INFECTIOUS DISEASE CONTROL IN A WORLD THAT NEEDS IT

ExeVir is a clinical-stage company developing novel antibody therapies that help patients ward off infectious diseases. Our focus is on protecting populations unable to benefit from vaccines, such as immunocompromised individuals. The versatile VHH platform enables both prevention and treatment of bacterial and viral threats.

EXEVIR'S VERSATILE VHH PLATFORM ENABLES A RAPID RESPONSE TO A RANGE OF DISEASES

ExeVir’s unique platform uses heavy chain-only (VHH) antibody fragments derived from camelid single-domain antibodies. The small size and flexibility of the VHH antibody fragments means they can be used like building blocks – linked together into a single drug molecule capable of addressing multiple targets on a bacterial cell or viral particle. These multi-specific antibodies are particularly helpful in tackling fast-moving mutations, giving ExeVir therapies an advantage against disease variants and subtypes.

Thanks to the short throughput time needed to generate new drug candidates, ExeVir’s modular platform can be used to respond rapidly to existing and future threats to public health. The resulting therapeutics are stable, cost-effective, and easy to produce, facilitating global access to protection and treatment.

ExeVir collaborates closely Belgium’s leading life sciences research institute VIB, developing new VHH antibodies together with the laboratories of Prof. Xavier Saelens and Prof. Nico Callewaert (VIB – Ghent University).

FIGHTING INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN A CHANGING WORLD

In a world where proximity, travel, and climate change give rise to increasing incidences and rapidly spreading of infectious diseases, the COVID-19 pandemic reminded us how important it is to tackle infectious diseases through both prevention and treatment. To stay ahead of this evolutionary arms race, we need to invest preemptively in innovative platforms that can provide solutions to current infectious diseases and respond to outbreaks with speed and agility.

ExeVir is doing its part to tackle the growing impact of infectious diseases by building a progressive pipeline of therapies, with an initial focus on COVID-19 protection for the immunocompromised populations. ExeVir’s pipeline includes:

Lead candidate XVR011 for COVID-19, which has completed Phase 1a and Phase 1b studies. XVR011 progressed from research to the clinic in less than 1 year, demonstrating ExeVir’s ability to fast-track drug development using its versatile VHH platform. The compound shows good pharmacodynamics and efficient GMP manufacturability.
Multiple preclinical candidates for COVID-19. Targeting both the S1 and S2 regions of the SARS-Cov-2 spike protein, these candidates can neutralize all known variants of the virus.
Emerging candidates for Dengue and other infectious diseases by generating multi-specific antibodies for prophylaxis and treatment

PROTECTING IMMUNOCOMPROMISED POPULATIONS

Diseases like COVID-19 disproportionately impact and threaten immunocompromised populations. There are many reasons people may fall into this category, including cancer treatments, organ transplants, immunosuppressive therapies, and immunodeficiencies. These people remain vulnerable despite vaccinations – they need better protection both now and in the future.

Fortunately, the modular nature of ExeVir’s VHH platform enables rapid development of effective therapeutics to protect those among us at highest risk. ExeVir aims to develop antibody treatments against diseases like COVID-19 to help protect and treat the most vulnerable patients in our societies.

INVESTORS

ExeVir is backed by a strong international investor syndicate: the company’s €42 million Series A was led by Fund+ and backed by UCB Ventures, FPIM, V-Bio Ventures, VIB, SRIW, Noshaq, Vives IUF and SambrInvest. ExeVir has also raised €16.5 million in non-dilutive funding from Horizon Europe, VLAIO, and the DG06.