Roche sets up new biotech company
Swiss-based Roche is to set up an independent biotech company to focus on immunology. BioXell is a spin-off from Roche's r&d organisation Roche Milano Ricerche, and has raised €22m (US$20m) in finance from three venture capital firms.
The creation of BioXell follows earlier spin-offs, which resulted in three biotech start-ups: Basilea and Actelion in Switzerland and Novuspharma in Italy.
The company will focus on immunology, through its TREM receptor programme, and on its proprietary vitamin D3 analogues, one of which, BXL628, is expected to enter phase II trials towards the end of the year. Two other analogues are expected to enter phase I trials by the end of the year. BioXell will concentrate on diseases such as benign prostatic hyperplasia, septic shock and type 1 diabetes.