From left: Dr Manus Rogan, Fountain Healthcare Partners; Dr Matt Cooper; Prof Luke O'Neill; and Dr Jeremy Skillington, Inflazome. Image: Nick Bradshaw
Dublin-based Inflazome has closed a $17m Series A funding round to develop products that tackle chronic inflammatory diseases from Parkinson’s to asthma, and from Alzheimer’s to arthritis.
The investment round was led by Fountain Healthcare Partners and Novartis Venture Fund.
Inflazome is developing inhibitors of the inflammasome, a compelling biological target that regulates our innate immune response and which is now associated with a wide variety of diseases.
‘Considering the breadth and depth of possible applications, the commercial potential for a successful small molecule inhibitor of this key target is clearly in the billions of dollars range’
– DR MANUS ROGAN
Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, Inflazome was founded by leading academics Prof Matt Cooper, of University of Queensland in Australia, and Prof Luke O’Neill, of Trinity College Dublin, following a highly productive joint collaboration.
Treatment options
“Inflammasome activation is now implicated in many diseases driven by chronic inflammation, from Parkinson’s to Asthma. These conditions are often inadequately treated by current therapies,” Dr Cooper said.
“We want to help people with debilitating diseases facing limited or no treatment options.”
Following the closure of the financing round, Florent Gros, managing director of Novartis Venture Fund, and Dr Manus Rogan, co-founder and managing director at Fountain Healthcare Partners, joined the board of directors of Inflazome.
“Considering the breadth and depth of possible applications, the commercial potential for a successful small molecule inhibitor of this key target is clearly in the billions of dollars range,” said Dr Rogan.
