January 17th 2024
The amazing team of the “Future of Drug Discovery” podcast invited our co-founder and CEO Björn Schimmöller to share more about iuvantium and what we are building. It was a great conversation with Murat Tunaboylu, CEO of the brilliant antibody discovery company Antiverse (www.antiverse.io).
Sit down and have a listen to sharing his vision for iuvantium and what excites him about the journey ahead.
He touches on iuvantium’s mission, how serendipity had profound influence on his career development and the ultimately birth of iuvantium. He shares how he became aware of the groundbreaking technology invented by our co-founder Jon Austyn, the team came together, the vision for the company and his experiences during fundraising.
You can find the podcast HERE – we hope you enjoy and if you have questions get in touch with us.
June 9th 2023
Innovate UK “Transformative Technologies” grant awarded to develop rationally designed immune modulators for infectious diseases
Iuvantium Ltd, a deep tech start-up in the life science sector merging translational immunology, materials science, engineering principles, and AI/ML is pleased to announce the award of competitive funding from Innovate UK that recognizes the transformative technology of the company. This 100% non-dilutive research grant worth £49,143 for ‘engineering biology’ will be used to develop inorganic immune modulators that can deliver Th17 responses for next-generation vaccines against bacterial and fungal-based infectious diseases. Current vaccines simply do not deliver the necessary high-quality Th17 responses for these diseases, due to the lack of a potent immune modulator (adjuvant), resulting in millions of potentially vaccine-preventable deaths per year, globally.
Founded by materials scientist Dr. Björn Schimmöller, and immunobiologist Prof. Jon Austyn (University of Oxford), iuvantium’s mission is to harness the power of cross-disciplinary collaboration, cutting-edge technology, and ethical principles to revolutionize the field of immune therapies, especially next-generation vaccines, cell therapies and drugs targeting infectious diseases and cancers.
The CEO Dr. Schimmöller notes “The awarded grant is validation of the transformative nature of our technology, and we are excited to be selected as one of the 281 successful recipients of the “Transformative Technologies” call by Innovate UK”. He continues saying “The 100% non-dilutive fund will enable the company to synthesise rationally designed inorganic immune modulators for sampling to our commercial partners. Together we will rewrite the narrative on vaccines for bacterial infections, changing patients’ lives forever.” The Chief Scientific Officer, Jon Austyn, adds “Securing this competitive funding within 6 months of founding the company is a key inflection point for iuvantium. Eventually our technology should enable us to design and deliver immune modulators that can specifically induce the immune responses necessary for defence against other major pathogens as well as cancers. Focussing on Th17 responses with Innovate UK’s support will be just the first step in enabling delivery of truly effective, next-generation immune therapies.”
The project commenced June 1st and will be completed in 6 months.
Notes for Editors:
About Innovate UK:
Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is creating a better future by inspiring, involving and investing in businesses developing life-changing innovations.
We provide targeted sectors with expertise, facilities and funding to test, demonstrate and evolve their ideas, driving UK productivity and economic growth. Join our network and communities of innovators to realise the potential of your ideas and accelerate business growth. Innovate UK: inspiring business innovation.
About iuvantium:
We envision a future where the power of human compassion and collaboration transcends boundaries, making transformative healthcare solutions available to all. We aspire to be at the forefront of innovation in the field of immune therapies, revolutionizing the way diseases are treated and prevented. By decoding the intricacies of the immune system and harnessing the potential of inorganic materials, we pioneer novel approaches that shape the development of next-generation vaccines, cellular therapies and drugs.
Our vision is to serve as the catalyst for positive change, partnering with pharmaceutical companies to realize a world free from the shackles of cancer and infectious diseases. Through our work, we envision a future where preventable suffering is eradicated, lives are saved, and individuals are empowered to reach their fullest potential. Together, we will build a world where healthcare knows no boundaries and the human spirit flourishes.
Contact:
Björn Schimmöller, CEO
e-mail: bjoern@iuvantium.com
website: www.iuvantium.com
connect at: LinkedIn
