Over the past decade, several groundbreaking cell and gene therapy products have been approved in the US and Europe that transform stem and immune cells into "living cures", giving hope to millions of people with life-threatening diseases. However, these treatments remain out of reach for 98% of patients suffering from diseases that are now curable. This is partly due to the complex, manual and costly manufacturing processes involved.
Yann Pierson, Luc Henry and Dr Thomas Eaton co-founded Limula in 2020 with the aim of developing a new approach to «ex vivo» cell manipulation. The team developed a modular solution for the production of cell therapies on demand and on a large scale in a single device. By combining the functions of a bioreactor and a centrifuge in a single closed vessel, Limula's proprietary solution can process a wide range of volumes and cell numbers, eliminating transfer steps and thus limiting stress, losses and potential contamination.
Following the completion of an initial proof of concept, the company has launched a programme to give selected partners from industry and academia access to the innovative platform before it is launched on the market. As the platform is scalable, it can be used by cell therapy providers in the transition from preclinical evaluation to clinical trials and later for the commercial manufacture of clinical grade cell products. With the aim of broadening its scope, Limula has partnered with several research centres, including the San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy in Milan, Italy - a world-renowned centre of excellence for research and clinical translation of cell and gene therapy.
"Our team is driven by the ambitious goal of developing tools that are based on a fundamentally novel way of manipulating cells outside of the body. Our technology supports manufacturing workflows that are impossible to automate with existing tools. We believe automation is the only route to scalability and digital traceability. These two aspects are keys unlocking the full potential of Cell and Gene Therapy, making them accessible to the many, not just the few”, said Luc Henry, co-founder and CEO of Limula.
The company has now raised CHF6.2M ($6.8M)in an oversubscribed seed round led by LifeX Ventures. The round also saw the participation of Verve Ventures, Zühlke Ventures, Oxford Seed Fund, Lichtsteiner Foundation, W.A. de Vigier Foundation, the founders, and a lineup of private individuals who have been supporting Limula’s vision from its inception.
Dr Inaki Berenguer, managing partner at LifeX Ventures says: "We're thrilled to stand with the Limula team as they reinvent cell and gene therapy manufacturing. It's evident that production tools have lagged behind scientific and clinical advancements, particularly in terms of price and scalability. Limula's commitment to addressing these bottlenecks is crucial to enhancing accessibility for patients.”
Looking ahead, Limula will use the new capital to significantly advance the development of the company's proprietary platform, which consists of a single-use device and consumables, to meet Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) requirements. Both industrial and academic players are eager to introduce automated and scalable next-generation solutions with the common goal of significantly increasing market reach and expanding accessibility.
(Press release / SR)
Image: ©Limula
The new Swiss Venture Capital Report was published on 26 January. It analyses 304 financing rounds closed in 2020 and includes further article such as an interview with Michael Hengartner, President of the ETH Board, and a list of Swiss "soonicorns". 
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