IGEM Therapeutics (IGEM), an immuno-oncology company developing novel immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to treat cancer announced the appointment of Dr Tim Wilson as CEO, it also recently closed a Series A investment deal with Epidarex Capital for £2 million.
Tim Wilson joined IGEM as CEO with 28 years' experience in the life sciences sector, ranging from venture capital and start-ups to investment banking and equity research.
Wilson has worked with hundreds of private and public life science companies in the US and Europe at all stages of development, from start-ups to industry leaders.
He holds a PhD in molecular biology from Cambridge University and a BSc in biochemistry from Imperial College, London.
Dr Tim Wilson, CEO at IGEM, said: “I am excited to be joining IGEM. The raising of £2 million in Series A funding is a testament to the compelling research results generated by Dr [Sophia] Karagiannis and her team at KCL. I look forward to leading the Company as we create important new therapies for the treatment of cancer.”
Dr Sophia Karagiannis, Researcher at King’s College London and Scientific Founder of IGEM, said: “The funding from Epidarex Capital will enable IGEM to grow its portfolio of IgE antibody candidates and to develop its antibody platform. We believe that IgE antibodies are ideally suited to the treatment of solid tumours and we look forward to working with IGEM to realise their potential.”
The funding will enable IGEM to continue to invest in pipeline development as it builds its portfolio of IgE antibody candidates, including those that target folate receptor alpha, HER2, EGFR and PD-L1, and will support the further development of IgE antibody platform technology based on protein and glyco-engineering.
The epsilon constant region of IgE has evolved to fight complex, multicellular parasitic organisms resident in tissue by recruiting powerful immune effector cells such as macrophages, basophils and monocytes.
IGEM believes potent immune responses arising from IgE are suited to the destruction of solid tumours which also reside in tissue. Dr Karagiannis’s team has demonstrated superior efficacy for IgE versus cognate immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies in a range of pre-clinical cancer models.
Dr Peter Finan, Venture Partner at Epidarex Capital, said: “IGEM is pursuing an exciting and differentiated approach to cancer therapy. Epidarex is delighted to have created IGEM and led the Series A investment. We are also very pleased to have been able to recruit Dr Tim Wilson to lead IGEM as CEO. We look forward to working closely with him to build a highly innovative company at the forefront of cancer.”
