Truffle Capital, an investor in Immune Targeting Systems, is a European private equity firm originally set up for investments in spin-offs from companies active in the IT, Energy, and Life Sciences sectors.
- Immune Targeting Systems (ITS) Ltd is a London based biotech company developing synthetic vaccines for mutating viruses. These novel vaccines will target the prevention and treatment of major life-threatening viral infections of global impact, including pandemic and seasonal influenza, HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis-C. The technologies encompass the fluoropeptide antigen delivery system and an in-silico / in-vitro method for identifying and validating highly conserved and relevant vaccine components. Unlike conventional vaccine technologies, the fluoropeptide approach permits the targeting of genetically diverse mutation prone viruses where cellular immunity is linked to disease protection. Fluoropeptides promote robust antiviral cellular immunity to highly conserved viral components which is known to improve clinical outcomes (flu) and is correlated with disease protection (HIV / HCV).
- Following an investment of £4.0 million (€5 million) by Truffle Capital and other European funds (Novartis Venture Fund and HealthCap) in 2007, ITS is working to expedite its lead program in to the clinic. This vaccine is a universal influenza-A vaccine targeting all potential seasonal & pandemic influenza-A strains.
Truffle Capital board member: Dr. Philippe Pouletty
Visit www.its-innovation.co.uk