Esphera SynBio closes seed financing round to develop nanomedicine vaccines for cancer and infectious disease

Breakthrough platform of proprietary transgenes generates therapeutic exosomes in vivo

OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Esphera SynBio ("Esphera"), a synthetic biology company, today announced the closing of a $2M USD seed financing round. The financing builds on the Company's advanced R&D activities and proceeds are directed at the identification of an initial cancer vaccine clinical candidate and general corporate purposes.  Seed investors GKCC and FACIT supported the financing.

Using synthetic biology, Esphera produces engineered exosomes through the expression of proprietary transgenes that serve as nanomedicines. Unlocking new possibilities in vaccine innovation, the company applies the technology platform for the development of therapeutics for cancer and infectious disease.

"This financing enables us to validate our vaccine platform and advance a potential best-in-class therapy for patients living with cancer," said Dr. Brian Lichty, co-founder and CEO of Esphera. "While our clear focus is on advancing toward future clinical trials, maximizing the broad potential of our technology will also necessitate the exploration of strategic partnerships."

Esphera's innovative platform produces therapeutic nanomedicines that can act as powerful immunostimulants, delivering customized antigenic payloads to stimulate robust immune responses. These nanomedicines are designed to enhance the efficacy of vaccines, offering personalized solutions to combat infectious disease.

"With the fields of engineered exosomes and therapeutic vaccines undergoing rapid evolution, Esphera's pioneering approach places the Company at the forefront of a transformative opportunity for patient care," said Dr. David O'Neill, Chair of the Board of Directors of Esphera and President of FACIT. "Esphera's team of entrepreneurial scientific leaders has the experience required to build a strong pipeline of innovative therapeutics."

The Company is based on foundational intellectual property from the labs of Drs. Carolina Ilkow and John Bell at The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and Dr. Lichty at McMaster University, and operates research facilities in Hamilton, Ontario and Ottawa, Ontario.

About Esphera SynBio Inc.

Esphera is a seed stage Canadian biotechnology company combining innovative technologies developed at McMaster University and the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute.  These technologies utilize synthetic biology approaches to modify cells through the expression of proprietary transgenes causing the production of engineered exosomes that serve as nanomedicines for the treatment and prevention of human disease. Esphera is developing cancer immunotherapies, vaccines and immunomodulatory therapies for a range of human diseases. To learn more please visit espherasynbio.ca.

SOURCE Esphera SynBio