Icosphere Biosciences
Icosphere Biosciences develops precision virus-like particles (VLPs) for gene therapy and cancer immunotherapy, addressing diseases that require delivery of large DNA molecules. Its proprietary IcoGenesis platform enables scalable, contaminant-free production of adenovirus-derived VLPs carrying over 30Kb of exogenous DNA, targeting conditions like ocular diseases and cancer.
- Biotechnology
- Drug Discovery & Therapeutics
- Healthcare Technology
Funding
Founders
Product
Problem
Diseases requiring the delivery of large DNA molecules remain untreated because traditional drug delivery systems lack the precision, biocompatibility, and packaging capacity needed for next-generation therapies. Conventional viral vectors and delivery platforms are limited in payload size, scalability, and safety, hindering effective treatment for challenging genetic disorders and cancers.
Solution
Icosphere Biosciences provides a proprietary VLP platform, IcoGenesis, that enables scalable, high-efficiency production of adenovirus-derived virus-like particles lacking all viral genes. These non-infectious, customizable particles carry over 30Kb of exogenous DNA, unlocking new possibilities in targeted drug delivery and immunotherapy. The platform leverages the exceptional delivery capabilities and large packaging capacity of adenoviral vectors while ensuring contaminant-free production. The company is advancing a pipeline of safe, customizable VLPs for conditions with urgent unmet clinical needs, including ocular diseases and cancer, with a focus on gene supplementation and cancer immunotherapy.
Target Audience
Primary customers are biopharmaceutical companies, clinical researchers, and academic medical centers developing gene therapies and cancer immunotherapies for conditions with unmet clinical needs, particularly ocular diseases and difficult-to-treat cancers.
Features
- Adenovirus-derived VLPs with no viral genes, ensuring non-infectious and safe therapeutic use
- Packaging capacity of over 30Kb of exogenous DNA, enabling delivery of large therapeutic genes
- Scalable, proprietary manufacturing technology (IcoGenesis) for contaminant-free VLP production
- Highly efficient cell entry and targeted delivery of therapeutic payloads
- Immunomodulatory properties for potential cancer immunotherapy applications
- Customizable VLP design for specific disease targets and clinical applications