
HTGF invests in hepatitis drug project
High-Tech Gründerfonds and Russian Government-backed Maxwell Biotech Venture Fund have invested in a joint project to develop a drug aimed at the treatment of chronic hepatitis B and D.
The drug, Myrcludex B, will be developed in a joint project between new Russian company Hepatera LLC and High-Tech Gründerfonds' portfolio company MYR GmbH, which holds the product rights for the drug.
Both companies will receive funding concurrently.
The idea for Myrcludex B was developed by the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) and University of Heidelberg in Germany.
Under MYR, with an initial €500.000 investment from High-Tech Gründerfonds, the drug was taken through the first phase of clinical testing in 2011.
The company hopes that the joint approach will enable the drug to move to a "proof of concept" trial within a few months.
Company
Hepatera was founded in Russia in September 2011 as a private biotech company. In December 2011 it became a resident at Skolkovo Innovation Center, a government-backed private initiative located close to Moscow.
The company specialises in developing liver disease-related drugs.
MYR was founded in 2010 and is situated in Burgwedel near Hannover.
People
Dmitri Popov is managing partner at Maxwell Biotech Venture Fund. Bernd Goergen is senior investment manager at High-Tech Gründerfonds.
Latest News
Stonehage Fleming raises USD 130m for largest fund to date, eyes 2024 programme
Multi-family office has seen strong appetite, with investor base growing since 2016 to more than 90 family offices, Meiping Yap told Unquote
Permira to take Ergomed private for GBP 703m
Sponsor deploys Permira VIII to ride new wave of take-privates; Blackstone commits GBP 200m in financing for UK-based CRO
Partners Group to release IMs for Civica sale in mid-September
Sponsor acquired the public software group in July 2017 via the same-year vintage Partners Group Global Value 2017
Change of mind: Sponsors take to de-listing their own assets
EQT and Cinven seen as bellweather for funds to reassess options for listed assets trading underwater