Copenhagen-based biotech startup Fuse Vectors has raised $5.2 million in a pre-seed funding round to advance AAV gene therapy development. The investment came from HCVC and BioInnovation Institute.
- Founded in 2022 by Jordan Turnbull, Henrik Stage, and Benjamin Blaha, Fuse Vectors develops advanced technology for creating AAV viral vectors used in gene therapy.
- Unlike traditional methods that rely on living cells, Fuse’s technology assembles these vectors through controlled biochemical reactions. This precise process can achieve over 99% filled capsids in just hours, compared to weeks with conventional methods, as the startup explains.
- Partners provide a gene sequence, and Fuse's system quickly packages it into an AAV vector, enabling faster and higher-quality development with minimal setup. The platform’s modular design allows for rapid optimization and multi-parallel prototyping, making it more efficient and scalable than traditional cell-based approaches.
"With our cell-free AAV platform technology, we take AAV building blocks and assemble viral vectors in a controlled biochemical reaction. This enables greater scalability, improved vector quality, and faster development timelines—ultimately helping higher-quality gene therapies reach patients faster," Fuse Vectors' team, commented on LinkedIn.
- Currently in alpha testing, Fuse is working with several partners, including academic research groups and pharmaceutical companies. Their commercialization strategy involves both collaborating with external organizations to optimize drug candidates and developing their therapeutic pipeline.
Details of the deal
- The pre-seed funding round was backed by Paris-based VC HCVC and supported by Copenhagen-based BioInnovation Institute, Copenhagen-based state-owned fund EIFO, and Innovation Fund Denmark.
"That future starts now. The team at Fuse Vectors are leading the charge, and we’re proud to back them alongside the BioInnovation Institute and EIFO," HCVC's team, stated on LinkedIn.
- Fuse Vectors will use the funding to refine and scale its cell-free AAV technology, expand collaborations with pharma and biotech partners, and advance its pipeline of gene therapies.
- The investment will also support the transition from alpha testing to commercialization, making gene therapy development faster, more cost-effective, and widely accessible.
