Xeptiva Therapeutics: Uruguayan scientific start-up raises US$ 2.5 million to develop veterinary vaccines
The investment round was led by the Chilean fund specializing in biotechnology, Zentynel Frontier Investments; iThink VC; FEN Ventures; ND Latam; Uruguay Biotech Ventures; and angel investor Sergio Fogel.
The Uruguayan biotech startup which develops vaccines to alleviate chronic pain in animals, Xeptiva Therapeutics, announced the close of its seed funding round, raising US$ 2.5 million from international investors including a Chilean fund specializing in biotech.
Xeptiva, created from scientific knowledge generated over nearly ten years in the Neurodegeneration Laboratory of the Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, has the mission to improve the quality of life and extend the longevity of pets through innovative immunotherapies.
INNOVATION FOR PET ANIMALS.
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Currently, the company is focused on developing vaccines that treat the two most prevalent chronic inflammatory diseases in companion animals: one for chronic pain due to osteoarthritis and another for atopic dermatitis, both in the clinical trial phase. With these two approaches, Xeptiva is targeting a market valued at US$ 5 billion.
"Our therapeutic vaccines are designed to have a long-term effect. They require only one dose every six months after the initial protocol," explained Josefina Correa, CEO of Xeptiva. "Our goal is to improve access to effective treatments for a broader range of patients," she noted.
ROUND LED BY CHILEAN BIOTECH FUND.
The investment round was led by Zentynel Frontier Investments, a Chilean fund specialized in biotechnology, with the participation of iThink VC, a venture capital firm based in Paraguay focused on purpose-driven entrepreneurs, FEN Ventures, a Chilean investment fund focused on Latin entrepreneurs with a global outlook, ND Latam, a Uruguayan investment fund that makes investments in various impact areas, Uruguay Biotech Ventures, a Uruguayan fund focused on biotechnology companies, and angel investor Sergio Fogel.
The seed funding comes at a crucial time for Xeptiva, which has recently achieved several important milestones. The company successfully produced its first vaccine batch to treat osteoarthritis in dogs under the strict quality control standards required for pharmaceutical manufacturing. The vaccine, which is still in clinical trials, brings the start-up one step closer to hitting the market.
Xeptiva is currently focused on completing clinical trials and aims to obtain regulatory approval for the two treatments in 2025. Furthermore, the company is in discussions with large animal health biotechnology companies for potential licensing agreements.