520,000 customers, including 5,000 companies and 160,000 members. It is present in the following administrative regions (”départements”): Alpes Maritimes, Var, Corsica, Bouches-du-Rhône and Vaucluse.
As a cooperative entity, since its creation in 1920, the bank combines, competency and proximity, expertise and innovation to give its customers the level of excellence they expect and, with them, to support the economic dynamics of its region.
It offers the best in electronic and human interaction.
The Société de Capital Risque Provence et Corse is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Banque Populaire Méditerranée. It holds interests in 25 companies in the region. As a major player in the local economy, the bank fosters the creation of innovative and technological companies.
www.bpmed.fr
Press Contacts
VECT-HORUS : Eve Leporq, + 33 (0) 6 62 46 84 82, servicepresse@votredircom.fr
BPMED : Marie-Dominique Champloy, + 33 (0) 4 91 17 68 96, marie-dominique.champloy@bpmed.fr
This new fundraising will allow the company to increase its technological lead in vectorisation and development of innovative therapeutic and imaging molecules for the treatment of indications with high unmet medical needs. Indeed, VECT-HORUS, through its VECTrans® technology, provides ground-breaking solutions for innovation in high therapeutic needs indications such as central nervous system diseases and some cancers.
The first research cooperation agreements with major pharmaceutical groups have been signed and with the strengthening of its group of investors, the company has secured significant financial resources to carry out its targeted therapy programmes. The company business plan of the company is aimed at achieving a balance between its research and development programmes and an increasing income flow through alliances with leading pharmaceutical companies. Sauveur Cascone, Head of development at SCR Provençale et Corse, declared “We particularly appreciate the VECT-HORUS team and their technology applicable to large markets thanks to their highly innovative offering intended for large pharmaceutical companies, including the most famous and the most important in that sector. By entering in the share capital of this company, we continue to fulfil our mission as a cooperative bank serving its region and supporting the creation of innovative companies.“
“We are very pleased with the continued support from our historical shareholders and with the arrival of new private investors, and particularly with the participation of SCR Provençale et Corse in this fundraising campaign. We reached an important stage that will help in anchoring the company in the region” said Alexandre Tokay, CEO of VECT-HORUS.
About VECT-HORUS
VECT-HORUS is a French biotechnology company that designs and develops vectors to facilitate the delivery of drugs or imaging agents into the brain and other organs. VECT-HORUS developed highly specific and stable vectors protected by several families of patents and patent applications. By combining pharmaceutical agents to its vectors, VECT-HORUS enables their transport across the BBB, which significantly impedes brain delivery of most drugs. The company has demonstrated proof of concept of the technology in animal models by developing different vectorized molecules, among them the endogenous neuropeptide neurotensin, which is in regulatory preclinical studies. The technology has also enabled the signing of a scientific collaboration agreement with SANOFI in the field of neurodegenerative diseases. Founded in 2005, VECT-HORUS is a spin-off from the CNRS-Aix Marseille University NICN laboratory directed by Dr. Michel Khrestchatisky. Its founders are Alexandre Tokay, Chairman, and Michel Khrestchatisky, Scientific Counsel. VECT-HORUS has 21 employees, mostly in R&D, including Dr. Jamal Temsamani, head of Development and Corporate. The Company is involved in the DHUNE program (www.dhune.org). This multidisciplinary university-hospital federation is accredited as a national and international excellence center for neurodegenerative diseases with the aim of achieving significant progress on these diseases in the next 5 years. www.vect-horus.com
VECT-HORUS is one of the 15 ‘success stories’ among 1,000 companies spun off CNRS laboratories. Press here to download the Press kit: http://www2.cnrs.fr/presse/communique/3837.htm
About Banque Populaire Méditerranée
With 2,380 employees and 244 agencies, Banque Populaire Méditerranée is involved on a daily basis with 520,000 customers, including 5,000 companies and 160,000 members. It is present in the following administrative regions (”départements”): Alpes Maritimes, Var, Corsica, Bouches-du-Rhône and Vaucluse.
As a cooperative entity, since its creation in 1920, the bank combines, competency and proximity, expertise and innovation to give its customers the level of excellence they expect and, with them, to support the economic dynamics of its region.
It offers the best in electronic and human interaction.
The Société de Capital Risque Provence et Corse is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Banque Populaire Méditerranée. It holds interests in 25 companies in the region. As a major player in the local economy, the bank fosters the creation of innovative and technological companies.
www.bpmed.fr
Press Contacts
VECT-HORUS : Eve Leporq, + 33 (0) 6 62 46 84 82, servicepresse@votredircom.fr
BPMED : Marie-Dominique Champloy, + 33 (0) 4 91 17 68 96, marie-dominique.champloy@bpmed.fr