Maxiom Therapeutics, a Cambridge, UK-based biotechnology company advancing biologic medicines, raised $16M in Series A funding.
The round was led by LifeArc Ventures, Monograph Capital and BGF. As part of the financing, Dr Sohaib Mir (Senior Investment Principal at LifeArc Ventures), Dr Tim Funnell (Partner at Monograph Capital), and Lucy Edwardes Jones (Investor at BGF) will join Maxion’s Board of Directors alongside Dr McCafferty, Dr Karatt Vellatt as well as Dr Tom Weaver who is a Non-executive Director.The company intends to use the funds for the development of antibody drugs against ion channels and G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) using the proprietary KnotBody platform.Led by Dr John McCafferty (CEO and co-founder) and Dr Aneesh Karatt Vellatt (CSO and co-founder), Maxiom Therapeutics develops biologic medicines for ion channels and GPCRs, critical cell surface proteins involved in a wide range of previously untreatable or poorly-treated diseases, including autoimmune conditions and chronic pain. It is applying its patented KnotBody technology to generate potent, selective, and long-acting antibody-like target modulators. The KnotBody platform unlocks the discovery of biologics against ion channels and GPCRs by using naturally occurring cysteine-rich miniproteins called “knottins”, which modulate ion channels and GPCRs but have poor drug-like properties. These are fused onto the surface of antibodies, and the resulting “KnotBodies” combine the functional activity of knottins with the excellent drug properties of antibodies. Maxion’s early R&D efforts have yielded KnotBodies to several therapeutically relevant targets, which will be developed as selective and long-acting first-in-class and best-in-class therapeutics.15/02/2023
