BIOVEX RAISES $22 MILLION IN FIRST CLOSE OF SERIES
E FINANCING
Woburn, MA, July 9 2007
BioVex Inc, a company developing new generation biologics for the
treatment and prevention of cancer and infectious disease, announced
today it had raised $22m in the first close of a series E private
financing.
The placement was led by Triathlon Medical Ventures who were joined
by new investor New Science Ventures as well as existing investors
including ABN Amro (Forbion), Avalon Ventures, Credit Agricole Private
Equity, GeneChem Management of Montreal, Innoven Partners and Scottish
Equity Partners.
Philip Astley-Sparke, President & CEO for BioVex Inc
said:
"Building on the impressive data that has recently been
generated with our lead cancer product, OncoVEX GM-CSF , in the
clinic, the funds raised in this round will allow us to complete
our Phase II program and to complete preparations to advance OncoVEX
GM-CSF into a registration study in metastatic melanoma. The funds
will also be used to progress our lead infectious disease candidate,
a vaccine for genital herpes, through to Phase II. "
Suzette Dutch, Managing Partner for Triathlon Medical Ventures
Partners said:
"We are delighted to lead this funding round for BioVex, a clinical
stage company with proprietary breakthrough technology that has
the potential to address significant unmet needs in the treatment
of various cancers. We look forward to working with the management
team and our fellow investors towards accomplishing this goal".
BioVex
BioVex is a privately held biotechnology Company based in Woburn.
MA. The Company is developing a new class of potent biologics for
the treatment of cancer and prevention of infectious disease.
BioVex's lead cancer program, OncoVEX GM-CSF , is an oncolytic virus
that selectively destroys tumor cells accompanied by the induction
of a systemic immune response. OncoVEX GM-CSF is currently completing
a Phase II clinical trial for melanoma and Phase I/II clinical trials
for head & neck cancer and pancreatic cancer. Preliminary data
from these studies has been very encouraging demonstrating OncoVEX
GM-CSF has the potential to treat both local and metastatic disease.
The Company is currently preparing for an initial registration study
in melanoma where multiple responses have been demonstrated in an
ongoing Phase II trial testing OncoVEX GM-CSF as stand alone therapy
in patients with stage IIIc or stage IV metastatic disease.
The Company's second program is a vaccine for genital herpes, ImmunoVEX
HSV2 , which provides complete protection in animal models of the
disease. A Phase I study with ImmunoVEX HSV2 is scheduled to initiate
later this year. For more information visit the company's website
at www.biovex.com .
Triathlon Medical Ventures
Triathlon Medical Ventures is a Midwest-based venture capital firm
that invests exclusively in the life sciences, providing equity capital
to early- and expansion-stage companies with proprietary biomedical
technology platforms or products addressing significant human healthcare
needs. Triathlon is geographically focused on early-stage opportunities
in the Midwest but will also invest in later-stage companies nationwide.
The firm is headquartered in Cincinnati, with offices and partners
in Indianapolis, Louisville and St. Louis. www.tmvp.com
New Science Ventures
New Science Ventures is a New York-based venture capital fund focused
on science-based investments with the potential to address large
unmet needs and to create order of magnitude improvements in performance.
Previous investments have been in the biotechnology, medical device
and semiconductor sectors. NSV's portfolio includes investments in
the US, Europe, India and China.
# # #
Inquiries:
Philip Astley-Sparke
BioVex Inc
President & CEO
Tel: +1 781 376 4913
pastleysparke@biovex.com
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