Citrapeutics, a spin-off of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, impressed the jury with its approach of inhibiting the enzyme ACOD1 in order to reactivate the body's own immune defences against cancer in a targeted manner. The aim is to significantly improve the effectiveness of existing immunotherapies. Green Elephant Biotech was honoured for its cell culture platform CellScrew, which enables the sustainable and scalable production of cell and gene therapies as well as vaccines. Both companies emphasised the high value of BioVaria as a bridge between academic research and industrial implementation. For Citrapeutics, the win was not just a symbolic success, but a concrete step towards clinical development, supported by new contacts with investors and strategic partners. Green Elephant Biotech also sees the award as confirmation of its technological approach to making the production of biological drugs more efficient and industrially usable. In addition, Behnam Javanmardi and Michael Zeisberg, two promising early-stage projects from the GO-Bio initial and ForTra funding lines, were honoured for their convincing pitches. BioVaria once again offered an intensive exchange between science, start-ups, investors and industry representatives. The next BioVaria is planned for 27 and 28 April 2026 in Munich.
News from "bionity.com" from 05/05/2025
