Vigene Biosciences Secures New Funding to Advance Viral Vector Therapies for Genetic Disorders
Vigene Biosciences
Gene Therapy Product and Service Provider
Signet Healthcare Partners
Venture Capital Firms
It is reported that this round of financing was led by Signet Healthcare Partners. In addition, Vigene Biosciences has expanded its board of directors, with Ashley Friedman, Managing Director at Signet Healthcare Partners, joining the board of Vigene Biosciences.
Vigene Biosciences, established in 2012, is a medical technology company specializing in the research of viral vectors, with the aim of advancing life science research and gene therapy applications. The company currently offers plasmids, AAV, lentivirus, adenovirus, and other types of viral vectors, all of which have received FDA approval.
Take adeno-associated virus (AAV) as an example. AAV is a small, single-stranded DNA virus that does not cause disease after being delivered into the human body and can replicate spontaneously with the assistance of a helper virus. Meanwhile, once inside the human body, AAV cannot remain active within the host genome indefinitely; it automatically becomes inactivated after a period of time and degrades into small molecules that are harmless to the human body. These characteristics make AAV a favorable tool for delivering targeted genes into various types of cells.
Although viral vector therapies are favored by the industry, their effective utilization is challenging because viruses rapidly lose activity once they leave host cells, and current medical technologies cannot control the trafficking of viral vectors within the human body. Vigene Biosciences has addressed this medical challenge with its developed rAAV. rAAV is an engineered adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector that offers the following advantages: (1) Stable monitoring: The rAAV vector carries green fluorescent protein (GFP), enabling medical teams to observe target gene integration by tracking the location of the fluorescent signal; (2) Targeted binding: The targeting protein molecules RFP-Cre attached to the rAAV help the viral vector accurately reach the target genome within specific cells, thereby enhancing therapeutic precision; (3) Low immunogenicity and non-disruptive nature: rAAV does not disrupt host cell structure, nor does it damage the original genomic architecture when integrating therapeutic molecules into the target genes. This allows for the treatment of underlying diseases while maintaining the relative stability of the human genetic system, thereby reducing the incidence of complications.
Currently, rAAV viral vectors are primarily used to treat Parkinson's disease. After entering the patient's body, rAAV can inhibit wild-type and mutant forms of α-synuclein within diseased cells, as well as the excessive replication of A53T α-synuclein associated with hereditary Parkinson's disease.
Dr. Zairen Sun of Vigene Biosciences stated, “We are deeply grateful for the support from our new investors. The industry has long focused on leveraging viral vectors to treat genetic diseases, but the inherent characteristics of viruses have hindered the realization of this goal. Currently, we are developing novel biotechnologies with the aim of accelerating the widespread clinical adoption of viral vector therapies, thereby bringing significant benefits to patients.”
Ashley Friedman, Managing Director at Signet Healthcare Partners, stated, “We are delighted to collaborate with the Vigene Biosciences team to develop innovative viral vector therapies. We hope to bring forth more innovative therapeutic agents in the medical field, helping patients with genetic diseases recover their health sooner.”
About Signet Healthcare Partners
Signet Healthcare Partners, founded in 1998, is a venture capital firm headquartered in New York, USA. It focuses on investing in both early-stage and late-stage startups in the healthcare sector. To date, it has completed 15 investments and manages $400 million in assets.
(Compiled by Liu Yujing)