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Somagenetix AG

Gene therapy solutions for patients with severe inherited diseases

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Potential

Our aim is to develop a lentiviral-based gene therapy using patient-derived stem cells from bone marrow to correct congenital gene defects.

Project Description

Gene therapy is a promising field in medicine that is experiencing unprecedented dynamic development. Unlike the majority of drugs on the market, which merely treat symptoms, this approach attempts to correct the underlying genetic cause of a disease and thereby cure patients. Somagenetix AG seeks to harness the power of gene therapy to develop treatments for life-threatening diseases.

The first aim is to address an inborn immunodeficiency of phagocytes, which can lead to life‐threatening bacterial and fungal infections as well as to hyperinflammation. Life expectancy in affected children and young adults is compromised, and the disease burden is high. To date, the only curative option is to transplant blood-building stem cells from donors. In the absence of a compatible donor, the patient’s own stem cells can be gene corrected. Somagenetix AG  is developing a treatment that comprises isolation of patient stem cells from bone marrow, the addition of a therapeutic gene using lentiviral vectors to compensate for the inborn genetic defect, and transplantation of gene-corrected cells back into the patient.

In later phases, the aim would be to apply this platform technology to cure other monogenetic defects found in various diseases of the immune system, as well as in other fields of medicine.

Contact

Faculty Mentor

Janine Reichenbach

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Partners and Funding

Project Partners

  • University of Zurich, Gene- and Cell Therapy Research Unit (ImmuGene (MeF of UZH)
  • University of Zurich, BioEntrpreneurship & Innovation (BEI) Program
  • University Children’s Hospital Zurich

Funding Partners

  • Uniscientia Foundation

Achievements

10/2024
Closing of Series A financing with CHF 10M

Somagenetix AG raises CHF 10M in Series A financing round. Read more.

10/2021
Start of GLP studies

GLP studies start

08/2019
Wyss Zurich admission

Somagenetix AG is accepted as full project at Wyss Zurich.

01/2019
Somagenetix AG incorporation

The UZH spin-off is incorporated under the name Somagenetix AG. 

Core Team

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Janine Reichenbach

CMO and Co-Founder

Ulrich siler portrait

Ulrich Siler

Scientific Advisor and Co-Founder

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