Memo Therapeutics or “MTx” has successfully raised CHF 20 million as part of an extension of its Series C financing, bringing the total amount raised in the funding round to CHF 45 million. The new funding will be used to bolster the clinical advancement of MTx’s lead asset, AntiBKV for kidney transplant patients with a BK virus infection.
Schlieren-based Memo Therapeutics is a late-stage biotech company developing therapeutic antibodies for patients with viral infections and cancer. MTx’s lead program, AntiBKV, is a highly effective and safe neutralizing antibody to treat BK virus infection in kidney transplant recipients. This infection can lead to nephropathy, loss of kidney function, as well as organ failure and rejection. The disease represents a potential market in excess of $1 billion.
The new funding will be used to expand the Phase II trial of AntiBKV with a dose evaluation extension to be the largest BK viremia therapeutic study ever conducted in kidney transplant recipients. Initial data from the Phase II trial is expected in the first half of 2025.
The funding will further support the development of MTx’s pipeline by leveraging its B-cell screening platform to select best-in-class humanized antibodies in other viral infections and oncology.
New investors Ysios Capital and Kurma Partners participated in the extension round, joining existing Series C round investors including Pureos Bioventures, Swisscanto, Vesalius Biocapital, Adjuvant Capital, Verve Ventures, Schroders Capital, GF Group, Fresenius Medical Care Ventures and Redalpine. Thomas Harth, Principal at Ysios Capital and Hadrien Bouchez, Partner at Kurma Partners will join the Memo Therapeutics Board of Directors.
Erik van den Berg, CEO of Memo Therapeutics, commented: “This financing provides further external endorsement of the potential of our highly potent anti-BK virus mAb and our clinical strategy to bring it to patients as quickly as possible. There are more than 100,000 kidney transplants worldwide each year and 20,000 of these are at risk from developing BK virus associated nephropathy. With no disease modifying therapies available, there is an urgent need for a treatment. With FDA fast track status already obtained for the product, we look forward to rapidly progressing the development of AntiBKV.”
Thomas Harth, Principal at Ysios Capital stated: “We believe Memo Therapeutics has developed a very powerful antibody that can address the growing concern of BKV infections in kidney transplant recipients. By being able to preserve the kidney and ensure graft outcome, this antibody could offer a tremendous benefit to patients. Deriving antibodies in screening of the B-cell repertoire offers a route to best-in-class antibody medicines for multiple diseases. We believe MTx has one of the best engines to do so within the industry.”
Hadrien Bouchez, Partner at Kurma Partners added: “MTx has an exceptional leadership team with a proven track record of success. We are very excited to support the development of AntiBKV, an agent which has a unique efficacy and safety profile.”
(Press release / SK)
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