*Note, this publication refers to the legacy name of our technology, now branded and trademarked as Celletto™

It follows only 6 weeks after VVP’s first investment meant to accelerate the commercialization of Basilard BioTech’s next generation nanomechanical gene delivery SoloPore™ technology platform.

March 19, 2020 – Basilard BioTech, Inc., a Southern California based biotechnology tools company committed to transforming the engineering and delivery of ex vivo cell and gene therapies, announced today a second $250k pre-seed investment by VVP on the heels of VVP’s initial $250k investment in late January for a total pre-seed investment of $500,000. The money is allocated in association with the UC Riverside focused Highlander Venture Fund. Basilard BioTech will utilize the funds to develop next gen prototypes and accelerate the acquisition of co-development partners who are currently developing ex vivo cell & gene therapies to cure a wide variety of illnesses that affect millions worldwide, including cancer, genetic disorders and degenerative diseases. Basilard’s patented SoloPore™ technology (nanomechanical gene delivery) offers a new, unique & more elegant platform for pharma and biotech companies who require more effective techniques for engineering T-Cells, HSCs and iPSCs but are currently hampered by limitations inherent to prevailing viral and non-viral gene delivery approaches. 

Basilard’s unique, patented technology results from over a decade’s worth of NIH-funded research and development by Dr. Masa Rao in his lab at the University of California Riverside. Technical information regarding the SoloPore™ platform is available at: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.nanolett.9b03175. 

Basilard BioTech CEO Brynley Lee said: “This second round of institutional money from our partners at VVP will help to accelerate our chip fabrication, talent acquisition and customer/partner acquisition efforts already under way.” Lee added: “Our SoloPore™ technology offers across the board better ex vivo delivery metrics, a lower overall cost, higher reliability and, ultimately, a higher throughput solution that makes us a very attractive alternative to currently available ex vivo gene delivery techniques. Recognizing the vital role the biotech sector is playing in combating the current pandemic, we believe it is imperative for our company to push forward with our efforts to help deliver cures for the many other currently incurable diseases that still threaten millions worldwide.” 

VVP’s Director of University Programs, Phil Schwab stated, “Excellent blocking and tackling by Basilard BioTech right out of the gate shows demonstrative value in an accelerated pursuit of a next generation gene delivery tool.”

About Basilard BioTech, Inc.

Basilard BioTech, with technology licensed from the UC Riverside, has developed a unique, disruptive, nanomechanical gene delivery platform for engineering ex vivo cell and gene therapies called SoloPore™ that minimizes damage to the cell in the delivery process, thus enabling high gene delivery efficiency (efficacy) while still maintaining cellular viability. 

SoloPore™ is an elegant mechanical, rather than electro or shear-based poration delivery mechanism that provides a simpler, safer, more versatile, less costly and more effective approach than prevailing viral or non-viral techniques. SoloPore™ will help to open up new opportunity for accelerating the discovery, development and manufacture of therapies that offer the promise – for the first time – for curing deadly and debilitating diseases such as cancer, genetic disorders, degenerative disease, and others that defy conventional treatments and affect millions worldwide.

Contact: Brynley Lee, CEO; BrynleyLee@BasilardBioTech.net

About Vertical Venture Partners

Vertical Venture Partners (“VVP”) is a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm founded in 2015 by Dave Schwab, a 20- year veteran in early stage technology investing. VVP focuses on making Seed and Series A investments in B2B technology companies targeting pain points in specific vertical industries. Some vertical industries of interest include financial services, retail, education and life sciences. The VVP team has decades of operating and investment experience gained from diverse backgrounds in venture capital, research & development, investment banking and advanced technology. Please visit www.vvp.vc to learn more.

Media contact: Doreen Thawley; doreen@vvp.vc