Seroba Kernel
Life Sciences Confirm Additional €3.3M Investment in
Ospona Therapeutics
Dublin, Ireland - 19 May 2009: Seroba Kernel
Life Sciences confirmed today that the Roche Venture Fund
(the corporate venturing arm of pharmaceutical company Roche)
and Enterprise Ireland have invested a total of €3.3m
in Seroba Kernel investee Opsona Therapeutics. This follows
a syndicated investment in February 2009 bringing the total
Series B financing round to €21.3m.
“Roche is excited about investing in Opsona. Opsona's scientific
founder, Professor Luke O'Neill of Trinity College Dublin,
is world renowned for his expertise in Toll-like receptors
and innate immunity," said Carole Nuechterlein, Head of the
Roche Venture Fund when commenting on the announcement.
Seamus O’Hara, Partner at Seroba Kernel Life Sciences added
“Roche is a significant global player in the therapeutic areas
of interest to Opsona and its participation in this funding
round, along side the corporate venturing arms of Novartis
and Genentech, represents excellent corporate validation and
also adds an important source of commercial support for the
company as it moves its lead products towards the clinic.”
Commenting on today’s announcement John O’Dea, Head of Lifesciences
in the High Potential Start Up Department in Enterprise Ireland
said: “Opsona epitomises the type of innovative high potential
company that EI is keen to support, and shows what can be
achieved when the ambition and energy of a company are harnessed
and supported. The company has a solid business strategy and
strong links with industry and universities. Opsona has grown
its product pipeline by investing intensively in collaborative
R & D.”
END
Notes to Editors:
About Opsona Therapeutics
Opsona is a drug development company, focused on novel therapeutic
and preventative approaches to autoimmune and inflammatory
diseases. The company was founded in 2004 with three of Trinity
College Dublin’s respected Immunologists (Professors Luke
O’Neill, Kingston Mills and Dermot Kelleher). The company
is specifically interested in drugs which modulate the innate
immune system and its signaling, specifically Toll-Like Receptors
(TLR). Opsona has a pipeline of therapeutics in advanced pre-clinical
development which modulate the innate immune system, including
biologics and small molecules. The company has signed some
significant partnering and collaborative deals, such as with
Wyeth (USA). The company is based in Dublin and also has laboratories
in Lausanne, Switzerland. www.opsona.com
About Seroba Kernel Life Sciences
Seroba Kernel is a dedicated life science venture capital
fund manager with offices in Ireland and the UK. The firm
recently announced the first close of Seroba Kernel Life Sciences
Fund II with €75m in committed capital, bringing total funds
under management by the six-member team in the life science
sector to over €200m. The fund invests in European life science
companies with the majority of its capital invested in Ireland
and the UK. www.seroba-kernel.com
For media queries please contact:
Seamus O’Hara
Seroba Kernel Life Sciences
Phone: +353 1 6334028
Fax: +353 1 6779388
Mobile: +353 86 2479066
www.seroba-kernel.com
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