THERAVECTYS raises €14.7 million
Paris, 16 October 2013 – THERAVECTYS, a French biotechnology company specialized in developing vaccines using lentiviral vector technology, today announced the finalisation of a €14.7 million financing round (US$20 million).
This financing round was completed by TETHYS, the holding company owned by the BETTENCOURT family, alongside Financière IDAT (Philippe ODDO), FGP Capital and other private investors.
Becoming one of the leading players in vaccination
“We wish to give our warmest thanks to all the investors, both new and existing ones, for the confidence they have shown by taking part in this financing round. This newly raised capital will allow THERAVECTYS to become a leader in the fields of vaccination and immunotherapy. It will enable the company to pursue the clinical development of its therapeutic anti-HIV vaccine, bring an oncology vaccine candidate to clinical trial by 2015 and help in setting up strategic partnerships with pharmaceutical firms”, says Jean-Pierre KINET, Chairman of the THERAVECTYS Board of Directors. As Chief Executive Officer Renaud VAILLANT puts it, “This investment materialises research done by the entire THERAVECTYS team, which has worked for more than six years to develop its unique expertise in lentiviral vector technology”.
The world’s first use of lentiviral vectors in the field of vaccines
“The THERAVECTYS development plan presented by the management team to shareholders in 2011 forecast the world’s first use of lentiviral vectors in vaccination by late 2012", says John PIETERS, the former CEO of AMGEN France and long-standing shareholder in THERAVECTYS. He adds, “And this happened the end of 2012 with the start-up of the clinical trial of our therapeutic anti-HIV vaccine. The team’s ability to meet its deadlines and keep its commitments has persuaded me to invest in the company for the third time.”
A unique vaccine platform
Asked about the technological potential offered by THERAVECTYS, Sir Thomas McKILLOP, former CEO of ASTRAZENECA and current independent director of THERAVECTYS says: “The phase I/II clinical trial of a therapeutic anti-HIV vaccine currently under way highlights the unique potential of the THERAVECTYS vaccine platform and opens the way to building a broad portfolio of products that can rapidly be tested in clinical trials”.
A biopharmaceutical company on an international scale
“By taking part in this financing round, the BETTENCOURT family supports the ambition at THERAVECTYS to develop innovative therapeutic solutions to cover unmet medical needs and meet the major challenges facing the public health system”, explains Jean-Pierre MEYERS, CEO of TETHYS. “Moreover, THERAVECTYS must continue to set up worldwide partnerships with research institutes as well as pharmaceutical companies”, he adds.
About THERAVECTYS
THERAVECTYS is a French biotechnology company that is developing a new generation of vaccines based on lentiviral vector technology. This breakthrough technology came from fundamental research at Institut Pasteur. It is expected to enable the prevention or effective treatment of many diseases in which the induction of effective cellular immune response is required: viral diseases (HIV), bacterial or parasitic diseases, cancers, etc. Since its creation, THERAVECTYS has been working to develop a therapeutic anti-HIV vaccine whose phase I/II clinical trial is currently under way. Benefiting from an exclusive world licence agreement with Institut Pasteur and financial support from public authorities (Bpifrance, i.e. the former OSEO, and ANR), THERAVECTYS is continuing to invest in research and development to fight against other pathologies. Alone or in collaboration with other pharmaceutical players, THERAVECTYS plans shortly to begin developing new candidate vaccines.
Contact THERAVECTYS
Romain Gohaud (CFO)
+33 1 43 90 19 20
contact@theravectys.com
Press Relations Contact ALIZE RP
Caroline Carmagnol and Christian Berg
+ 33 6 64 18 99 59 / + 33 1 70 22 53 86 / + 33 6 31 13 76 20
caroline@alizerp.com / christian@alizerp.com
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