Laverock Therapeutics raises £13.5m to accelerate gene silencing platform

According to the company, this funding will enable further development of its GEiGS technology and progression of the company's programmes in regenerative medicine and immuno-oncology.

These programmes are focused on type 1 diabetes and solid tumour responsive T-cell and macrophage based immune therapies, through to in vitro and in vivo validation.

A key part of this next phase will be bringing on new members of the team and expanding lab facilities, Laverock added.

David Venables, CEO of Laverock, commented: “GEiGS is already showing significant potential to transform the safety and efficacy of advanced therapies and we are excited that this new investment will allow us to progress towards pre-clinical candidate selection. We’re pleased to welcome such an experienced group of investors on board, bringing extensive sector expertise which will help us to grow as a company and accelerate the development of targeted, responsive treatments.”

Elizabeth Klein, investment director at Calculus, said: “We are delighted to support Laverock and its exceptional management team, led by CEO David Venables, as the company embarks on its next phase of expansion, pioneering a new era of programmable advanced therapies. We backed David's previous venture, Synpromics, which delivered an exceptional return for Calculus investors in 2019. Laverock's ambitious plans hold tremendous potential for the healthcare sector, and we are excited to be part of the journey.”   

The investment round was led by Calculus Capital with additional participation by Eli Lilly and Company, Mercia Ventures, Maven Capital Partners, Eos, UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund and Tekfen Ventures.