Aelix Therapeutics, a Spain-based developer of immunotherapies to prevent HIV infection, closed an €11.5m ($12.7m) series A round featuring healthcare group Johnson & Johnson.
The firm, which invested through its Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC subsidiary, was joined by investment fund Ysios Capital, which led the round, and Caixa Capital Risc, financial services firm La Caixa’s venture capital division.
Aelix will use the funding to advance its HTI immunogen HIV vaccine through a phase 2 proof-of-concept efficacy trial in HIV-infected patients expected to begin by the third quarter of this year. It claims the HTI immunogen could potentially produce a ‘functional cure’ for HIV infection.
Christian Brander, co-founder and chief scientific officer of Aelix Therapeutics, said: “”We are delighted to have closed such an important equity round.
“The investment syndicate includes many complementary parties, specifically the corporate investors from pharmaceutical companies with expertise in virology and vaccine development. We also look forward to working with the research community to test this concept.”
Jeanne Bolger, JJDC’s vice president of venture investments, will join Aelix’s board in conjunction with the round, as will Karen Wagner from Ysios Capital and José Antonio Mesa from Caixa Capital Risc.