EpilepsyGTx has closed a £24.8m series A round to advance the development of its single dose gene therapy for focal refractory epilepsy.
The funding will enable the delivery of first-in-human phase 1/2a clinical trials to establish the safety and efficacy of the company’s lead gene therapy programme EPY201 in a broad population of patients with focal refractory epilepsy (FRE).
Focal epilepsy describes a group of disorders in which patients experience seizures that arise from a specific part of the brain. If seizures persist despite trials of at least two tolerated and appropriately chosen anti-seizure medicines, epilepsy is deemed refractory. FRE affects about ten million patients worldwide.
EPY201 offers the potential to eradicate seizures in patients with FRE with a single intervention, dramatically improving survival and quality of life.
“Refractory epilepsy is a devastating condition causing unpredictable and life-threatening seizures, affecting millions of patients worldwide,” says Nicolas Koebel, CEO at EpilepsyGTx.
“Our novel gene therapy EPY201 delivered directly to the seizure focus has the potential to stop seizures with a single, minimally invasive administration. In doing so, it will change the way refractory epilepsy has been treated for decades.”
The round included investment from XGEN Venture, the British Business Bank and a global biopharmaceutical company.
“EpilepsyGTx is pioneering a novel, locally administered gene therapy approach designed to achieve targeted modulation of epileptogenic brain regions,” adds Federica Draghi, managing partner of XGEN Venture.
“We believe that localised gene delivery offers a powerful avenue for durable and disease-modifying interventions in severe neurological disorders and are excited to support the company as EPY201 progresses toward clinical evaluation.”
EpilepsyGTx previously raised £7.5m in pre-seed and seed funding led by the UCL Technology Fund.
