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Summa Equity acquires Sengenics to advance precision medicine through proteomics

Summa Equity Fund II acquires a majority stake in Sengenics, a functional proteomics company with a unique technology for production of full-length, correctly folded and functional proteins

13 Oct 2020
Tom Casburn
Associate Editor

Industry news

Summa Equity, the purpose-driven private equity firm that invests to solve global challenges, has acquired a majority stake in Sengenics, a functional proteomics company with a proprietary technology called KREX that enables researchers to vastly improve the understanding of the human proteome and immune system. Proteomics, i.e. the large-scale study of proteins, is one of the most important areas for gaining insights into human biology and disease, as protein expressions, structures and functions are critical in reflecting states of health.

Sengenics was first founded in 2008 and went on to commercialize the KREX technology that was originally developed from a joint collaboration between the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford. The company’s patented KREX technology enables researchers to address both the function and folding structure of proteins using one technology that allows for large numbers of proteins to be studied simultaneously, with high sensitivity and specificity. The combination of these capabilities makes KREX unique. The technology is relevant for a broad range of applications in research and throughout the value chain for drugs, vaccines and diagnostics. Sengenics is currently mainly focused on autoantibody detection for applications in autoimmune diseases, oncology and infectious diseases, including COVID-19. The company recently launched a unique high-throughput, multi-antigen, multi-domain and fully quantitative COVID-19 test, leveraging the KREX technology.

Sengenics has grown rapidly in recent years and established customer relationships with top global pharmaceutical companies, and leading research and academic institutions around the world. The company currently has commercial partnerships with 9 out of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies to co-develop complementary and companion diagnostic tests for autoimmune and cancer immunotherapy drugs. Sengenics is based in Europe and South-East Asia.

“Sengenics’ proprietary technology unlocks tremendous potential for researchers around the world to further their understanding of biology and disease,” says Tommi Unkuri, Partner at Summa Equity. “We are proud to partner with the company and support its journey, as it looks to expand its position in the market and grow its business. We look forward to supporting the Sengenics team in our shared ambition to invest to drive product development, global expansion and accelerated adoption.”

Summa Equity invests in companies that address global challenges, while managing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors, with the aim of increasing returns and reducing risk. It was the first company to align its investments with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The investment in Sengenics is aligned with the firm’s Changing Demographics theme and supports the SDG Target #3: “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”, by enabling improved diagnosis, treatment and patient outcomes across a number of disease areas.

“We are excited to welcome Summa Equity as a major strategic investor and shareholder in Sengenics. Their extensive capabilities and alignment with our vision of changing the future of medicine through immune-proteomics is a very strong strategic fit. Summa also has a great deal of relevant knowledge and experience to be a value-added owner for us given its ownership of Olink Proteomics. This deal ensures a level of investment in our technology portfolio that will further advance Sengenics’ development and commercialization initiatives,” said Dr Arif Anwar, CEO of Sengenics.

Summa Equity will be the majority shareholder in Sengenics, while key people in the management team will remain as shareholders in the company.

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AntibodiesAntibodies are used in techniques such as confocal and fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry, ELISA, ELISPOT, immunohistochemistry, western blotting and immunopreciptation. Select specific antigen reactivity, high specific affinity, low non-specific binding, monoclonal or polyclonal, primary or secondary antibodies and associated conjugates such as an enzyme or dye for visualization.ProteomicsProteomics is the systemic bioinformatics study of proteins and amino acids, including their structure, size, function and identification. Tools used in proteomics include chromatography, blotting and gels, protein arrays, mass spectrometry and ELISA and associated analysis software. Analyzers and proteomic systems should be sensitive, high resolution, fast and may be automated for high-throughput.ImmunologyImmunological techniques measure and characterize immune responses. Immunology kits and analysis systems often use techniques such as ELISA, radioimmunoassay (RIA) and immunodiffusion assays, Immunohistochemistry, and flow cytometry. Immunologists use equipment such as flow Cytometers, plate readers, plate washers and fluorescent microscopes.Protein QuantificationThe detection and quantification of proteins in a sample is vital across life sciences, pharmaceutical research and clinical diagnostics, and a variety of equipment is available to scientists to simplify the workflow. Proteins of interest can be easily labeled and detected on light-based detection instruments. Immunoassay kits allow you to identify a specific protein of interest and protein detection beads or antibody microarrays allow you to identify multiple specific proteins at once. Protein interactions and enzyme activity can also be monitored with protein-protein interaction assays. Additionally, the biophysical characterization of proteins is made easy with biokinetic analyzers. Find the best protein detection and quantification products in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Protein ExpressionProtein expression is the utilization of cell machinery for the synthesis of proteins and has become a critical tool in biotherapeutic, genomic, and proteomic research. Produce recombinant proteins with expression vectors in combination with a host cell suitable for high-level protein expression. For production of toxic proteins, consider cell-free expression vectors. Create and monitor post-translational modifications with protein modification kits. Find the best protein expression products in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Protein StructureProtein structure refers to the three-dimensional arrangement of amino acids in proteins, determining their function. Understanding protein structure is key in drug discovery, enzymology, and molecular biology. Explore protein structure analysis tools in our peer-reviewed product directory; compare products, check reviews, and get pricing directly from manufacturers.Vaccine DevelopmentVaccine development focuses on creating immunizations to protect against infectious diseases. The process involves identifying antigens, developing and testing vaccine efficacy, and ensuring safety through preclinical testing and multiple clinical trial phases. Scientists use various approaches, including weakened or inactivated viruses, protein subunits, or mRNA. Advanced platforms and rapid diagnostic tools aid in vaccine research and testing. Explore vaccine development solutions in our peer-reviewed product directory; compare products, read reviews, and get pricing directly from manufacturers. Drug DevelopmentDrug development refers to the process of bringing a new drug to market.Covid-19COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has led to a global health crisis with profound impacts on societies and economies. Research into diagnostics, vaccines, treatments, and understanding viral mechanisms continues to evolve. The pandemic has accelerated innovations in healthcare and biopharmaceuticals, including novel vaccine platforms and rapid testing technologies. Browse our peer-reviewed product directory to find top COVID-19 testing kits, research tools, vaccines, and treatments, compare products, read reviews, and receive direct pricing from manufacturers.Protein BiologyThe analysis of protein expression, identity and function is vital for many areas of life science research and drug discovery. Some of the most commonly used techniques in protein analysis include Western blotting, electrophoresis and mass spectrometry.

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