Biotechnological Innovation from the Arctic Ocean
Bioactive marine natural products are present in vast numbers in the Arctic Ocean and represent a treasure of largely new unexplored chemical structures.
These compounds exert their biological effects through known and unknown mechanisms of action and promise the discovery of new and better treatment approaches for many diseases that hitherto cannot be treated or can only be treated inadequately.
Arctic marine ecosystems are an extremely rich source of bioactive compounds that can be used as a basis for the discovery and development of novel and effective medicines.
News
Start of FLT3 inhibitor project work
Seed financing secured through convertible loans from KHAN Technology Transfer Fund I GmbH & Co KG (KHAN-I) and Norinnova
Press release
KinSea's foundation
KinSea Lead Discovery AS (KinSea) is a new biotechnology start-up company developing marine bioactive compounds into pharmaceutically active products.
To maximize the potential of marine natural products from the Arctic Ocean and bridge the gap between academia and industry, a drug discovery pipeline shall be established.
The therapeutic indications cover cancers as well as other diseases with high, unmet clinical need. With our first FLT3 inhibitor asset, which has successfully passed the animal proof-of-concept phase, we will develop a targeted therapy for hematologies.
KinSea Lead Discovery AS is a pharmaceutical start-up company founded in September 2022 by UiT The Arctic University of Norway (UiT), the University of Bergen (UiB), Norinnova, and the Lead Discovery Center GmbH (LDC). Based in Tromsø, Norway, KinSea started operations in March 2023. Seed financing is secured through convertible loans from KHAN Technology Transfer Fund I GmbH & Co KG (KHAN-I), an early-stage life sciences venture fund based in Germany, and through Norinnova, UiT´s agency for research commercialization, with the purpose to expand the investor syndicate.
Team
Jeanette Hammer Andersen, CEO
Jeanette is CEO of KinSea and a professor at UiT The Arctic University of Norway (UiT). She is a biologist in marine bioprospecting and has headed the natural products platform Marbio at UiT since its foundation in 2004.
Bengt Erik Haug, CSO
Bengt Erik is CSO of KinSea. He is a synthetic organic chemist by training and has more than 20 years of experience in medicinal chemistry, small molecule synthesis, and early-stage drug discovery.
Anne-Kathrin Klebl, COO
Anne-Kathrin is KinSea´s COO. With a background in (marine) biology and in environmental sciences, Anne-Kathrin has many years of experience in pharmaceutical drug discovery, managing operations, administration and public relations at the Lead Discovery Center GmbH, where she works since 2010.
Espen Holst Hansen, Scientist
Espen is a scientist at KinSea, focusing on the identification of novel compounds and in vitro assays. In addition, Espen is a professor in marine biotechnology at UiT the Arctic University of Norway
Kine Østnes Hansen, Scientist
Kine is a scientist at KinSea with expertise in project management, compound management, and identification and profiling of novel compounds for drug discovery.
Annette Bayer, Scientist
Annette is a scientist at KinSea, bringing in her expertise in design and synthesis strategies of new compounds for drug discovery.
Investors
KHAN Technology Transfer Fund I GmbH & Co KG (KHAN-I) is an early-stage life sciences venture fund with €70 million under management.
KHAN-I´s mission is to create value through cooperative drug development partnerships with academic innovators in Europe. KHAN-I focuses on first-in-class therapies for attractive markets with a high unmet medical need.
The fund is managed by Khanu Management GmbH, an experienced team of professionals with proven track records in early-stage drug development and academic spin-offs as well as pharma licensing and partnering. KHAN-I received an investment from the European Investment Fund with the support of InnovFin Equity, and with the financial backing of the European Union under Horizon 2020 Financial Instruments and the European Fund for Strategic Investments under the Investment Plan for Europe.
KHAN-I is also supported by Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH (with funds provided by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs and the Austrian Foundation for Research, Technology, and Development), Max Planck Foundation, and Thyssen’sche Handelsgesellschaft mbH. In addition, KHAN-I sustains a preferred partnership with the Max-Planck Society (Max-Planck Gesellschaft e.V.).
For more information visit: www.khanu.de
Norinnova is one of Northern Norway's most competent and experienced agencies for research commercialization.
Norinnova connects researchers, start-up environments, companies and commercial actors to develop and utilize the region’s innovation power. For more than 30 years, Norinnova has worked closely with researchers and leading research communities in Northern Norway to harness the power of innovation in the north.
This collaboration has contributed to the creation of brand-new businesses and has reinforced existing companies through new products and services. Norinnova secures rights, helps provide funding, investigates market potential, finds relevant partners, and contributes so that the scientists can get their product or service to the market.
Further information at www.norinnova.no