Deep Science Ventures, a UK-based venture studio, and General Inception, a US-based venture studio, today announced a collaboration to create a company focused on developing novel treatments for fibrosis. Widely recognised as an area of significant unmet need, Deep Science Ventures and General Inception’s European arm, Igniter Europe, aim to establish a company dedicated to overcoming current bottlenecks in fibrosis therapeutics by developing a novel concept and taking it through to full company launch.
Deep Science Ventures and General Inception each have a strong track record in scientific discovery and venture creation. Together they will apply a new start-up strategy that combines Deep Science Ventures’ first-principles driven inventive methodology and AI toolset with General Inception’s record of progressing early-stage innovations. Over the course of the collaboration, the partners will generate de novo concepts for novel therapeutic interventions, select the preferred approach, recruit a founding team, and jointly fund and launch a new company. Despite enormous global prevalence and its contribution to 35% of all global deaths, fibrosis remains therapeutically neglected, and has so far attracted only 2 FDA approved drugs. The new company will target this common pathological process, maximising impact across a diversity of fibrotic diseases, from pulmonary fibrosis to systemic sclerosis.
Deep Science Ventures has built and launched over 40 companies harnessing scientific invention to solve major world challenges, combining interdisciplinary expertise to develop solutions in fields such as therapeutics, climate, restorative agriculture and computation. Deep Science Ventures’ methodology focuses on iteratively profiling the techno-economic requirements and generating matched candidate solutions. The methodology is accelerated by a proprietary ’AI co-pilot’ tool which automates critical invention workflows.
General Inception provides strategic support, capital, and resources through its venture studio, which has built a portfolio of 45 companies across therapeutics, synthetic biology and life science tools and diagnostics. Igniter Europe, General Inception’s European arm, focuses on the growth of high-potential European ventures, particularly in therapeutics and life sciences tools and technology sectors. Igniter Europe will provide scientific and operational expertise to support the build process of the new company.
Dr Laura Fletcher, Head of Business Development and Venture Portfolio, Pharma, Deep Science Ventures, said: “We are pleased to partner with General Inception to address the critical unmet need in fibrosis and the need for more impactful treatments. Our approach, driven by medical need rather than technology-led solutions, leverages the complementary strengths of our two venture studios. Together, we will develop an approach to tackle fibrosis, and we are excited to see the impact this will have on patients.”
Dr Venkat Reddy, Chief Scientific Officer, General Inception, commented: "This collaboration represents an exciting opportunity to apply our expertise in early-stage innovation to an area with significant unmet need. By combining our proven track record in developing breakthrough therapies with Deep Science Ventures' pioneering approach to company creation, we are well positioned to drive meaningful progress in the treatment of fibrosis. Together, we are committed to developing novel solutions and transforming this critical therapeutic area."
