PharmaVentures advises Lausanne Hospital (CHUV) and EPFL on their collaboration and founding of Aerium Therapeutics to develop their highly potent SARS-CoV-2 antibodies

LONDON, March 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PharmaVentures is pleased to announce that it acted as transaction advisor to Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and EPFL in Switzerland on their commercial terms related to the collaboration and licensing of their highly potent SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies to the newly founded biopharmaceutical company Aerium Therapeutics, based in Boston, MA, USA and Lausanne, Switzerland.

Aerium Therapeutics is focused on discovering and developing novel monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and antiviral treatments against SARS-CoV-2. Its initial efforts are focused on two monoclonal antibodies that, in preclinical testing, have shown potent neutralisation of important COVID-19 Variants of Concern (VOCs), including Delta, Omicron and the recent Omicron subvariants BA.1, BA.1.1, BA.2, and is thus markedly more potent than all authorised or clinically advanced anti-SARS-CoV-2 mAbs. 

The company has recently emerged with substantial Series A financial backing by the founding investor Omega Funds with the participation of F-Prime Capital. Aerium was seeded and incubated by Omega Funds in 2021 and started in collaboration with its two scientific founders, Dr. Giuseppe Pantaleo (CHUV) and Dr. Didier Trono (EPFL) in Switzerland. Both scientists are applying their substantial expertise and research capabilities to discover new mAbs against SARS-CoV-2.

This follows the recent announcement that this novel antibody is one of the most powerful identified so far against all SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. In addition to its antiviral properties, the antibody has been designed to provide protection to those patients most vulnerable.

Fintan Walton, Founder and CEO of PharmaVentures, said, "We are delighted to have advised CHUV and EPFL on their commercial terms for this break-through research that has significant potential to protect those who are left as most vulnerable to COVID-19."

Dr. Giuseppe Pantaleo, Professor of Medicine at the CHUV, Head of Immunology and Allergy Division said, "Our collaboration with Aerium Therapeutics will be key in delivering these antibodies to the clinical stage, where they have the potential to play an important role in the control and the prevention of COVID-19, particularly in all those who are not protected by vaccination."

For further information contact:

Lisa Holloway
Senior Marketing Manager
PharmaVentures Ltd
+44 (0) 1865 332 700
enquiries@pharmaventures.com

About PharmaVentures

PharmaVentures is a premier transaction advisory firm and a leading international company in partnering, M&A deals and strategic alliances. For over 30 years, PharmaVentures has acted as advisor on over 900 deal related projects covering licensing, mergers, acquisitions, divestments, and joint venture activities for companies world-wide.

PharmaVentures' deep bank of specialist experience, deal analytics and network of contacts among innovators and large pharma makes it uniquely placed to support business in all aspects of deal making and strategic planning. PharmaVentures is well known for its deep insight into deal structures and its success for generating partnering interest.

PharmaVentures' services include:

• M&A (divestments, mergers, acquisitions, and strategic transactions)
• Licensing (in and out licensing)
• Fundraising Support
• Strategy (commercialisation, deal strategy, due diligence, market entry)
• Valuation and Positioning (licensing, M&A, and fundraising)

PharmaVentures is based in Oxford, UK, and employs over 20 professionals and has associates in Europe and Asia-Pacific.

PharmaVentures Capital Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of PharmaVentures Ltd. All regulated activities are delivered through PharmaVentures Capital Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (741356).

For more details, visit https://www.pharmaventures.com

About CHUV

Lausanne University Hospital is one of the five university hospitals in Switzerland, with Geneva, Bern, Basel and Zurich. With its 16 clinical and medico-technical departments and their numerous services, the CHUV is renowned for its academic achievements in health care, research, and teaching.

The CHUV is also a well-known center of medical education and research thanks to its collaboration with the Faculty of Biology and Medicine of the University of Lausanne and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL). Together, these institutions form a vast campus in the Lake Geneva region.

About EPFL

EPFL (www.epfl.ch), one of the two Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology, based in Lausanne, is Europe's most cosmopolitan technical university with students, professors and staff from over 120 nations. A dynamic environment, open to Switzerland and the world, EPFL is centered on its three missions: teaching, research and technology transfer. EPFL works together with an extensive network of partners including other universities and institutes of technology, developing and emerging countries, secondary schools and colleges, industry and economy, political circles and the general public, to bring about real impact for society.