SINGAPORE, Sept. 11, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lightstone Ventures (LSV) today announced that MediSix Therapeutics Pte Ltd., an early-stage cell therapy company developing novel therapeutics to target T-cell leukemia and lymphoma, has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with the National University of Singapore (NUS).
Lightstone Singapore, L.P. and Professor Dario Campana from the Department of Pediatrics, NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine founded MediSix in 2016 to develop novel Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell immunotherapies. Through this licensing agreement, effective August 7, 2017, MediSix is licensing certain patent and technology rights from NUS. MediSix will further develop the underlying intellectual property (IP) for commercial applications.
“MediSix is very representative of Lightstone Singapore’s company creation efforts,” said Kenneth D. Noonan, CEO, Lightstone Singapore Pte. Ltd. “By working with experienced entrepreneurs and world class scientists like Dario, we are able to translate novel, disruptive technologies currently residing in prestigious research institutions across Singapore into commercially viable companies.”
“The NUS technologies licensed through this agreement will enable MediSix to develop breakthrough treatments for T-cell blood cancers, an area where effective immunotherapies are currently lacking,” said Professor Dario Campana. “With Lightstone’s resources and company-building experience, we expect that MediSix will quickly achieve its goal of delivering life-saving therapies to patients with these malignancies.”
“NUS Enterprise is delighted to see entrepreneurial faculty, like Professor Campana, collaborate with funds such as Lightstone to form innovative biotech companies focused on developing new life-saving therapies,” said Sean Flanigan, Director, NUS Industry Liaison Office (a division of NUS Enterprise), which facilitated the licensing agreement.
About MediSix Therapeutics Pte. Ltd.
MediSix Therapeutics Pte Ltd is an early-stage cell therapy company that is taking a novel approach to develop chimeric antigen receptor (“CAR”) T cells to target T cell lymphoma and leukemia. The company was founded by Dario Campana, M.D. PhD. with initial investment from Lightstone Singapore, L.P., a Singapore-focused fund founded in 2016 by Lightstone Ventures.
About Lightstone Ventures
Lightstone Ventures (LSV) was founded in 2012 by the General Partners of the life science teams at Advanced Technology Ventures (ATV) and Morgenthaler Ventures to invest in early-stage breakthrough medical device and biopharmaceutical companies that have the potential to change medicine. Members of the Lightstone team have been involved in several of the largest, venture-backed life science exits over the last decade. The firm has offices in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. For more information, visit www.lightstonevc.com.
About NUS Enterprise
NUS Enterprise plays a pivotal role in advancing innovation and entrepreneurship at NUS and beyond. It actively promotes entrepreneurship and cultivates global mind-sets and talents through the synergies of experiential entrepreneurial education, active industry partnerships for technology and commercialisation, holistic entrepreneurship support and catalytic entrepreneurship outreach. Its initiatives and global connections support a range of entrepreneurial journeys and foster ecosystem building in new markets. As Asia’s Thought Leader for Innovation & Enterprise, it augments and complements the University’s academic programmes and acts as a unique bridge to industry well beyond Singapore’s shores.
Media Contact:
Donna von Halle
dvonhalle@comcast.net
