Versant Ventures has announced the founding of Vector BioPharma AG. The new company is being launched out of the Ridgeline discovery engine from globally active investor Versant Ventures. The venture capitalist for biotech companies provided startup funding amounting to 30 million US dollars. In addition to Versant Ventures, the University of Zurich (UZH) is also a partner of Vector.

Vector develops a platform for the targeted administration of high-capacity genetic payloads. According to a press release from Versant Ventures, this is able to overcome the three main obstacles that face other technologies: issues with tissue-specific delivery of payloads, limitations on the size of genetic cargo that can be packaged, and adverse immunogenic reactions.

Platform with advantages

Vector CEO Lorenz Mayr states that the platform has “significant advantages” as a result of its abilities regarding these obstacles. He adds that the technology has the potential to change the safety, efficacy, and specificity of biologics and gene and cell therapies.

Andreas Plückthun from the University of Zurich adds: “It is gratifying to see the work that started 10 years ago is now being translated into new therapies.” He developed this platform as a pioneer in the field of protein engineering. Plückthun is a Co-Founder of Vector and is a member of the board.