Ikarovec one of Scrip’s ‘10 To Watch’ at BIO-Europe Digital, October 26-29

Company presentation & partnering opportunities now available online

Ikarovec, which is developing novel gene therapies to treat major ophthalmic indications, is pleased to announce that it has been named one of Scrip’s ’10 To Watch’ companies at Bio-Europe Digital. This is a nomination for emerging companies displaying promise in drug discovery and development.

BIO-Europe 2020 is being delivered digitally. The opportunity to view Ikarovec’s presentation and book a partnering meeting with the Executive Chairman, Dr Robert Haigh, is available here. Dr Haigh’s presentation discusses the potential of the company’s approach in devastating eye diseases, and its progress since inception.

Ikarovec launched earlier this year with £2.5m of seed funding from UKI2S with co-investment from LifeArc and Parkwalk. Primary use of funds is to take the company’s lead programme, a multicistronic gene therapy for diabetic macular edema, to IND-enabling studies. It was recently awarded a £458,740 Innovate UK grant for one of its earlier stage programmes in wet age-related macular degeneration.

Ikarovec has recently taken laboratory and office space in the Innovation Centre at Norwich Research Park, with access to shared scientific facilities. The location also brings proximity to Norwich Medical School and a clinical trials unit which will be valuable as the company develops.

--ENDS—

For further information, please contact

Robert Haigh, Executive Chairman
[email protected]

Emma Palmer Foster, Communications
+ 44 (0)7880 787185

Notes for Editors

About Ikarovec

Established in 2019, Ikarovec is developing novel, differentiated gene therapies for major ophthalmic indications. Its lead product, a multicistronic gene therapy for diabetic macular edema, is in preclinical studies, and earlier programmes are targeting wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), dry AMD and intra-ocular hypertension.

Building on intellectual property spun-out of Quethera (bought by Astellas in 2018), Ikarovec was founded by UKI2S and raised a £2.5m seed round with co-funding from LifeArc and Parkwalk Advisers at the beginning of 2020. There is an experienced senior management team in place with business development and commercial success in ophthalmology and gene therapy - Dr Peter Widdowson (ex Quethera) is Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Dr Robert Haigh (ex KalVista) is Executive Chairman and Dr Katie Binley (ex Oxford Biomedica) is Chief Scientific Officer. Ikarovec is based at Norwich Research Park. For more information, please go to www.ikarovec.com