HERVolution Therapeutics Secures $11.7M to Advance HERV-targeting Therapies

In a significant stride for biotechnology, HERVolution Therapeutics, a start-up operating from New York and Copenhagen, has secured $11.7 million in series A funding. The investment, backed by the Serum Institute of India and the European Innovation Council, aims to propel the development of therapies targeting human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) to combat cancer and aging-related diseases. This funding could notably influence therapeutic approaches in these domains, enhancing choices for treatment and innovation.

HERVs, the vestiges of ancient viral infections in human ancestry, can reactivate, leading to various maladies, including cancer and diabetes, especially in aging populations. HERVolution, established by Peter Holst from the University of Copenhagen, is focused on re-engineering HERVs to make them discernible to the immune system. Under the leadership of CEO J. Robert Coleman, who joined in December 2023, the company is pioneering immunotherapies to break the immune tolerance that allows diseased cells to go undetected. Using adenoviral virus-like particles or mRNA in lipid nanoparticles, HERVolution is paving the way for innovative cancer treatments. The support from the Serum Institute of India is instrumental, as it leverages their experience in manufacturing adenovirus vector-based vaccines, which could expedite scaling HERVolution’s solutions.

HERVolution’s recent funding marks a vital leap towards advancing groundbreaking therapies against diseases triggered by reactivated HERVs. The company’s promising results in nonhuman models offer a glimpse of its potential impact. With these resources, HERVolution is set to initiate Phase 1 clinical trials, taking a crucial step towards revolutionizing therapeutic options in oncology and age-related diseases.

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