65LAB and Duke-NUS award US$1.85 million to combat chronic inflammation
- Recipient Associate Professor Lena Ho spearheads groundbreaking research to develop first-in-class therapeutics to target inflammatory diseases
- Collaboration between 65LAB and Duke-NUS aims to advance promising innovation from academic institutions with potential to build new therapeutic companies from Singapore
- US$1.85 million funding comprises US$1.5 million from 65LAB and US$350,000 from Duke-NUS’ newly established incubator, LIVE Ventures
Singapore, 29 July 2024 – Associate Professor Lena Ho from Duke-NUS Medical School has been awarded US$1.85 million (approx. S$2.51 million) to further her team’s research in developing microproteins into therapeutic targets to treat chronic inflammation. She is the first scientist to receive funding from 65LAB, a unique partnership set up to drive scientific advancement and create new biotech ventures from Singapore. The award comprises US$1.5 million from 65LAB, and S$500,000 (approx. US$350,000) from Duke-NUS’ new incubator, LIVE Ventures.
Chronic inflammatory diseases and related syndromes affect close to 60 million people in the US alone, costing at least US$90 billion a year1. In Singapore, the prevalence of these conditions is also on the rise. For example, rheumatoid arthritis affects about 45,000 people or around 1 per cent2 of Singapore’s population, and the incidence of paediatric inflammatory bowel disease has increased significantly over recent decades3.
Associate Professor Lena Ho from Duke-NUS Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders Programme, said: “We are developing a platform that uniquely positions us to uncover hidden gems in the human genome to provide novel and high-value targets for anti-inflammatory therapeutics within the first two years of the project. 65LAB’s award and the additional funding from LIVE Ventures will enable my team to focus on identifying novel biologically active microproteins, offering promising candidates for inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel diseases and atopic dermatitis.”
Investment represents first award for both new ventures
This award, which marks the first investment by 65LAB, is strengthened by the contribution of an additional US$350,000 by LIVE Ventures, an early-stage venture incubator newly launched by Duke-NUS.
65LAB brings together the resources and expertise of a consortium of global investors including ClavystBio, Leaps by Bayer, Lightstone Ventures, Polaris Partners and the Polaris Innovation Fund, and global life science company Evotec SE.
Assoc Prof Ho’s project received unanimous support from 65LAB’s investors and partners. It was selected following a competitive process where Assoc Prof Ho worked closely with 65LAB Expert-in-Residence Stephen Hess to develop a work plan that meets industry benchmarks, and positions her project towards commercialisation.
Adam Stoten, Joint Steering Committee Chair at 65LAB and Senior Vice President Academic Partnerships at Evotec, said: “Assoc Prof Ho’s project stands out for its first-in-class innovation and robust commercial strategy, offering significant potential for company creation. It is an exciting first step in 65LAB’s mission to nurture promising scientific endeavours, evaluate them for further investment, and ultimately advance them into new therapeutic companies in Singapore.”
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1 Illuminating an Invisible Epidemic: A Systemic Review of the Clinical and Economic Benefits of Early Diagnosis and Treatment in Inflammatory Disease and Related Syndromes. J Clin Med. 2019 Apr; 8(4): 493. Doi: 10.3390/jcm8040493
3 Landscape of inflammatory bowel disease in Singapore. Intest Res. 2022 Jul; 20(3): 291–296. Doi: 10.5217/ir.2021.00089
