Future value creators pitch game-changing ideas at Accelerate@Babraham

The ‘Demo Day’ presentations reflected knowledge gained during the renowned life science accelerator’s ‘bootcamp’ phase – with all founders demonstrating sharpened messaging to clearly articulate the problem their science addresses, the solution they’re developing, and the tangible impact this will have for patients.

Compelling pitches included personal stories such as Cycle Therapeutics’ co-founder Léa Wenger’s own experience of endometriosis, while Sysora Health’s CEO Lucy Rowbotham shared how her investigation into the impact of severe gum disease on other chronic conditions prompted her to improve her own oral hygiene routine.

Welcoming the invited audience, Babraham Research Campus Chief Scientific & Innovation Officer Louise Jopling paid tribute to the sponsors and partners of Accelerate@Babraham as well as those who run the expert sessions and provide mentorship.

She said: “We couldn’t deliver this programme without financial support, but also the in-kind support and time given by those individuals that have been part of judging panels, interviews, selection committees, and provide ongoing mentorship to the cohort. So, I want to give a huge thank you to all who help make Accelerate@Babraham the success it is.”

The programme certainly has a legacy of success with the 32 companies that make up the six preceding cohorts raising more than £100 million to date.

Accelerated progress: From term sheets to partnerships forged

AAB Therapeutics
Eline Koers, CEO and co-founder of AAB Therapeutics set out how the team is developing engineered extracellular vesicles (EVs) as a scalable, cost-effective alternative to CAR T-cell therapy for B-cell lymphoma. She said: “Chemotherapy and immunotherapy are effective but brutal treatments that can result in adverse effects. Our vision is to develop a gentler treatment for the patient.”

EVs can home in on cancer cells and destroy them - without the toxic side effects of chemotherapy or the high manufacturing costs of CAR-T therapy. As such, AAB Therapeutic’s solution could represent a scalable, safer first-line option in the future, offering hope to patients for whom multiple lines of treatment have failed. Although the team only started work in the lab six months ago, they are already working towards in-vitro evidence and have longer term plans for IND enabling studies.

AmnioCam
Emerging from research at the Babraham Institute led by Peter Rugg-Gunn and Maria Rostovskaya, AmnioCam is pioneering a stem cell-based alternative to placental donor-harvested amniotic cells. Chronic wounds are often accompanied by devastating quality-of-life consequences. AmnioCam’s bioengineered alternatives to donor-derived amniotic cells will enable consistent, affordable treatments for hard-to-heal ulcers, burns, and potentially even eye injuries, regenerating skin and restoring hope for patients.

Thanks to Innovate UK funding, Entrepreneurial Lead Aljona Kolmogorova has been travelling the world speaking to key opinion leaders, clinicians and investors in the spaces of chronic wound healing and ophthalmology to gain key contacts and feedback on this exciting technology. In addition, partnerships in principle have been established with contract research organisations that will help AmnioCam deliver the next proof of concept studies.

Cycle Therapeutics
This interdisciplinary team merges computational and tissue-level biology with the objective of discovering a cure for endometriosis. By harnessing the breadth of information available each month from menstrual fluid, the team is building data-driven knowledge and lab-based tissue models of disease to identify novel treatments, focussing especially on the dark matter of tissue: the extracellular matrix

In a pitch that started and ended with quotes from ‘icon of female empowerment’ Beyonce, co-founders Léa Wenger and Kevin Chalut highlighted the one in ten women globally who suffer with endometriosis, whilst treatment for the disease has not progressed much in the last thirty years. They also shared the exciting update of a signed term sheet.

Cycle’s USP is a tissue platform for drug discovery using primary human tissue from the site of inflammation which measures the real disease process. From this they aim to develop non-hormonal therapies for endometriosis and more using matrix biology. There is huge opportunity for the concept in a market worth a potential $250 billion, driven by the decades-long period of no innovation. As Léa says: “We’ve got the ability not just to close the gender healthcare gap, but to actually propel women to the forefront of drug development.”

Over the next 18 months key milestones will include building and validating data and tissue pipelines and collecting data from 200 women over three cycles.

MabGalaxy
Head of R & D Vivian Wong led the pitch on behalf of MabGalaxy, a company that is ‘inspired by nature, powered by intelligence’. The aim is to accelerate the discovery of new antibody medicines by combining the power of the natural immune system with artificial intelligence. This integrated approach significantly shortens the timeline from early research to preclinical drug candidates, enabling innovative treatments to reach patients faster – potentially compressing early discovery timelines by around three years to deliver life-changing therapies faster.

The team’s current focus is on chronic inflammatory disease, which affects over 300m patients across the world and includes conditions such as eczema, Inflammatory Bowel Disease and arthritis. Specific aims for this year include, completing a successful Series A fundraise, validating the platform, identifying pharma partners and generating initial lead targets. By 2029 the aspiration is to be in clinical trials, with 2031 targeted for full commercialisation.

Sysora Health
Sysora Health is developing a targeted antibacterial gel to destroy Porphyromonas gingivalis whilst preserving beneficial bacteria in the oral microbiome. P. gingivalis is a key driver of severe gum disease stimulating inflammation and exacerbating chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Co-founder Lucy Rowbotham refers to P. gingivalis as the ‘gangster boss of bacteria’ and shared how targeting it would reduce risk of chronic diseases linked to oral inflammation, including Alzheimer’s.

The company plans to sell the treatment to patients via large dental chains. Two leading companies with extensive access to US and European dentist networks have already demonstrated interest. The next steps for Sysora Health as it continues its journey to improve the health of millions, is to deliver proof of concept against clear milestones and prepare for clinical studies.

Ecosystem

Beyond the pitches, the atmosphere of camaraderie and purpose stood out. When asked for their personal highlights all founders mentioned the connections made. As Léa Wenger puts it: “Being part of this amazing ecosystem is invaluable, especially if you don’t already have established networks. It’s an enabler to build a network and the knowledge shared covers every aspect you need when building a company.”

Also presenting were three Cambridge NeuroWorks Frontier Fellows seconded to Accelerate@Babraham via Cambridge’s partnership with the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA), whose objective is to rocket-boost progress on a new generation of neuro-technologies.

The Fellows all have an established proof-of-concept ready for development and scaling which the support of Accelerate@Babraham will help prepare for real-world impact.

Iwan Roberts shared details of a wearable digital healthcare product that tracks health related metrics during everyday activities. These are then used to understand the wearers real-time health and what adaptations can be made to improve their functional capabilities – helping to prevent falls – which in turn will support a dignified ageing process and reduce the burden on the NHS.

Sam Kamali gave a moving account of his cousin’s experience of stroke at the age of 11 and the subsequent decade of physiotherapy it took for him to be able to catch a ball again.

Myonerv’s wearable medical device monitors and treats stroke-induced paralysis using reusable polymer electrodes worn around the arm that provide targeted electrical stimulation to move the hand in real time. The device already has a letter of interest from an NHS Trust.

Lucy Jung, shared testimonials from people living with anxiety who have used a handheld device to help them feel more in control when in situations out of their comfort zone. It’s designed to bring calmness and support creating a safe place for them to thrive.

Changing the world, together

With several ventures already in talks for pilot partnerships, investment, or on course for early clinical traction, this cohort is on a promising path. Their success could deliver not only commercial returns but much-needed advancements for patients.

With the ‘bootcamp’ complete, the cohort now move into Babraham Research Campus’ communal lab facilities – LiveLabs – where they will be supported by the expert on-site technical team and benefit from a peer group who have ‘been there and done it before’.

Programme Manager Jenny Hirst concludes: “Although this cohort is multidisciplinary, they grapple with very similar problems and issues, which has enabled them to form a strong bond. As they continue on together it’s been a real pleasure to play a small part in their collective journey to date.

“We’re not just building companies; we’re building futures for patients who deserve better. The level of purpose and ambition demonstrated by this cohort is extraordinary. And, as they move into the labs they will benefit further from the wealth of expertise on Campus and the cross-fertilisation of companies sharing experiences in our communal lab space.”

• For more about Accelerate@Babraham, visit www.accelerateatbabraham.com or www.babraham.com