Meet the Start-ups

Pieter Jan Vos

Pieter Jan Vos | CEO | VirXcel

Pieter Jan is an experienced biotech and life sciences entrepreneur. His company Amspar B.V. is active in the field of licensing of (mainly generic) pharmaceuticals and established 30 licensing agreements across 5 continents.

He is co-founder and former CEO of MyLife Technologies (MLT), a spinoff company from University of Twente and previously established in Leiden Bio Science Park. Pieter Jan raised dilutive and non-dilutive funding for MLT in various funding rounds and brought MLT’s microneedle technology for vaccine delivery into clinical studies. His responsibilities at MLT included team management, IP management, setting up partnerships with external partners (universities, companies, NGOs, patient associations, funding bodies), and communication (national newspapers and radio). MLT’s microneedle technology is presently further developed by CeraVx in Leiden.

Pieter Jan holds a MSc in chemistry (Leiden University) and graduated from Ecole Supérieur de Commerce de Paris and previously worked for Diosynth / Organon (AkzoNobel), among others in the role of Director New Business.

VirXcel

VirXcel

VirXcel was established to bring treatments against respiratory viral infections to the market. Utrecht University researchers identified a novel macrocyclic peptide that binds tightly to a previously unknown vulnerability in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, which is inaccessible for antibodies. Our approach represents a new mode of action. The goal of the company’s first project is to deliver a complete protection proof-of-concept data package for a macrocyclic peptide treatment against SARS-CoV-2, intranasally delivered by spray technology. The proof-of-concept studies include non-GMP peptide production in an industrial setting, PK studies + efficacy studies, both in rodents, as well as formulation development.

Despite the rapid development and deployment of vaccines, the antigenic evolution of SARS-CoV-2 has led to an endemic phase of the infection with recurrent resurgences in COVID-19 cases globally. During such an endemic situation, lung-COVID patients, immuno-compromised patients and the frail elderly population are at special risk of adverse health outcomes and long-term risk of death. These 3 risk populations would benefit most from our innovative approach. This present project serves as a demonstration project for the macrocyclic peptides platform.

Upon completion of the proof-of-concept studies for this demonstration project, additional projects for antivirals against other respiratory viruses will gradually be started. In a preliminary stage, the researchers from Utrecht University already identified novel macrocyclic peptides for influenza.

Macrocyclic peptides (MCPs) for pharmaceutical treatment are still in their infancy. To date, only 3 MCPs have been launched on the market worldwide, while 6 other MCPs are in different stages of clinical development. The majority of them is intended for use in the field of oncology and cardiovascular diseases. VirXcel is one of the first - if not the first - to develop MCPs for antiviral indications.


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