We are delighted to announce our investment in DefiniGEN as part of a Series B funding round. DefiniGEN is shaping the future of liver research and toxicology, through highly predictive in vitro modelling.
London, 26th September 2024 – Parkwalk Advisors today announced its investment in DefiniGEN, a leading provider of highly predictive in vitro liver disease models for the drug development industry. The investment is part of DefiniGEN’s Series B funding round supported by a consortium of investors including BGF and 24Haymarket.
Founded by Professor Ludovic Vallier at the University of Cambridge, DefiniGEN is at the forefront of liver drug research and predictive toxicology. The company has developed a proprietary platform that generates phenotypically relevant hepatocytes—both wild type and disease models—from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) which exhibit functionality comparable to that of human primary liver cells.
DefiniGEN supports its clients in developing next-generation therapies by offering in-house CRO services for both efficacy and toxicology studies. Additionally, the company provides its cells in both frozen vials and ready-to-use assay plates. Their iPSC-derived human disease models, which cover a wide range of metabolic and liver disorders, can be produced at scale to aid in therapeutic development.
Alongside the investment, Shaun Chilton has joined as Definigen’s Non-Executive Chair. With an entrepreneurial spirit and a results-driven approach, Shaun brings 30 years of extensive experience as a Chair, CEO and advisor. He has expertly led and managed both listed and unlisted portfolios, spanning from niche regional businesses to multi-divisional global platform companies.
Chris Kirton, CEO of DefiniGEN, said: “This latest investment is a strong vote of confidence in our technology and the positive impact it can have on the drug development process. We look forward to working with the BGF, Parkwalk and 24Haymarket teams, to further advance our platform and expand our collaborations with clients globally.
“We are also delighted to be welcoming Shaun Chilton to the team to enable DefiniGEN to realise it’s fantastic potential. We are confident that with Shaun’s guidance and the new funding from our Series B round, DefiniGEN will continue to achieve new heights of success and innovation.”
John Pearson, CIO at Parkwalk Advisors said: “We are pleased to be supporting DefiniGEN as they continue to grow and expand the capabilities of their innovative platform. DefiniGEN’s disease models offer unparalleled predictivity, which is critical for accelerating the development of effective treatments for life-threatening liver conditions.”
DefiniGEN’s technology enables drug developers to better predict drug efficacy and toxicity, leading to more successful clinical trials and bringing new therapies to patients faster. The company’s solutions are already used by leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies worldwide.
For more information please see the company’s website or our portfolio page here.
