News  Release          

leon-­‐nanodrugs  GmbH  raises  EUR  18.5  million  in    Series  A  financing    

TVM  Capital   Life   Science   leads   international   syndicate   of   investors   -­‐   an   additional   EUR  3  million  

investment  is  expected  later  in  2015      

Munich,  27  July  2015  —  leon  nanodrugs  GmbH  today  announced  that  it  completed  the  first  

closing  of  its  Series  A  preferred  stock  offering  at  EUR  18.5  million.  The  financing  was  led  by  

TVM   Capital   Life   Science,   based   in   Munich   and   Montreal,   with   participation   from   Signet  

Healthcare   Partners   (USA),   LifeCare   Partners   (Switzerland),   CD-­‐Venture   (Germany),   Albany  

Private   Equity   Holding   (Australia),   and   a   non-­‐disclosed   Family   Office   from   Germany.   Dr.  

Hubert  Birner,  Managing  Partner,  and  Stefan  Fischer,  General  Partner  &  CFO,  TVM  Capital  

Life  Science,   James  Gale,  Managing  Director,   Signet  Healthcare  Partners,  Dr.  Gerhard  Ries,  

Managing  Partner,  LifeCare  Partners,  Dr.  Frank  Mathias,  CEO,  Medigene  AG,  and  Dr.  Bernd  

Baumstümmler,  CEO,  Instillo  Group,  will  be  joining  the  Board  of  Directors.    

leon-­‐nanodrugs  was  founded  by  a  group  of  experienced  drug  development  professionals  in  

mid-­‐2011.   The   company   focuses   on   the   reformulation   of   approved   or   promising   small  

molecule   and   protein   drug   candidates   based   on   its   patented   and   award   winning   MJR-­‐

nanotechnology-­‐platform.   leon-­‐nanodrugs  develops  novel  oral  and  parenteral   formulations  

by   using   GMP   (Good   Manufacturing   Practice)   compliant   nanotechnology   to   improve  

bioavailability,  solubility  as  well  as  dissolution  rates.  leon-­‐nanodrugs  will  use  the  proceeds  of  

this  Series  A  financing  to  expand  its  profitable  service  business  and  to  enter  into  high  margin  

co-­‐development  deals  with  pharmaceutical  partners.    

 

Dr.  Wolfgang  Beier,  Medical  Director  and  Co-­‐Founder,  explains:  “With  our  unique  network  of  

interdisciplinary   drug-­‐development   capabilities   and   our   leading   nanotechnology   platform,  

we   are   a   reformulation   expert   for   high   barrier   generics   for   proactive   product   life-­‐cycle-­‐

 

                                                                                                                                                                               

management  or   line-­‐extensions  as  well  as  the  development  of  novel  nano-­‐  and  micronized  

drugs.”  

Cornelia  Beier,  Managing  Director  and  Co-­‐Founder  of   leon-­‐nanodrugs  adds:  ”We  are  proud  

to  partner  with  TVM  Capital  Life  Science’s  experienced  investment  team  as  the  lead  investor  

for  our  Series  A  financing.  Their  global  reach  will  offer  us  unique  opportunities  to  drive  the  

commercialization  of  our  product  candidates  on  an  international  scale.”    

 

“This   is  TVM  Capital  Life  Science’s  first   investment  into  a  German  company  since  2009  and  

we   are   very   pleased   to   reinforce   our   footprint   as   a   lead-­‐investor   in   the   German  market,  

especially   as  we   are   joined   in   this   financing   by   reputable   investors  who   have   co-­‐invested  

with   us   over   many   years   in   Germany   and   abroad”,   states   Dr.   Hubert   Birner,   Managing  

Partner  with  TVM  Capital  Life  Science  in  Munich  and  Montreal.  ”leon-­‐nanodrugs  provides  an  

exciting   next-­‐generation-­‐nanotechnology   reformulation   platform,   validated   by   multiple  

service   collaborations   with   prominent   pharma   partners,   that   will   certainly   change   this  

market  segment  in  the  future  –  congratulations  to  the  team  at  leon-­‐nanodrugs  for  achieving  

one  of  the  largest  Series  A  financings  this  year.”  

 

About  leon-­‐nanodrugs    leon-­‐nanodrugs  GmbH  (based   in  Munich)   is  a  nanotechnology-­‐based  drug  development  company  focused  on  reformulations   and   reinventions   of   drugs   on   a   contract   or   co-­‐development   basis.   Based   on   its   “network   of  expertise”,   leon-­‐nanodrugs  can  provide  a  360  degree  service  range  –   from  concept   to  product  approval.  The  core   business   is   the   reformulations   to   develop   novel   oral   and   parenteral   formulations   and   innovative   drug  combinations,  which  have  not  been  possible   in  the  past  due  to   low  bioavailability  caused  by   low  solubility  of  APIs.  The  2014  CPhI  Pharma  Awards  for  Best  Innovation  in  Formulation  was  won  by  MJR  PharmJet  GmbH,  leon  nanodrugs’  exclusive  reformulation  service  partner  for  its  patented  nanotechnology.      www.leon-­‐nanodrugs.com    Contact    Cornelia  Beier,  Managing  Director  leon-­‐nanodrugs  GmbH  c.beier@leon-­‐nanodrugs.com    +49  89  414248899-­‐0    About  TVM  Capital  Life  Science  TVM  Capital   Life   Science   is   providing   venture   capital   to   the   international   pharmaceutical,   biopharmaceutical  and  medical   technology   industries   with  more   than   30-­‐years   of   transatlantic   investment   track   record   and   in  excess   of   US$1.3bn   under   management.   TVM   Capital   Life   Science   currently   invests   from   its   7th   fund  

 

                                                                                                                                                                               

generation,  TVM  Life  Science  Ventures  VII,  with  an  integrated  team  of  investment  professionals  from  Munich  and  Montreal.  www.tvm-­‐capital.com  or  www.tvm-­‐lifescience.com      Media  Contact  Monika  Schlesinger  Global  Communications  TVM  Capital  Life  Science  &  Healthcare  schlesinger@tvm-­‐capital.com    +49  89  998992-­‐0    About  Signet  Healthcare  Partners  Founded   in   1998,   Signet   Healthcare   Partners   provides   growth   capital   to   commercial-­‐stage   healthcare  companies   around   the   world.   Over   the   past   16   years,   Signet   has   organized   three   funds   and   completed  investments  in  42  companies  with  25  exits.  The  team,  comprised  of  five  professionals  with  principal  offices  in  New   York   City,   brings   over   100   years   of   collective   healthcare   experience   in   the   specialty   pharmaceutical,  medical   device,   private   equity   and   investment   banking  businesses.   For  more   information,   please   visit   Signet  online  at  www.signethealthcarepartners.com.  

 

About  LifeCare  Partners  LifeCare   Partners   is   an   independent   investment   firm   providing   financing   to   private   and   public   life   science  companies.  LifeCare  Partners  targets  the  entire  life  science  industry  with  special  focus  on  medical  technology,  diagnostics,   biopharmaceuticals,   food   &   nutrition,   industrial   biotechnology,   biomaterials,   e-­‐health   and  bioenergy.  Based   in  Basel,   the   LifeCare  Partners   team  has   successfully   invested   in  more   than  30   life   science  companies  over  the  last  years,  of  which  a  large  number  have  already  been  listed  on  the  stock  exchange  or  have  been  acquired  by  leading  players  in  the  life  science  industry.  For  more  information,  visit  www.lifecarevc.com