Sofinnova Partners Announces Third Investment From Its Italian Fund
20.4.2020 10:00:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
Sofinnova Partners, a leading European life sciences venture capital firm based in Paris, London and Milan, announced today an investment in Genespire, a Milan-based gene-therapy company developing best-in-class therapies for patients affected by genetic diseases. This is the third investment for the Sofinnova Telethon Fund, bringing the total financing of Italian startups by Sofinnova Partners to €25 million over the past six months. The Sofinnova Telethon Fund is the largest fund in Italy dedicated to biotechnologies, making early-stage investments in Italian companies targeting cures for rare and genetic diseases.
Genespire was spearheaded by the renowned gene therapy pioneer Professor Luigi Naldini. This investment by the Sofinnova Telethon Fund follows on the heels of its leading-edge investments in Epsilen Bio, which is developing a technology to turn off genes linked to specific pathologies without irreversibly modifying the DNA (a major potential safety advantage), and PinCell, a pre-clinical stage biotech company focused on the development of new therapies for rare dermatological diseases.
“These investments are the result of the excellent collaboration between Sofinnova Partners and The Telethon Foundation,” said Graziano Seghezzi, Managing Partner of Sofinnova Partners. “These exceptional start-up companies validate our conviction in the strength of the Italian market for supporting biotechnological advances.”
The Sofinnova Telethon Fund, managed by Sofinnova Partners, received commitments totaling €108 million, exceeding its target and establishing it as the largest fund to emerge from ITATech, a joint venture between the European Investment Fund (EIF) and Italy’s Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CdP). “We have gained unprecedented levels of support from Italian investors for our Italian biotech fund,” added Mr. Seghezzi. “We are proud and humbled by the trust we received from some of the country’s leading institutional, corporate and private investors who more than doubled the initial support provided by ITATech.”
Francesca Pasinelli, CEO of The Telethon Foundation, said the biggest winners of this partnership would be the patients who suffer from rare and genetic diseases. “This Fund has always been about them and additionally, is dedicated to elevating Italian science, supported by Italian investors and focused on Italy’s best entrepreneurs and companies,” she said. “We are seeing deep synergies between what we are doing with Sofinnova Partners and our ongoing, fruitful collaboration with the San Raffaele Hospital.”
The Sofinnova Telethon Fund team is led by technology transfer specialists Lucia Faccio and Paola Pozzi, Partners at Sofinnova Partners, who are based in the Milan office. The office also houses BiovelocITA, Italy’s first biotechnology accelerator co-founded in 2015 by Sofinnova Partners in collaboration with Silvano Spinelli and Gabriella Camboni, two serial entrepreneurs with close ties to Sofinnova Partners. Ms. Faccio has over 20 years of experience in the domain as the Director of Research and Business Development of The Telethon Foundation and as the Director of the Technology Transfer Office at the San Raffaele Hospital. Ms. Pozzi, who succeeded Ms. Faccio at the San Raffaele Hospital, has 16 years of experience in patent portfolio market-oriented management and development leading to incorporation of new companies with strong IP assets.
The Sofinnova Telethon Fund will continue to invest exclusively in Italy, seeking to identify, create and develop some of the best companies in the field of rare and genetic diseases.
About Sofinnova Partners
Sofinnova Partners is a leading European venture capital firm specialized in Life Sciences. Based in Paris, France, with offices in London and Milan, the firm brings together a team of 40 professionals from all over Europe, the U.S. and Asia. The firm focuses on paradigm-shifting technologies alongside visionary entrepreneurs. Sofinnova Partners invests across the Life Sciences value chain as a lead or cornerstone investor, from very early-stage opportunities to late-stage/public companies. It has backed nearly 500 companies over more than 48 years, creating market leaders around the globe. Today, Sofinnova Partners has over €2 billion under management. For more information, please visit: www.sofinnovapartners.com
About Genespire
Genespire is a biotechnology company focused on the development of transformative gene therapies for patients affected by genetic diseases, particularly primary immunodeficiencies and inherited metabolic diseases. Based in Milan, Italy, Genespire was founded in March 2020 by the gene therapy pioneer Prof. Luigi Naldini, Prof. Alessio Cantore, The Telethon Foundation and San Raffaele Hospital. It is a spin-off of SR-Tiget, a world leading cell and gene therapy research institute and backed by Sofinnova Partners.
About Epsilen Bio
Epsilen Bio is a biotechnology company developing transformative therapies for patients affected by underserved medical conditions, through stable and long-lasting epigenetic silencing of genes involved in pathological processes. Based in Milan, Italy, Epsilen Bio was founded in December 2019 by the renowned gene therapy experts Prof. Angelo Lombardo and Prof. Luigi Naldini, The Telethon Foundation and San Raffaele Hospital. Epsilen Bio is a spin-off of SR-Tiget, a world leading cell and gene therapy research institute, and received seed funding from Sofinnova Partners. For more information, please visit: www.epsilenbio.com
About PinCell
PinCell is a biotechnology company targeting a novel pathological pathway to develop first-in-class anti-inflammatory therapy for the treatment of rare, severe skin diseases with high unmet medical need. Based in Milan, Italy, PinCell was founded in October 2008 as an academic spin-off of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia by the world-class dermatology experts Prof. Carlo Pincelli and Dr. Alessandra Marconi. PinCell received seed funding from Sofinnova Partners. For more information, please visit: www.pincell.it
About The Telethon Foundation (Fondazione Telethon)
The Fondazione Telethon is a non-profit organisation created in 1990 as a response to the appeals of a group of stakeholders, who saw scientific research as the only real opportunity to fight genetic diseases and win. Thanks to the funds raised through the television marathon, along with other initiatives and a network of partners and volunteers, Telethon finances the best scientific research on rare genetic diseases, with the ultimate objective of making the treatments developed available to everyone who needs them. Throughout its 28 years of activity, Fondazione Telethon has invested more than € 528 million in funding more than 2.630 projects to study more than 570 diseases, involving over 1.600 scientists. Fondazione Telethon has made a significant contribution to the worldwide advancement of knowledge regarding rare genetic diseases and of research with a view to developing treatments. For more information, please visit: www.telethon.it
About San Raffaele Hospital (Ospedale San Raffaele)
Ospedale San Raffaele (OSR) is a clinical-research-university hospital established in 1971 to provide international-level specialised care for the most complex and difficult health conditions. OSR is part of Gruppo San Donato, the leading hospital group in Italy. The hospital is a multi-specialty center with over 60 clinical specialties; it is accredited by the Italian National Health System to provide care to both public and private, national and international patients. Research at OSR focuses on integrating basic, translational and clinical activities to provide the most advanced care to our patients. The institute is recognized as a global authority in molecular medicine and gene therapy, and is at the forefront of research in many other fields. Ospedale San Raffaele is a first-class institute which treats many diseases and stands out for the deep interaction between clinical and scientific area. This makes the transfer of scientific results from the laboratories to the patient’s bed easier. Its mission is to improve knowledge of diseases, identify new therapies and encourage young scientists and doctors to grow professionally. For more information, please visit: www.hsr.it
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200420005174/en/
Contact information
Bommy Lee
Head of Communications, Sofinnova Partners
blee@sofinnovapartners.com
+33 (0) 6 47 71 38 11
Italy
Havas PR Milan
Marco Fusco
Marco.fusco@havaspr.com
+39 (0) 3456538145
Antonio Buozzi
antonio.buozzi@havaspr.com
+39 (0) 3200624418
North America
RooneyPartners LLC
Kate Barrette
kbarrette@rooneyco.com
+1 212 223 0561
France
StrategiesImage
Anne Rein
anne.rein@strategiesimage.com
+33 (0) 6 03 35 92 05
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Multi-Color Corporation Announces Recapitalization to Reset Balance Sheet and Position Company for Long-Term Growth and Investment27.1.2026 23:09:00 EET | Press release
Multi-Color Corporation (“MCC” or the “Company”), a global leader in prime label solutions, today announced strategic actions to further position the Company for long-term growth and investment to best serve its customers. MCC has entered into a restructuring support agreement (the “RSA”) with holders of approximately 70% in amount of MCC’s secured first lien debt and its equity sponsor, CD&R, on the terms of a comprehensive financial restructuring. The transactions contemplated by the RSA will significantly deleverage MCC’s balance sheet, reducing its net debt load from approximately $5.9 billion to approximately $2.0 billion. The Company’s annualized cash interest will also be reduced from approximately $475 million to $140 million in 2026, a reduction of over $330 million, with long-term debt maturities extended to 2033 following consummation of the restructuring transactions. To implement the transactions contemplated by the RSA, MCC has launched a solicitation for votes in support
Logitech Announces Q3 Fiscal Year 2026 Results27.1.2026 23:05:00 EET | Press release
SIX Swiss Exchange Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR — Logitech International (SIX: LOGN) (Nasdaq: LOGI) today announced financial results for the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2026. Sales were $1.42 billion, up 6 percent in US dollars and 4 percent in constant currency compared to Q3 of the prior year. GAAP gross margin was 43.2 percent, up 30 basis points compared to Q3 of the prior year. Non-GAAP gross margin was 43.5 percent, up 30 basis points compared to Q3 of the prior year. GAAP operating income was $286 million, up 22 percent compared to Q3 of the prior year. Non-GAAP operating income was $312 million, up 17 percent compared to Q3 of the prior year. GAAP earnings per share (EPS) was $1.69, up 28 percent compared to Q3 of the prior year. Non-GAAP EPS was $1.93, up 21 percent compared to Q3 of the prior year. Cash flow from operations was $481 million. The quarter-ending cash balance was $1.8 billion. “We delivered another quarter of excellent financial performance,” sai
Mobileum Launches GlobalRoamer® Connectivity Package for the FIFA World Cup 2026 to Assure Seamless Roaming and 5G Voice Performance Across North America27.1.2026 22:45:00 EET | Press release
Mobileum Inc. (“Mobileum”), a leading global provider of analytics and network solutions, today announced a Special GlobalRoamer® package for the FIFA World Cup 2026, designed to help mobile network operators (MNOs) validate roaming readiness and maintain high-quality connectivity during one of the world’s most demanding network events, where service performance directly impacts roaming revenue, customer retention, and brand reputation. The FIFA World Cup 2026 will place unprecedented pressure on mobile networks across 16 stadiums in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, as millions of fans, teams, media, and officials rely on mobile services to stream, share, and communicate in real time. Sudden spikes in data, voice, and roaming traffic can degrade performance precisely when customer experience is most visible. Mobileum’s FIFA World Cup 2026 package builds on the GlobalRoamer® end-to-end active testing ecosystem used at major global events, including roaming quality campaigns conduc
Tacton Named a Leader in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for CPQ Applications for the Fourth Consecutive Year27.1.2026 19:00:00 EET | Press release
Tacton, a global leader in Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) solutions for manufacturers of complex, configurable products, today announced that it has been named a Leader in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for CPQ Applications. This marks the fourth consecutive year Tacton has been recognized as a Leader in the report. Among the 16 vendors evaluated, Tacton placed highest in the quadrant on Completeness of Vision and for the second consecutive year is positioned highest in Ability to Execute. Tacton CPQ is designed to support manufacturers selling highly configurable products by helping them: Ensure accurate configuration so every quote reflects valid options and constraints Quote faster with confidence across high-variance portfolios without relying on manual engineering checks Maintain pricing and margin control through consistent configuration and pricing logic This approach supports manufacturers as they manage complexity while meeting buyer expectations for speed and accuracy. “We
CSG Recognized in Multi-Category Trusted Analyst Reports for CPQ, Monetization, and Digital Partner Management27.1.2026 18:05:00 EET | Press release
Communication service providers (CSPs) are under pressure to simplify complexity, monetize new services, and deliver experiences customers trust with speed and accuracy. To succeed, they need partners who can turn quote-to-cash and digital monetization into a competitive advantage, not just a back-office function. Over the past year, CSG® (NASDAQ: CSGS) has achieved multi-category recognition from leading analyst firms for doing exactly that. To CSG, these recognitions reinforce a role as a go-to partner for CSPs looking to move faster, unlock new revenue streams, and modernize their core with AI-powered, telco-specific platforms built for real-world complexity. CPQ Leadership for Complex B2B and B2B2X Monetization CSG Quote & Order continues to stand out for CSPs that need to configure complex offers, quote with confidence, and move from deal to revenue without friction. With Quote & Order, CSG is named: A Challenger in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Configure, Price & Quote Ap
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom