The UCL Technology Fund invests in gene therapy company Freeline, which hopes to treat blood diseases such as haemophilia B.
University College London (UCL)’s Technology Fund has invested £1m ($1.35m) in biotechnology company Freeline Therapeutics, a spinout from the institution.
Freeline, founded in December 2015, uses single-treatment gene therapies developed at the university to treat bleeding and a range of blood disorders. It is based on research by Amit Nathwani, professor of haematology at UCL.
The platform builds on a successful phase 1/2 clinical trial for a treatment for haemophilia B, conducted by Nathwani alongside St Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Tennessee.
The UCL Technology Fund is a £50m vehicle aimed at UCL spinouts. The fund, backed by the European Investment Fund and commercialisation firm Imperial Innovations, focuses on companies operating in the physical and life sciences sectors.
Freeline was created by Syncona, an independent subsidiary of biomedical research charity Wellcome Trust, and UCL Business, the tech transfer office of University College London.
Freeline previously raised £25m in series A funding from Syncona in December 2015.
Amit Nathwani, professor of haematology at University College London, said: “Freeline will bring industry-leading development people and our expertise together to ensure our clinical translation is rapidly converted to registered therapeutics.”
