Last checked at 11 Oct 2022 07:00
PRESS RELEASE
11 October 2022
Genflow Biosciences Plc
("Genflow" or "the Company")
Genflow Research Programme conducted with IVEX Lab Receives Non-Dilutive Grant Worth Quarter of a Million Euros from Enterprise Estonia
Genflow (LSE: GENF) is pleased to announce that its adeno-associated virus ("AAV") research and development programme in Estonia, operated in collaboration with IVEX lab OÜ ("IVEX"), an Estonian company specialising in the research and development of biotechnology therapeutics, has received a non-dilutive grant award of €250,000 from the Applied Research Programme of Enterprise Estonia, an Estonian governmental institution designed to stimulate business growth in the country.
The research and development programme is a collaborative project between Genflow and IVEX focused on the development of an anti-aging gene therapy platform designed to target nearly 100 million patients worldwide who suffer from Werner's syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease ("NAFLD"), and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, an advanced form of NAFLD, as well as other major clinical disorders.
IVEX, which is a leading biotech that has partnered with the largest universities in Estonia: Tallinn University of Technology and University of Tartu, is a strategic partner for Genflow. In April 2021, Genflow BE entered into a collaborative research agreement with IVEX to optimise the design of AAV vector delivery methods for anti-aging therapies based on Sirtuin-6, a gene variant that is found in centenarians shown to have significant capabilities to repair DNA damage contributing to aging, and for the large-scale production of AAV vectors for in vivo study in animal models.
As part of the funded programme, Genflow and IVEX intend to create precise tools to evaluate the effect of Genflow's gene therapy drug candidates at unseen resolutions and precision levels which will likely optimise gene delivery and improve gene therapies.
Additionally, the Company envisions that the anti-aging gene therapy platform being developed promises a significant reduction of animal studies and will determine the optimal drug dose and formulation prior to the start of clinical trials. Furthermore, the project will seek to develop a series of alternative novel gene therapy platforms in collaboration with the University of Tartu for the precise delivery of a candidate drug. The initial results are anticipated to be released in Q3 2023.
The Company believes that the non-dilutive grant received by IVEX from Enterprise Estonia will support the acceleration of the project's development of anti-aging gene therapies and expedite Genflow's drug development programme.
Genflow is a UK-based biotechnology company focused on longevity and the development of therapies to counteract the effects of aging and diseases associated with advanced age.
Dr Eric Leire, Founder and CEO of Genflow, said: "We are delighted and honored by the Estonian government's decision to award this grant to the research programme Genflow is conducting in collaboration with IVEX Lab. The grant will enhance Genflow's future therapeutic developments and boost the Company's pre-clinical drug discovery and research initiatives, aimed at assisting people to live longer, healthier lives. I congratulate the Genflow team and IVEX Lab for obtaining this encouraging financing, which confirms confidence in the ant-aging science underpinning our business and our long-term goals."
Illar Pata, Chief Executive Officer and Owner of IVEX Lab OÜ, said: "Our greatest asset in the field of gene therapy vehicle development is the clear understanding about the specificity and efficiency of therapeutic gene expression. The grant is supporting IVEX Lab OÜ to develop the preclinical platform for the precise assessment of drug candidates and their therapeutic performance."
For further information please contact:
Genflow Biosciences Plc | |
Dr Eric Leire Chief Executive | via Tancredi +44 203 434 2330 |
Clear Capital Markets Ltd | |
Corporate Broker Jonathan Critchley Keith Swann | +44 203 869 6086 +44 203 897 0981 |
Tancredi Intelligent Communication Media Relations | |
Salamander Davoudi Helen Humphrey Benedetta Negri da Oleggio | +44 7957 549 906 +44 7449 226 720 +44 7838 029 970 genflowbio@tancredigroup.com |
About Genflow
Genflow is a UK-based biotechnology company established in 2020. The Company is developing gene therapies designed to target the aging process and to reduce and delay the incidence of age-related diseases. This will be done through novel therapeutics targeting aging in humans by using adeno associated virus ("AAV") vectors to deliver copies of the Sirtuin-6 ("SIRT6") gene variant that is found in centenarians into cells.
Its mission is to increase understanding of the factors that control and impact lifespan. Genflow researches, develops, and commercialises therapeutic solutions to lengthen health span, the amount of time we live in good health, creating biological interventions that enable longer and healthier lives. Genflow is dedicated to the development and commercialisation of novel therapeutics targeting aging in dogs and humans. By treating aging, Genflow can contribute to a decrease in healthcare costs and lessen the emotional and societal burden that comes with an aging population.
To learn more visit www.genflowbio.com
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