ExeVir develops single-domain antibody-based therapies that help patients ward off viral infections. Our lead drug candidate is in accelerated development as a COVID-19 therapeutic.
COVID-19 is an unprecedented global threat, which requires a rapid response due to its tremendous impact on patients, health care systems, societies and economies. We aim to bring antiviral treatments to help stop the pandemic in its tracks and to protect those most vulnerable.
VHH are single-domain antibody fragments derived from camelids. Our lead compound, an enhanced variant of VHH72-FC, binds to a highly conserved region on the spikes of SARS-CoV-2, which are essential for the virus to enter the cell.
Stopping infection and viral replication supports the patient’s immune response by reducing the viral load and dampening local and systemic inflammation. This is particularly beneficial for those at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
The compound is in accelerated development as a therapeutic and holds potential as a prophylactic to protect healthcare workers, caregivers and people at increased risk of severe illness of COVID-19.
The concept of blocking viral replication using protein therapeutics built from camelid single domain antibody fragments is broadly applicable to a range of pathogens.
This platform technology enables an agile response to new health threats thanks to its short throughput time to generate drug candidates. The resulting protein-based therapeutics are sufficiently stable and easy to produce at a reasonable cost to enable true global access.
ExeVir collaborates closely with the laboratories of Prof. Saelens and Prof. Callewaert (VIB — Ghent University) to further develop new antiviral VHH antibodies.
ExeVir can count on an experienced management team able to leverage international expertise to rapidly advance VHH72-Fc through clinical development to reach patients and build the viral control platform.
Dominique is CMO of ExeVir Bio. She brings nearly 25 years of experience in clinical development of biologics and small molecules in various therapeutic areas including virology. Previously she was CMO of Bioncotech Therapeutics in the field of immuno-oncology. She has also served as CMO of Ablynx, responsible for the clinical development of their nanobody platform. Her pharmaceutical industry career included roles of increasing responsibility first in clinical development at Janssen Pharmaceutica and subsequently in regulatory strategy at Bristol-Myers Squibb. She received her medical degree from the University of Antwerp and she also has a MSc in economics from the University of London. In her free time Dominique enjoys visiting family, swimming and hiking.
Fiona is COO of ExeVir Bio. She brings nearly 20 years of experience in life sciences to the role. Previously, Fiona was Venture Partner at UCB Ventures. In prior roles, Fiona served as Evenity Commercial Lead and Head of EU, Bone at UCB. Prior to UCB, she led various teams at Eli Lilly, launching products across multiple therapeutics areas, managing business units and implementing changes through patent exclusivities and new models. Previously, Fiona also worked for McKinsey & Company covering healthcare clients in the US and Europe and worked in business development at GSK Biologicals. Fiona has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a MSc in Management from the Solvay Business School (ULB). She is a Fulbright and a Belgian American Education Foundation (BAEF) scholar. Fiona is a governor of the London Business School and a member of their audit and risk committee. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and four children, skiing, hiking and being outdoors.
Professor Nico Callewaert, scientific founder of ExeVir, is Director at the VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology and Professor of Biochemistry and Biotechnology at Ghent University. Based on strengths in glycobiology, microbial biotechnology, biological system’s engineering and bio-analytics, his research group is developing innovative molecular technology to enable novel approaches to the study, diagnosis and treatment of disease. Nico and his team have ample expertise in Protein production in mammalian cells, FEMTO Pulse Automated Pulsed-Field CE instrument, Sugar analysis – glycomics (DSA-FACE), Protein production in yeast, Recombinant DNA techniques for synthetic biology.
VP & Head of UCB Ventures
Board member
Erica is Vice President & Head of UCB Ventures, a €150 million strategic corporate venture fund which was set up to invest in innovative, longer term and higher risk therapeutic and digital health opportunities beyond UCB’s current focus areas. She is Chair of the Board of Rinri Therapeutics, and on the Board of Directors of two other UCB Ventures’ portfolio companies, StrideBio and Ally Therapeutics.
Prior to joining UCB, Erica spent 10 years as a top-ranked biotechnology equity analyst for Merrill Lynch in London (1999-2009). Erica received BA degrees in Biology and in Comparative Literature from Brown University (Rhode Island USA). She obtained a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Edinburgh, and later an MBA from Heriot-Watt University Business School in Edinburgh.
She enjoys running, cycling & family holidays, especially spending time with her two daughters, aged 13 and 16 years.
Managing Director of VIB
Board member
Jérôme Van Biervliet is Managing Director of VIB and head of the VIB Innovation and Business office of VIB. VIB is an excellence-based, life science research institute with a long track-record in entrepreneurial commercialisation of scientific discoveries. VIB has started 24 biotech start-up companies, many developing novel therapeutics. Jérôme serves on the board of Confotherapeutics, Oncurious, Augustine Therapeutics and Vbio Ventures.
Prior to becoming Managing Director at VIB, he was Head of Business Development and Head of VIB Discovery Sciences, VIB’s early drug discovery unit. Jérôme was a consultant at Bain & Company, a strategic business consultancy, and Clinical instructor in veterinary internal medicine at Cornell University. He holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the KU Leuven, a Doctor in Veterinary Medicine degree from Gent University and is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
In his free time, Jérôme enjoys his family, his animals, outdoor activities and woodworking.
Partner at Fund+
Board member
Dr. Philippe Monteyne MD, PhD is a Partner at the VC Fund+ in Belgium.
Prior to this, he has held senior positions in SmithKline Beecham, GSK, and Sanofi. He served as the Head of Global Vaccine Development at GSK for several years, and then served as Senior VP-Head of Development and CMO at GSK Rare Diseases from 2010 to 2012. More recently, he served as Vice President R&D France at Sanofi until early 2015. During that period, he was also Board Member of SARD (Sanofi Aventis R&D), of the LEEM (Pharmaceutical association in France "Les Entreprises du Médicament"), of the Technological Research Institute (IRT) Bioaster in Lyon, and of the « Fondation Plan Alzheimer France ». He is a Board Director of several Biotech companies in Europe. He holds an M.D. degree and Ph.D. in Viral Immunology, both at the UCL, is a fully trained Neurologist, and has also been trained in Neuro-Immunology at Pasteur Institute in Paris. Philippe was also visiting Professor of Neurology at the UCL (Université Catholique de Louvain), Brussels.
Independent Director
Board member
Professor Michel Kazatchkine, joining as an independent director, brings over 35 years of experience in global health and has played key roles in various organizations, serving as Director of the National Agency for Research on AIDS in France, Chair of the WHOs Strategic and Technical Committee on HIV/AIDS, the French Ambassador on HIV/AIDS and communicable diseases and Executive Director of The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria from 2007 to 2012. He then served as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe and Central Asia and Special Advisor to the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS.
Michel Kazatchkine is Emeritus Professor of Immunology at René Descartes University in Paris. He is a Senior Fellow with the Global Health Centre of the Graduate Institute for International and Development Studies in Geneva. He attended medical school at Necker-Enfants-Malades in Paris, studied immunology at the Pasteur Institute in Paris and completed postdoctoral fellowships at St. Mary’s hospital in London and Harvard Medical School.
Represents SFPI-FPIM
Board member
Stef Heylen representing SFPI-FPIM on the board, brings over 30 years of pharmaceutical drug development and executive management experience over a wide range of therapeutic and functional areas. He has previously held senior positions as Managing Director of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Belgium, and Chief Operating Officer, Development, Janssen R&D globally. Stef was a member of the Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceuticals Group Operating Committee. Stef obtained his M.D. at the University of Leuven, Belgium, and the Prince Leopold Institute for Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium.
Investment manager at S.R.I.W
Board member
Caroline THIELEN is Investment Manager - Life Sciences at S.R.I.W. (Société Régionale d’Investissement de Wallonie) and Board Member of several biotech and medtech companies. Over the past 20 years, Caroline has gained solid experience in coordinating research projects at national and international levels. From 2013 to 2020, she has served as Chief Operating Officer of Bridge2Health, a major player in the development and reinforcement of the healthcare sector in connection with the academic research at ULiège and CHU de Liège. Caroline holds a Master’s degree in Biology and a PhD in Immunology from the University of Liège completed by a postdoctoral training at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, Atlanta, USA).
Associate at Fund+
Board observer
Louis Declerck is an MD and Biomedical Engineer, trained at the KU Leuven and Gent University with a specific interest in Biotechnology & Bioelectronics, Neuro-engineering and emerging Medical devices. After one year of co-residency in Neurosurgery Louis decided to start Biomedical Engineering at Ghent University to explore and contribute to new businesses in the Biomedical and Biotechnology industry. During his graduation year he worked as an Intern Analyst in Fund+ where he was appointed as Investment Analyst since August 2019. Louis has been appointed as Associate in Fund+ since June 2020.
Represents VIVES Fund
Board observer
Joël Henneghien brings 25 years of experience in commercial strategy, business development, product positionning, market access in the field of "Life Sciences" at national and international level.
Expertise in the fields of diagnostics (in vitro), medical devices, cancer research and cell therapy. Experiences acquired in bioproduction and analytics / QC.
In 1991, Joël began his career as a researcher at UGent with Plant Genetic Systems. He then launched IMTEC Diagnostics N.V., the Belgian subsidiary of ITK Diagnostics. From 1998, Joël held several positions at Becton Dickinson for over 13 years. In 2011, he joined Ovizio as Business developer. Joël joined Sopartec on August 17, 2020
Since 2016, Joël has continued his career as a consultant for Belgian and Dutch start-ups in life sciences.
Partner at V-Bio Ventures
Board observer
Katja is a Partner at V-Bio Ventures, a pan-European venture fund dedicated to investments into early stage medicines and therapeutic platforms with breakthrough potential. Katja is on the Boards of AgomAb and dualyx. She previously served on the Boards of Omeicos and amcure.
Before joining V-Bio Ventures in 2016, Katja spent more than 12 years in the life science venture business, worked as an analyst at PolyTechnos Venture-Partners and as CBO/CFO at Hepa Wash. Subsequently, Katja was a senior investment and project manager at Ascenion, where she managed the Spinnovator initiative to progress early academic inventions into spin-offs (a.o. Omeicos, Cardior, HepaRegeniX, amcure). Katja holds a PhD and MSc in Biochemistry and an Executive MBA in Medical Devices and Healthcare Management.
In her free time, she enjoys hiking/climbing, dancing and Ashtanga yoga.
ExeVir, which is developing single domain antibody therapies providing broad protection against viral infections, today announces that it has closed its Series A financing raising a total of EUR 42 million / US$50 million.
ExeVir, which is developing single domain antibody therapies providing broad protection against viral infections, announces publication in BioRxiv of a paper by VIB scientists showing, in in vivo mouse and hamster models, highly potent viral neutralizing activity, protection against infection by SARS-COV-2 and minimized development of alveolar [lung] damage, for XVR011, its unique Llama-derived VHH72-Fc antibody for potential treatment and prevention of Covid-19.
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