Orphazyme Aps, a Copenhagen, Denmark-based company that develops therapies for the treatment of a family of serious genetic disordes called lysosomal storage diseases, raised DDK 22m in seed financing.
Investors include new backer Sunstone Capital and existing shareholder Novo A/S.
In conjunction with the financing, Bo Jesper Hansen, Chairman of the board at public company Swedish Orphan Biovitrum, and Sten Verland, Partner Sunstone Capital, will join the company’s board of directors.
Founded in 2009 and led by CEO Anders Hinsby, Orphazyme is based on discoveries emerging from the academic laboratory of its scientific founders Professor Marja Jäättela and Thomas Kirkegaard Jensen from the Danish Cancer Society (Kræftens Bekæmpelse).
The company, which is now starting to prepare its lead project for clinical development, has already established collaborations with top-tier academic institutions in Europe and USA.
Lysosomal storage diseases consist of more than 40 diseases that affect mostly children who often die at a young and unpredictable age, many within a few years of birth. Other patients live longer, but ultimately die following years of suffering from defects in various organs including kidneys, liver, heart and CNS.
FinSMEs
27/03/2011