Lophius closes €1.6M round

26 May 2010 | News

Funding

Lophius Biosciences has announced that it has closed a second financing of €1.6 million in a round led by S-Refit, a new investor, and supported by existing investors High-Tech Gründerfonds and Bayernkapital.

The money will be used to boost the development of the company’s existing diagnostic products and the generation of new tests based on the proprietary technology platforms.

At the same time, Michael Lutz has been appointed as Lophius’ new CEO. Lutz has significant expertise in building up and managing of biotech companies and has supported Lophius since September 2009 as coach and advisor. He was formerly Global General Manager of Cogenics and CEO of Epidauros.

Lophius Biosciences GmbH, a spin-out from the Universitätsklinik Regensburg, is focusing on the development and marketing of T-cell based test systems for the diagnosis and assessment of treatment in the fields of transplantation and infectious and autoimmune diseases.

Bertram Gilka-Bötzow from S-Refit said, “Lophius is a promising and innovative company further strengthening the local biotech hotspot in Regensburg. With the appointment of Michael Lutz as experienced CEO [...] a major milestone has been achieved to ensure the future growth and development of the company.”

S-Refit AG concentrates on investing in the Eastern Bavaria region, and is active in biotechnology, mechanical engineering and software. This regional investment principle arises from its shareholders, which are savings banks in Eastern Bavaria, the tbg der kfw-Mittelstandsbank and the Eastern Bavarian Technology Transfer Institute.

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