Themis Secures €40 Million Series D Financing to Advance Phase 3 Clinical Trial of Chikungunya Vaccine

On September 18, 2019, VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) learned from foreign media reports that Austrian vaccine developer Themis had completed a €40 million Series D financing round. The round was led by Farallon Capital and Hadean Ventures, with participation from MSD (Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA), Adjuvant Capital, Gruenderfonds, Omnes Capital, Ventech, and Wellington Partners Life Sciences.

Themis plans to use the proceeds from this financing round to accelerate its pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial program for a chikungunya vaccine and to support the further expansion of its proprietary measles virus vector platform into oncology indications. Upon closing of the transaction, Dr. Walter Stockinger, Executive Partner at Hadean Ventures, will join the Supervisory Board of Themis.

Themis is a chikungunya vaccine developer headquartered in Vienna, Austria. Initially focused on preventing infectious diseases, Themis has demonstrated the potential of its versatile platform through genetically organized vaccines that have completed Phase 2 and recently entered Phase 3 clinical development. Chikungunya is a debilitating disease with global outbreak potential. The candidate vaccine MV-CHIK is ready for Phase 3, with pivotal global Phase 3 trials expected to commence in the coming months.

Under the leadership of Dr. Erich Tauber, CEO of Themis, the company is developing immunomodulatory therapies for infectious diseases and cancer. Leveraging a deep understanding of immune system mechanisms, Themis has established a universal technology platform for the discovery, development, and production of vaccines, as well as for other immune system activation pathways.

The company’s other vaccine programs include Zika virus and Lassa fever vaccines currently under investigation in Phase I clinical trials, as well as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), norovirus, and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) vaccines in preclinical development.

Themis recently announced a collaboration with MSD to develop an undisclosed vaccine candidate. In 2018, the company launched its immuno-oncology portfolio and introduced its first therapeutic candidate into clinical studies this year.

Farallon is a U.S. investment firm that manages capital on behalf of institutional and individual investors. Founded by Tom Steyer in 1986, the company is headquartered in San Francisco, California, and employs approximately 165 professionals across eight countries worldwide. Farallon’s real estate investments span the United States, Europe, Latin America, and India.

Hadean Ventures is a life sciences fund that invests in life sciences companies across Europe, with a particular focus on the Nordic region. Hadean Ventures has offices in Oslo and Stockholm and collaborates with world-class academic institutions and startup hubs in the region.

Merck & Co., Inc., known as MSD in the United States and Canada, is an American pharmaceutical company and one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. The company is headquartered in Kenilworth, New Jersey, USA. On July 19, 2018, the Fortune Global 500 list was released, with Merck & Co., Inc. ranking 276th.

Adjuvant Capital is a New York-based venture capital firm focused on investments in the life sciences sector.

Grunderfonds is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on startups. Since its establishment in 2005, the company has helped entrepreneurs build more than 500 companies. Leveraging its expertise, entrepreneurial spirit, passion, and extensive investment experience, Grunderfonds supports the growth of startups. The firm primarily focuses on sectors such as software, media, internet, hardware, automation, healthcare, chemistry, and life sciences.

Omnes Capital invests in startups in the ICT and life sciences sectors. The firm currently manages €3.4 billion in assets.

Ventech is a venture capital firm in the digital economy sector, focusing on early-stage investments in Europe and China. Founded in 1998, the company has offices in Paris, Munich, and Helsinki. Ventech China handles investment activities across Asia and maintains an office in Shanghai.

Wellington Partners is a venture capital firm headquartered in Munich, Germany, specializing in investments in technology and life sciences companies. The firm currently manages approximately €800 million in assets and maintains offices in London, Munich, and Zurich.

(Compiled by Tian Shuhang)