November 18, 2024
iuvantium Secures iiCON Funding to Revolutionize $95B+ Antimicrobial Therapeutics Market with ML-Driven Inorganic Therapeutics
iuvantium Ltd, a cutting-edge biotech startup at the intersection of materials science, translational immunology, and machine-learning has been awarded competitive funding from the infection innovation Consortium (iiCON) through the UKRI Tackling Infections Fund. This grant underscores the disruptive potential of iuvantium’s technology in addressing the global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis, a challenge expected to cause up to 10 million additional deaths annually and over £1 trillion in healthcare costs by 2050.
The secured funding will accelerate iuvantium’s development of a novel class of inorganic immune therapeutics, positioning the company to capture a significant share of the $95+ billion antimicrobial market. This innovative approach aims to induce antimicrobial activities directly in host cells, offering a potential solution to AMR that could reshape the entire landscape of infectious disease treatment.
Dr. Björn Schimmöller, CEO of iuvantium, states, “This iiCON grant is a pivotal moment for iuvantium and our shareholders. It validates our technology’s potential to address an urgent need and the opportunity to disrupt the status quo in antimicrobial therapies. We’re not just developing a new modality; we’re pioneering an entirely new approach to combat infections and fighting the increasing AMR crisis.”
Key Highlights:
Professor Emeritus Jon Austyn, Chief Scientific Officer at iuvantium, adds, “Our technology has the potential to redefine the boundaries of immunotherapy and antimicrobial treatment. The versatility of our platform opens up multiple revenue streams and partnership and opportunities across various therapeutic areas.”
The project, conducted in collaboration with the University of Liverpool (UoL) and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), will focus on evaluating the efficacy of iuvantium’s compounds against bacterial infection in human macrophage models. This research could lead to fast-track regulatory pathways and accelerated time-to-market.
Professor Neill Liptrott, Coordinator for Nanotherapeutics Hub at UoL, states, “Nanotechnology-enabled therapeutics have great potential and iuvantium’s technology platform offers a unique approach to tackle bacterial infections. I’m excited to work with the iuvantium team and assessing the cytocompatibility of this novel inorganic modality through our harmonised assay cascade.”
and Dr. Shaun Pennington, Lecturer in Infection and Immunity, at LSTM, adds, “We believe the technology developed by iuvantium could have direct antimicrobial activity against pathogens that survive and replicate inside host cells. Given increasing circulation of AMR amongst intracellular pathogens, particularly in LMICs, a simple and cost-effective solution, like the one developed by iuvantium, could be truly revolutionary.”
Each milestone in this collaborative project represents a value inflection point for iuvantium and our partners, potentially opening doors to strategic partnerships and additional funding opportunities.
The project commenced on November 1, 2024, with completion expected within 8 months, providing a rapid timeline for initial results and potential follow-on investment opportunities.
About iuvantium:
iuvantium is at the forefront of the next generation of biotech companies, leveraging AI, materials science, and immunology to develop transformative healthcare solutions. Our mission is to revolutionize the treatment of infectious diseases and cancer through innovative immune therapies. With a strong IP portfolio, a versatile technology platform, and a clear path to market, iuvantium represents a unique investment opportunity in the rapidly growing field of immune modulation and antimicrobial resistance.
About iiCON and the UKRI Tackling Infections Fund:
The Infection Innovation Consortium (iiCON) is a leading collaborative initiative aimed at accelerating the discovery, development, and deployment of innovative anti-infective strategies. The UKRI Tackling Infections Fund, administered by iiCON, supports groundbreaking research and development projects that bring disruptive technology, methodologies, or thinking to the issue of infectious diseases.
Contact:
Björn Schimmöller, CEO
e-mail: bjoern@iuvantium.com
website: www.iuvantium.com
connect at: LinkedIn
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
