PerioTrap Pharmaceuticals, an i&i Prague Supported Start-up, Raises €3M Seed Round to Develop Selective Anti-infectives to Tackle Periodontitis Although periodontitis represents a widespread infectious disease affecting around 30% of the global population, there is no effective treatment for patients available, yet. PerioTrap Pharmaceuticals, a Fraunhofer IZI spin-off, has developed a novel treatment strategy that allows the specific eradication of the major bacterial pathogens of periodontitis and therefore the root of the disease. With the help of bmp Ventures AG via the IBG-Fonds, i&i Prague, Fraunhofer Venture and a strategic partner, the biotech company further proceeds its drug development programs. A world without effective antibiotics becomes an increasingly realistic scenario. Worldwide, 700,000 people annually die of multi-resistant strains against which no antibiotic is effective. There are only few new developments while many of the major pharmaceutical companies have completely abandoned the anti-infective field. The expensive development and the prospect of a drug that can be used solely restrictively seem to make the antibiotics business model unattractive. The valuable reserves that are still available are, therefore, being used even more sparingly. Based on the current austerities caused by a global viral pandemic, the future projections of this solo-economic driven development materialize at a great pace. With its new drug and innovative application procedure, PerioTrap Pharmaceuticals GmbH could not only drastically reduce the need for antibiotics. Additionally, with its selective mechanism that targets the major pathogens directly at the site of infection – the oral cavity – chronic conditions may be overcome while simultaneously reducing systemic side effects. The key element of this strategy is an enzyme called glutaminyl cyclase (QC) type II, which is exclusively present within pathogenic bacteria of the oral biofilm with Porphyromonas gingivalis being the main catalyst of the disease. The seed investment will be used for PerioTrap’s lead compound optimization and to progress its new prolonged-release pharmaceutical composition through clinical testing and to apply for subsequent market approval. „We are looking forward to working with this experienced team of drug developers and to particularly make a contribution to such a socially relevant technology area in this financing round“. Andreas van Bon, responsible managing partner at bmp Ventures AG “Periodontitis constitutes a condition of high medical need for which on the contrary hasn’t been any innovation made available in the last decade. Consequently, this investment not only fuels the long neglected therapeutic market segment within the dental realm, but most importantly restores patient confidence.” Pierre Tangermann, Managing Director at PerioTrap Pharmaceuticals As a result of a pan-European project under the FP7 umbrella, PerioTrap is based on an international network and excellent science including the Institute of Microbiology at the Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow (Prof. Jan Potempa), the Institute of Periodontology at the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Bern (Prof. Sigrun Eick) and the Pharmaceutical Technology Research Group at the Institute of Pharmacy at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (Prof. Karsten Mäder). This leading scientific network will be further expanded. About the IBG Funds The IBG funds based in Magdeburg are the venture capital funds of the State of Saxony-Anhalt. The IBG funds provide equity capital to innovative companies with sustainable and above-average growth potential and a domicile/ operation in Saxony-Anhalt. At the beginning of 2017, IBG launched the new risk capital fund RKF III with a volume of EUR 84 million. The fund is financed by funds from the state and the European Union and invests in innovative companies in Saxony-Anhalt in the business phases of seed, start-up and growth. The IBG funds are managed by bmp Ventures AG. About bmp Ventures With an experience background of over 250 investments from almost all technology segments, most of which are in the early stages, bmp is one of the most experienced venture capital investors in Germany. In addition to direct investments, bmp has also managed venture capital funds for KfW Bankengruppe and DEG – Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft. bmp currently manages the IBG funds in Saxony-Anhalt and the Frühphasenfonds Brandenburg. bmp has around 20 employees in Berlin and Magdeburg. About Fraunhofer Venture Fraunhofer Venture is the central department for spin-offs and investment management of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and offers founders, start-ups, Fraunhofer Institutes, industry, and investors access to the cutting-edge technologies of the 74 Fraunhofer Institutes, the Fraunhofer infrastructure and Fraunhofer know-how with over 7,000 patent families. The range of services includes complete support and consulting from the idea to the founding of a company, active participation management of Fraunhofer participations, support with finding investors up to a possible sale of the company and is flanked by the AHEAD company builder as well as other offerings.

CasInvent Pharma Raises €1.3 Million from KHAN-I and i&i Biotech Fund to Support the Development of New Casein Kinase 1 Inhibitors for the Treatment of Leukemias and Solid Tumors Prague, Czech Republic, September 13th, 2022. CasInvent Pharma, an early-stage drug discovery company developing small-molecule compounds with anticancer properties, has raised a follow-up investment round of €1.3 million provided by KHAN Technology Transfer Fund I (KHAN-I) and i&i Biotech Fund (i&i Bio). With this funding, CasInvent Pharma will be strengthening its portfolio of casein kinase inhibitors and progressing its lead compound to the development candidate status. The company CasInvent Pharma is developing proprietary, highly selective inhibitors of enzymes belonging to the casein kinase 1 (CK1) family, which play an important role in several disease-related processes, including the migration of leukemia cells into lymphoid organs. The small-molecule inhibitors are designed to target individual isoforms of CK1 and thereby selectively eradicate leukemic cells. The CasInvent inhibitors have shown promising effects on hard-to-treat leukemias, suggesting their potential use in diseases that currently have limited treatment options. Overall, approximately 500,000 new cases and more than 300,000 deaths due to leukemia were recorded worldwide in 2020. CasInvent Pharma will also explore the potential of its CK1 inhibitors for the treatment of other cancers, such as solid tumors. “We are confident that through the support of our investors, we will be able to advance our compounds faster into the clinic and to demonstrate the therapeutic anticancer effects of CK1 inhibition in patients. This step will render CasInvent attractive for larger pharma companies, as it will enable them to expand their portfolio with new compounds useful in single-agent as well as combination therapies,” says Vojtěch Helikar, CEO of CasInvent Pharma. “CK1 inhibition provides a novel mechanism of action in different cancer indications, which needs to be exploited in the clinic. We believe that our compounds have the potential to offer novel alternatives of cancer treatment for patients with a high unmet medical need,” adds Alexander Scheer, CSO of CasInvent Pharma. High quality of the research team and the strong support The company CasInvent Pharma was established in 2020 as a spin-off of Masaryk University (MU) in cooperation with the investment partner i&i Prague. “The investment of €1.3 million further confirms the quality of the scientific project that was created and developed for several years at Masaryk University. The establishment of the spin-off company CasInvent Pharma was thus a logical step to advance, and ultimately commercialize, these efforts. I am very pleased that the Technology Transfer Office of MU was part of such an important achievement,” says Radoslav Trautmann, Head of Technology Transfer Department, Masaryk University. “We are looking forward to our first investment in a Czech start-up and our first co-investment with the recently launched i&i Biotech Fund. From the beginning, we were impressed by the high quality of CasInvent’s research team and the strong support from Masaryk University and the biotech incubator i&i Prague to make this investment possible. With our deep experience in preclinical development of small molecules, we will be able to make valuable contributions to the design and achievement of the key R&D milestones. We look forward to working with Vojtěch, Alexander and the R&D team,” comment Michael Krebs and Peter Nussbaumer, managing partners of KHAN-I. CasInvent Pharma is i&i Bio’s most recent investment announced this year. It marks yet another successful cooperation with the biotech incubator i&i Prague, one of the main investors of i&i Bio. „We are excited to welcome another promising Czech project to our portfolio. The ability of this spin-off to convince renowned international investors confirms its ambition to be successful on a global scale. It is great to be part of this journey. We are also pleased to use our investment to support research that could help treat serious diseases such as leukemia in the future,“ says Ivan Vohlmuth, one of the partners of i&i Bio. Contact Martin Kovalčík, + 420 777 472 863, kovalcik@inibio.eu (for i&i Biotech Fund) Vojtěch Helikar, +420 728 995 850, helikar@casinvent.com (for CasInvent) Radoslav Trautmann, +420 605 824 519, trautmann@casinvent.com (for Masaryk University) Anne-Kathrin Klebl, +49231 97 42 70 29, pr@lead-discovery.de (for KHAN-I) About i&i Bio i&i Bio is a Luxembourg-based venture capital firm that invests in innovative European Life Sciences companies focused on drug discoveries, medical devices, diagnostics, and digital health. The Fund was created thanks to the cooperation of the biotech incubator i&i Prague and the European Investment Fund (see below). With over €45M under management, i&i Bio plans to invest in about 20 early-stage companies. i&i Bio is led by an experienced team of professionals with backgrounds in private equity, healthcare and venture capital supporting entrepreneurs on their journey to global success. Thanks to the close cooperation with the fund’s sponsor, the biotech academic incubator i&i Prague, i&i Bio is supporting and advancing transformative Central European technology companies. For more information visit www.inibio.eu . About European Investment Fund i&i Bio is supported by an investment from the EIF, with the support of: lnnovFin Equity, with the financial backing of the European Union under Horizon 2020 Financial Instruments and the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) set up under the Investment Plan for Europe. The purpose of EFSI is to help support financing and implementing productive investments in the European Union and to ensure increased access to financing; and the Pan-European Guarantee Fund (EGF), implemented by the EIF with the financial support of the Participating Member States. The objective of EGF is to respond to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring that companies in the Participating Member States have sufficient short-term liquidity available to weather the crisis and are able to continue their growth and development in the medium to long-term. About KHAN-I KHAN Technology Transfer Fund I GmbH & Co KG (KHAN-I) is an early-stage life sciences venture fund with € 70 millions under management. Our 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, academic spin-offs as well as pharma licensing and partnering. KHAN-I received an investment from the European Investment Fund (EIF) with support of InnovFin Equity, with the financial backing of the European Union under Horizon 2020 Financial Instruments and the European Fund for Strategic Investments (“EFSI”) under the Investment Plan for Europe. KHAN-I is also supported by Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH (AWS 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. About Masaryk University Technology Transfer Office Masaryk University Technology Transfer Office is a specialised department of Masaryk University that helps to transfer knowledge and technology into practice. The Office supports the university's cooperation with the commercial sphere, the creation of spin-off companies and the successful commercialisation of university research.

XXX XXX 1 XXX 2 Scientific expertise combined with startup know-how. 3 Tailor-made incubation programs. 4 Incubation supported through initial funding . Incubation Program Building Blocks Market Analysis Business Development R&D Feedback IP & Legal Support Team Development Start-up Founding Communication Support Follow-up Investment Why to Meet Us? As a biotechnology incubator and venture builder , we help bring your projects from lab to market. We transform ideas in the fields of drug discovery, MedTech, diagnostics and life sciences into investible ventures. We support founders with step-by-step guidance from a concept to a marketready company. We empower scientists with the skills to run successful biotechnology ventures . We help portfolio companies attract investors and scale successfully .

i&i Prague, the Technical University of Liberec, and the Faculty of Medicine of Charles University in Pilsen will support the technology for the prevention of complications in intestinal surgery Markéta Hujerová (Klíčová), founder of the Nanoflexion project. Prague, Czech Republic — October 1, 2025 — The i&i Prague biotechnology incubator, the Technical University of Liberec, and the Faculty of Medicine of Charles University in Pilsen have signed an incubation agreement to support the commercialization of the Nanoflexion project, an advanced medical nanotechnology aimed at reducing postoperative complications in gastrointestinal surgery. This agreement represents an important milestone in the journey of this technology from research to clinical practice. The Nanoflexion technology, which was developed through interdisciplinary collaboration between material engineers and medical scientists, uses nanofiber materials to overcome long-standing problems in colorectal surgery. "Nanoflexion was born out of an urgent need to prevent serious post-surgical complications that have been troubling patients for decades. This agreement gives us the institutional backing and support we need to translate years of research into clinical reality," said Markéta Hujerová (Klíčová), founder of the Nanoflexion project, who recently presented the project at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan. The technology is based on the application of patches that use electrostatically spun nanofibers to create a tissue-friendly protective layer around the surgical site. The patch is applied directly during surgery, where it serves as a protective barrier on the intestinal anastomosis and helps prevent adhesions and leakage of intestinal contents. The project is currently in the preclinical development phase with the aim of initiating the first clinical trials. Comprehensive innovation ecosystem Under the signed agreement, i&i Prague will provide incubation support in the form of expert advice on scientific, legal, commercial, and other issues, while the Technical University of Liberec and the Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen will participate in research and preclinical verification of the technology. "At i&i Prague, we focus on supporting breakthrough innovations that can fundamentally improve patient care. Nanoflexion fits perfectly into our vision of supporting scalable and beneficial technologies," said Roberto Fernandez Alvarez, incubation manager at i&i Prague. “The Technical University of Liberec is the cradle of industrial nanofiber production, thanks to the patented technology for producing nanofibers by electrostatic spinning – Nanospider®, which was introduced to the world in 2004 by the team of Professor Oldřich Jirsák from the Faculty of Textile Engineering at TUL. Over the past twenty years, researchers from our university have registered 170 patents, more than 20 of which are in the field of nanofiber production. Nanoflexion is another scientific and research success in the field of nanofibers, which was born in cooperation with other partners, primarily clinical doctors from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Pilsen, in Liberec," said Petr Lenfeld, Vice-Rector for Science and Research at the Technical University of Liberec. "From the perspective of the medical faculty, we see great potential in Nanoflexion technology for reducing postoperative complications in colorectal surgery. We are happy to contribute our experience in its preclinical and future clinical testing," added Prof. MUDr. Václav Liška, Ph.D., from the Faculty of Medicine at Charles University in Pilsen. Contact for journalists: Markéta Hujerová (Klíčová), marketa.hujerova@tul.cz , +420 731 231 434 Martin Kovalčík, kovalcik@iniprague.com , +420 777 472 863 About the Nanoflexion project Nanoflexion is a MedTech innovation project focused on preventing serious complications during gastrointestinal surgery using biocompatible nanofiber patches. The technology is the result of more than seven years of interdisciplinary research. For more information, visit www.nanoflexion.eu . About i&i Prague i&i Prague is a biotechnology incubator and venture builder founded in 2017 at the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences. The company is dedicated to innovation in the field of drug development, diagnostics, and medical technologies, specializing in supporting startups and spin-offs in the early stages of their development. i&i Prague provides expert advice on scientific, legal, business, and other issues that need to be resolved in order for new companies to grow successfully. It creates a unique network of startups, investors, industry partners, and biotechnology experts, enabling effective collaboration and knowledge sharing. For more information, visit www.iniprague.com . About the Technical University of Liberec It is a public university that was founded in 1953. The university has 7,000 students enrolled in seven faculties. TUL also includes the research Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies and Innovation (CXI). TUL is the cradle of industrial-scale nanofiber production. The current QS ranking places TUL among the 1,000 best universities in the world in the 801–1,000 range. In THE World University Rankings, TUL ranks 1,501+. According to a study by the IDEA think tank at the National Economic Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, TUL ranks fifth among Czech institutions, research centers, and companies with the most cited patents, and first among universities in the Czech Republic. For more information, visit www.tul.cz . About the Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University The Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen is an important center of medical education and research. It is the only representative of Charles University in the West Bohemian region. The faculty educates graduates who acquire a broad education, knowledge, and basic practical skills in all theoretical, preclinical, and clinical fields of medicine. It carries out scientific and research activities at an international level, creates a creative academic environment, and supports internationalization in both student teaching and scientific activities. For more information, visit www.lfp.cuni.cz .

From the Lab to the Market: What Biotech Commercialization Looks Like from the Perspective of an Incubator How does starting a company developing a new drug differ from, for example, one focused on IT? What can convince an investor to join such a company? Why should a scientist embark on the commercialization of their discoveries? What is the paradoxical advantage of being behind the global biotech leaders in the Czech Republic? And why do you sometimes feel like a translator? Jiří Moos, director of the biotech incubator i&i Prague, answers all these questions and much more in the following interview. Your incubator specializes in biotechnology. Could you first outline the specific characteristics associated with this field? There are indeed many differences compared to other areas of business. For example, I would mention the speed of revenue generation. In other industries, this is a key criterion for assessing the value of a project. However, in the development of new drugs, this question doesn't make sense. The project is meant to be sold to a pharmaceutical company while it's still far from commercial success. The value of these projects is therefore assessed based on entirely different criteria. Other specifics involve meeting strict regulatory conditions that ensure the safety and efficacy of the developed products, medical devices, or in vitro diagnostics. Therefore, we sometimes advise our startups to consider collaborating with an industry partner experienced in regulatory processes. This can save a lot of time and money. The same applies to distribution channels, which cannot be built overnight. Also worth mentioning are the higher initial investments required for equipping a top-notch laboratory. i&i Prague supports scientific startups in the early stages of their development. Could you describe how this process works? The first step is market need analysis. We examine whether the technology solves a problem that is currently unresolved. If so, we then assess the uniqueness and the possibility of intellectual property protection. Next comes the agreement with the originators of the technology on commercialization. There are two options – we either offer it for direct licensing, or we decide to establish a startup, which will secure investment and bring the development to the point where the technology is either commercially viable or saleable to a strategic partner. If the decision is made to go with a startup, which is your area of expertise, what needs to be done to convince an investor? Without an investor, the startup will not last long. That’s true. For a startup to secure initial investment, it must demonstrate that it has a technology aimed at a product with market potential – something that people or companies will be willing to pay for. If a startup is developing medical technology, it should seek feedback from doctors and, if possible, from a relevant industry contact. This market validation should occur early, before more extensive development begins, to avoid unnecessary dead ends. Investors also focus on intellectual property protection, which must be secured so that competitors cannot easily take over the technology. The startup team is also crucial – the members must be fully committed to the project and have the necessary skills. And, of course, the quality of the business plan is important to investors as well. From what you've said so far, it seems like a very demanding and sophisticated process. Why should a young scientist even go down this path? There are two main motivations. The first is humanitarian – science should help people and society. The results of scientific work, if they remain solely in the realm of academic science, can inspire further research but will not help anyone in a real way until they reach the market as actual products. The second motivation is experience. Working in a startup provides people with invaluable knowledge that continuously moves them forward. In Germany or Austria, these individuals are among the most valuable on the job market. You often work abroad. Can you describe how we are doing in this area compared to the developed world? It probably won’t surprise anyone that we are behind countries like Germany, Austria, Israel, or the USA. However, this lag can paradoxically be an advantage because we have the opportunity to be inspired by different systems. While it's not possible to take only the best from each country and create something entirely our own, we have a chance to create a thoughtful system that avoids the mistakes of others. What would you personally bring to the Czech Republic? There are really many insights, but I would especially mention two: the approach to problems and the willingness to collaborate. In Scandinavia or Israel, the approach to business and innovation is much more positive. It would be great if we could also learn to see problems as challenges to overcome and have the State here to help, not to place obstacles. In the scientific world here, unfortunately, business is still often seen as a betrayal of science, which needs to change. Additionally, it’s essential that scientists are willing to listen and be open to collaboration with experts from other fields. What is needed to successfully connect these different worlds? It’s about understanding the different mindsets. For example, aligning expectations regarding transparency and intellectual property protection. Academic institutions have an obligation to disclose contracts and publish results, which may conflict with the caution and need for strict intellectual property protection in the business world. Long-term stability of cooperation is also important, which can sometimes be a challenge in dynamically changing teams. Properly setting up relationships and achieving balance is not easy, but it’s essential for successful collaboration. How can this be achieved? That is one of the tasks for companies like ours. Sometimes I jokingly say that working in our incubator requires not only a scientific and business background but also translator skills to ensure proper communication between the academic community and industry. Author: Martin Kovalčík

Earlier News We help inventions grow! 2021-2022 Interview with Jaromír Zahrádka: Investments help science to serve people Read more The judges at Transfera Technology Day 2021 awarded the cream of the crop Read more i&i Prague supports the innovative PEP-Therapy in their extension of the Series-A ... Read more Enantis concluded a license agreement for the production of stabilised growth factor FGF2 Read more PerioTrap Pharmaceuticals Raises €3M Seed Round to Develop Selective ... Read more Elphogene received a TA CR grant for “Sample prep system and technology for cancer ..." Read more Our notes from a trip to “The most startup friendly country in the whole world” Read more Spin-off CasInvent Pharma receives the Neuron Award for excellent Technology Transfer Read more Licensing agreement for a novel SARS Cov-2 virus neutralization antibody test was signed Read more i&i Prague supported LAM-X a.s. won the 2020 EIT Health MedTech Bootcamp final ... Read more UCT Prague entered in memorandum with i&i Prague, s.r.o. Read more i&i Prague announces its first exit, DIANA Biotechnologies is bought out by its founders Read more i&i Bio, the newly estabilished investment fund powered by i&i Prague and EIF Read more Green chemistry start-up Sulfotools closes seed round with i&i Prague Read more CasInvent Pharma, an University Spin-Off Focused on Developing Cancer Drugs... Read more Dracen Announces the Initiation of First-in-human Study of DRP-104 in Adult Patients With ... Read more 2020-2018 Nanofibers from Technical University of Liberec brings new hope in fight against Covid-19 Read more Enantis – first biotechnology spin-off from Masaryk University in Brno Read more DIANA Biotechnologies – technology that raised EUR 3M in 3 years Read more License for use of iBodies® bought by Immunotech, a member of the Beckman... Read more LAM-X: revolutionary wound-treating nanomaterials Read more Elphogene – liquid biopsy assay for non-invasive monitoring of patients with colorectal cancer Read more Novel partnership for iBodies has been facilitated by i&i Prague and IOCB Tech... Read more i&i Prague became a shareholder in the spin-off XENO Cell Innovations! Read more i&i Prague successfully mediated an out-licensing of antibodies from IMG Read more LAM-X – light-activated nanomaterials for face-masks and respirators Read more Elphogene: non-invasive screening of patients in advanced stages of cancer Read more DRACEN Pharmaceuticals – Novel glutamine antagonist as anticancer therapies Read more iBodies – synthetic antibodies from Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry Read more Elphogene in World Journal of Gastroenterology! Read more A novel early cancer diagnostics method has been developed at University of Pardubice,... Read more Revolutionary type of catheter raised €2 million from private investors Read more i&i Prague co-invested Dracen Pharmaceuticals, a company developing a novel oncology... Read more Prague startup RIOCATH had recently entered market with its world-unique catheter! Read more Czech anti-covid19 #hackathon won by two i&i Prague accelerated projects Read more LAM-X a.s. is collaborating with TUL to develop active nanofilters against COVID-19 Read more iBodies established cooperation with Ximbio, a TTO within the UK’s largest charity... Read more LAM-X: the spin-off accelerated by i&i Prague in Media Read more DIANA Biotechnologies, a novel startup in the i&i Prague´s academic incubator Read more Startup Riocath is among Hello Tomorrow’s top 500 stratups in the world Read more i&i Prague is joining Hello Tomorrow Ecosystem, a global community boosting deep... Read more

i&i Prague announces its first exit, DIANA Biotechnologies is bought out by its founders Prague, 21 February 2022 – BTND a.s. has completed the buyout of DIANA Biotechnologies from the portfolio of biotech incubator i&i Prague. For i&i Prague, the transaction opens up new opportunities to support other scientific projects. i&i Prague acquired a stake in DIANA Biotechnologies at its inception, reflecting the important role of the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the CAS (IOCB) in the early development of DIANA technology prior to the company’s establishment. However, DIANA Biotechnologies has gradually become a successful biotechnology company that is independently developing a number of other new technologies. It has also made a positive contribution to the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic by developing unique PCR assays, significantly increasing the Czech testing capacity. DIANA Biotechnologies is now facing major investments in further development and it made sense for i&i Prague to make its first exit. BTND a. s., a company backed by DIANA Biotechnologies co-founders Václav Navrátil and Martin Dienstbier, together with the Czech investment group BTCZ, is buying the stake from i&i Prague. „In less than four years DIANA Biotechnologies has moved from a spin-off project to a broad-based and independent company. We are now facing heavy investment in building a state-of-the-art scientific facility and in developing projects in drug development and monoclonal antibody development. Our goal is to build an innovative biopharmaceutical company that will work closely with Czech academia. I am pleased that our success will also help other promising scientific projects,“ said Václav Navrátil, co-founder and director of DIANA Biotechnologies. The transaction is also considered a great success by the incubator i&i Prague, where it is the first purchase of a share of the company from their portfolio. “We were honored to be at the birth of this project. It is the first swallow, which completes several years of efforts of our entire team and which also confirms the sense and correctness of our steps and vision. We will use the funds raised through this transaction to support other interesting startups and spin-off companies from the academic sphere in the Czech Republic and Europe,“ explained Jaromír Zahrádka, founder and director of i&i Prague. About i&i Prague The i&i Prague biotech incubator was founded in 2017 and has become part of a unique ecosystem that has formed around the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the CAS (IOCB). Since its establishment, this incubator has been dedicated to investing in academia and supporting the transition of scientific discoveries into practice. Currently, i&i Prague has in its portfolio the shares of 10 spin-off companies, promising projects from all over Europe or the USA, in which it has invested a total of approximately EUR 3 million. In addition, it has helped these early stage companies to raise another approximately EUR 75 million from investors not only from Europe but from all over the world. About DIANA Biotechnologies The i&i Prague biotech incubator was founded in 2017 and has become part of a unique ecosystem that has formed around the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the CAS (IOCB). Since its establishment, this incubator has been dedicated to investing in academia and supporting the transition of scientific discoveries into practice. Currently, i&i Prague has in its portfolio the shares of 10 spin-off companies, promising projects from all over Europe or the USA, in which it has invested a total of approximately EUR 3 million. In addition, it has helped these early stage companies to raise another approximately EUR 75 million from investors not only from Europe but from all over the world.

UCT Prague, a Czech leading chemistry-focused University, entered in memorandum with i&i Prague, s.r.o. We are very proud to announce that at the end of 2020 i&i Prague, s.r.o. started cooperation with one of the top Czech Universities focused on natural sciences: University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague – Všcht . This cooperation will allow us to effectively support their research and possible spin-offs. Right now we support two great scientific UCT projects and we expect a lot from both of them. Check our webpage and social media for more updates about these as soon as possible! Read more and learn more on UCT Prague webpage

Good science without harmful chemicals: VerdiBlot aims to become a global laboratory standard Roberto Fernandez, COO at LAM-X, a.s. VerdiBlot is an essential part of a research technique called Western blotting. The membrane acts like a sheet of printing paper where scientists imprint all the proteins inside a cell. Scientists can then selectively make individual proteins visible, helping them understand diseases, and study how cells respond to treatments. This new universal Western blot membrane combines high sensitivity, low background, and mechanical strength with full biodegradability. As a result, it can save research teams weeks of work and the cost of expensive antibodies, while also offering a way to remove problematic PFAS and microplastics from laboratory practice. You can learn more about this technology in an interview with Roberto Fernandez of LAM, a.s., the company that developed it. If you had to explain VerdiBlot to a high school student or a friend, what exactly is it, why do we need it, and what problem does it solve? VerdiBlot works as printing paper for proteins. The difference is that you “print” all the proteins with “invisible ink”, and then you can choose to see the specific protein of interest. Being able to see specific proteins can help us diagnose a disease or comprehend the exact mechanism by which some drugs cause side effects. In the world of biology, what is a "Western Blot" and why is it so crucial for modern medicine? Western blotting is the gold standard for protein analysis; it is how we confirm the presence of a protein or detect small modifications such as phosphorylation. Why is VerdiBlot better than the technology that has been in use to date? VerdiBlot is considered a universal Western blot membrane. It combines the low background typically associated with nitrocellulose membranes with the mechanical strength that allows stripping and reprobing, which distinguishes polyvinylidene fluoride membranes. It provides a high-quality signal for chemiluminescence and fluorescence detection. Essentially, it is a “can do it all” membrane with the added benefit of being biodegradable. You mention it is 100% biodegradable. Why is "Green Science" a big deal right now? It is now common knowledge that microplastics contaminate our ecosystem and even our bodies. Even worse, some of these microplastics come from forever chemicals or PFAS, which are extremely hard to remove. The need to remove this from the supply chain is everyone’s responsibility, from suppliers to users. We aim to give users an alternative that is of the highest quality without any environmental downsides. We believe that good science shouldn’t come at the expense of using harmful chemicals. VerdiBlot gives you a signal-to-noise ratio to help you detect low-abundance proteins. This can save weeks of work and thousands of dollars in expensive antibodies. ROBERTO FERNANDEZ Incubation Manager at i&i Prague, COO at LAM-X, a.s. How does using VerdiBlot save time or money for a research team? A Western Blot can turn out bad for multiple reasons. The last thing you should worry about is your membrane. VerdiBlot gives you a signal-to-noise ratio to help you detect low-abundance proteins. This can save weeks of work and thousands of dollars in expensive antibodies. Can you give a real-world example? Is there a field (e.g., Alzheimer’s, Vaccines) where this makes a difference? The sensitivity and quality of the membrane can have a real impact on the Western blot, especially when the technique is used for the diagnosis of specific diseases, where confirmation can change a person’s life (HIV, Lyme disease, and various autoimmune diseases). What is the "Big Dream" for VerdiBlot? We want VerdiBlot to become a global standard for Western blot. We want to make such an impact on the field that scientists will turn only to PVDF membranes for specific niche cases. With this, we will have a huge impact on the health of the environment and people by reducing PFAS levels.

From the Labs of Roche and Pfizer Back to the Czech Republic: Jan Berka Helps Biotech Startups Grow Globally After spending three decades in the United States—working at companies like Roche, Pfizer, and Adaptive Biotechnologies—Jan Berka has decided to return to the Czech Republic part-time. Today, he serves as Project Manager for International Contacts at i&i Prague. We spoke with him about his journey, professional insights, and why it's important to occasionally look up from the details and focus on the big picture. You’ve had an impressive career in the US. What brought you back to the Czech Republic and led you to join i&i Prague? It was a bit of an impulsive decision. After 30 years in the US, I became genuinely curious about what was happening in biotech back in the Czech Republic. While I visited frequently for holidays, I had lost touch with the local professional scene. At the same time, my wife and I began to miss more regular contact with the Czech landscape, culture, and our friends here. So, when the opportunity to join i&i Prague came up, I didn’t hesitate for a second. You’ve worked for global companies like Roche, Pfizer, and Adaptive Biotechnologies. How has that environment influenced your work at i&i Prague? Above all, it gave me experience. Every work environment I’ve been part of was unique in some way. That gave me valuable insight into what works under different circumstances—and what doesn’t. I now aim to bring that know-how to i&i Prague. Each of our startups is different, and I believe my experience can help support their growth. But we're still at the beginning—I'm curious myself to see how I’ll be able to contribute. As a Project Manager focused on international connections, what do you primarily concentrate on? My role has two main aspects. First, there’s classic project management—guiding the individual projects that go through our incubation program. Second, and just as important, is leveraging the international network I’ve built over the years. It's not just about having good ideas or solutions—you also need to know who to call. That’s my strength. Thanks to longstanding personal connections, I not only know what’s being worked on around the world, but I also know the people behind it. And personal relationships are always the most valuable. I think we often build our own mental ceilings and fail to see beyond them—and that can prevent us from aiming higher. JAN BERKA Project Manager for International Contacts at i&i Prague What has been the most pivotal project or moment in your career so far? Two moments come to mind. The first was my time with the startup 454 Life Sciences. We began as a team of four people with an idea almost no one believed in. But within five years, we launched a genome sequencer that kicked off the entire field of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). That was a truly unique moment—driven by healthy ambition, vision, and the right team. The second breakthrough happened at Pfizer. We were trying to apply genetics to personalized medicine, but it wasn’t yielding great results. Then a colleague suggested we shift our focus to the immunome, the most variable part of the human genome. That opened up a completely new field of research for us. It was a moment that taught me the importance of seeing things from a different perspective. Ultimately, that shift helped us succeed and led to the development of immunome analysis using NGS. Company culture often plays a key role in startups. In your view, what’s the biggest mindset difference between the US and the Czech Republic? More and more, I get the impression that in the Czech Republic, we tend to focus too much on details—technical or personal. We spend hours discussing issues that are not immediately relevant. In the US, the approach is to pursue the vision, the big picture. The details get resolved along the way. It reminds me of a book by Mojmír Hampl called “For Czechs, the Sky Is Too Low.” I think we often build our own mental ceilings and fail to see beyond them—and that can prevent us from aiming higher. You split your time between Prague and Colorado. What do you enjoy about both places, and how do you balance such different worlds? Surprisingly easily—neither my wife nor I can stay in one place for too long. Prague and Colorado are completely different worlds, and we enjoy the best of both. In Prague, we go to the theatre or a great restaurant. Colorado is all about nature, hiking, and the desert. You’re currently learning to fly. What inspired you to take up piloting? I started flying gliders as a student and did it for about 15 years before life pulled me in other directions. Now that I have more time for hobbies again, I decided to return to flying—and fulfill a childhood dream of piloting a plane with an engine. Since I was young, I admired the “big guys” who could just fly wherever they wanted. Meanwhile, we in gliders had to land in a field if the thermals weren’t favorable. So, I didn’t hesitate—I enrolled in ultralight pilot training and I’m currently preparing for the final exam. Flying is highly technical. You need to understand all the instruments and also what’s happening around you. That’s very similar to science, where you have to know what you’re doing and think analytically. JAN BERKA Project Manager for International Contacts at i&i Prague Cycling is another of your passions. Do you see any parallels between your hobbies and your work in science? Absolutely—and very different ones. Flying is highly technical. You need to understand all the instruments and also what’s happening around you. That’s very similar to science, where you have to know what you’re doing and think analytically. In contrast, mountain biking is all about intuition—pure flow. You don’t think; you react. And it’s during those intuitive moments that I often get my best scientific ideas. I usually rush home afterwards so I don’t forget them. What fascinates you most in biotech right now—and why? I’ve spent my whole career working on genome sequencing, hoping it would become a routine diagnostic tool. It hasn’t happened yet, but we’re getting closer. I’m also fascinated—and somewhat alarmed—by CRISPR-Cas genome editing. The first case where a point mutation was corrected in a child’s liver completely blew my mind—but also scared me. I don’t think society is ready for the sheer power of such technologies. It’s not just scientific progress—it’s a social challenge, too. If there was one thing you could do at i&i Prague, what would it be? I’d be happy to be part of a process where an idea turns into a real product or service that truly helps people. I don’t need to be there at the finish line—but if I can help kick something off that has a meaningful impact, I’ll consider it a success. Thank you for the interview. Author: Martin Kovalčík

The judges at Transfera Technology Day 2021 awarded the cream of the crop This year at the 2nd Transfera Technology Day, the first place went to the Tablets for the Treatment of Contaminated Water. The second place was taken by the Microemulsions and Gels for Cleaning Surfaces of Historical Materials and the bronze went to the project aimed at detecting bacteria in amniotic fluid. The jury consisting of representatives of the business community, investors and organisers assessed the commercial potential of research projects of Czech universities and other research institutions. This year, they also awarded the Sympathy Prize for the first time – it went to the special oxygenation liners for fishing beads. The event aims at connecting science and business in order to get valuable feedback regarding the commercial potential of projects and secure future funding for promising research projects. “Czech science and research has many talented people to offer. However, they need to be supported and motivated. That’s why we’re glad we can keep connecting the world of business with the great ideas of our scientists. Especially at its start, no project can survive without support,” says Eva Janouškovcová, chairwoman of the Transfera.cz association, the co-organizer of the event. Battle of Universities, Research Institutes and Hospitals 13 scientific research projects were selected as finalists (aside from the first three projects, there were e.g. the Electrostatic Separation of Plastics to Improve Wate Separation, the Pad for Sensing the Load and Position of the Patient or the Device for Coating Wires in Implant Surgery). There were teams of scientists from the Czech Technical University in Prague, the National Institute of Mental Health, J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, the University of West Bohemia, Palacký University Olomouc, The University of Hradec Králové, Brno University of Technology, University Hospital Hradec Králové, VSB – Technical University of Ostrava, Masaryk University, the Institute of Rock Structure and Mechanics CAS, the Institute of Geonics CAS and the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice. The jury chose the best three out of these teams. The winning project of the Palacký University Olomouc is meant to be used mainly in case of natural disasters or industrial accidents. The new effervescent tablets for the treatment of contaminated water are easy to store and use – you simply put them in the contaminated water. Thanks to being “fizzy”, they take effect very quickly. The tablet dissolves completely in just 30 seconds allowing the active ingredient to perform its function. Moreover, they do not contain any toxic substances and are environmentally friendly. The second place went to the Microemulsions and Gels for Cleaning Surfaces of Historical Materials developed by the team of J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry CAS. These extremely gentle yet effective microemulsion cleaning systems are designed to remove unwanted substances from various valuable historical artefacts. The main component here is water – the content of the active ingredients is very low, yet they are highly effective. The third place went to the University Hospital Hradec Králové and their project Detection of Bacteria in Amniotic Fluid in Patients with Preterm Prelabour Rupture of Membranes. This new method helps detect the presence of specific bacteria in amniotic water in just a couple of hours. Thanks to this, it will be possible to initiate effective antibiotic treatment in time and reduce the adverse effects on the fetus. Sympathy Prize Will Help Fish The Sympathy prize was won by the Aeration and Oxygenation Liner in Fishing Beads from the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovic. This liner should improve the conditions of the fish stored in beads e.g. when fishing out ponds or during pre-Christmas sales. The new liner will provide sufficient oxygenation of water without the necessity of weighting down the aeration hoses, which complicates catching the fish and often results in injuring them. Winners Got Both Money and Well-deserved Attention The projects that made it to the finals can use the title Finalist of TRANSFERA TECHNOLOGY DAY 2021. The winning project was awarded the title Winner of TRANSFERA TECHNOLOGY DAY 2021. The certificate is a mark of quality and can help secure not only financial support. The finalists will also receive an invitation to the Technological Incubation project of the CzechInvest agency who can allocate funding of up to CZK 5 million to each project. The jury that evaluated both the presentations and the commercial potential of the projects consisted of the representatives of investors and other experts – Petra Gordan (Nation1), Jaromír Zahrádka and Barbora Šumová (i&i Biotech Fund), Jakub Domitra (Busyman), Eva Janouškovcová and Petr Kubečka (Transfera.cz), Jiří Krechl (CzechInvest), Robert Reich (Lighthouse Ventures) and Václav Novák and Jaroslav Řasa (NEURON Endowment Fund). The competition has been organized by Transfera.cz together with its general partner CzechInvest and other partners (e.g. Technology Agency of the Czech Republic, NEURON Endowment Fund, vedavyzkum.cz and others). A record of the event can be found at www.transfera.cz .

CasInvent Pharma raises € 1.6 million from i&i Prague and Other Investors to Support the Development of CK1 Inhibitors for Treatment-Resistant Solid and Hematological Tumours The financing will boost the development of innovative casein kinase 1 (CK1) inhibitors with the potential to treat conditions like acute myeloid leukaemia, pancreatic cancer, and certain types of breast cancer. This investment round was supported by the existing and two new investors. The syndicate includes i&i Biotech Fund (i&i Bio), KHAN Technology Transfer Fund I (KHAN-I), i&i Prague, the Holeček Family Foundation, and BIOINVESTIMED a. s. CasInvent Pharma, a university spin-off focused on developing anti-cancer compounds, has successfully closed the Pre-Series A funding round, raising a total of € 1.6 million from both existing and new investors. Founded in 2020 as a spin-off from Masaryk University in Brno and with the support of i&i Prague, CasInvent Pharma specializes in the development of highly selective inhibitors targeting the casein kinase 1 enzyme family. These enzymes play an important role in several disease-related processes, including the migration of leukaemia cells into lymphoid organs. The small-molecule inhibitors are designed to target individual isoforms of CK1 and thereby selectively eradicate leukemic cells. "It's gratifying to have convinced both new and existing partners to support our quest in developing effective treatment options and hope for patients suffering from these cancers with a very low survival rate," says Alexander Scheer, CEO of CasInvent Pharma. He believes these inhibitors have the potential to treat patients with conditions like acute myeloid leukaemia, pancreatic cancer, certain types of breast cancer (TNBC), and other diseases with limited treatment options. "The company's ability to attract new investors reaffirms not just the project's quality, but also the combined expertise of the team at CasInvent Pharma," says Ivan Vohlmuth, a partner at i&i Bio. "The team has worked really hard over the past 18 months and achieved promising data in the development of their CK1 inhibitor portfolio. We are pleased to continue to support the company," add Michael Krebs and Peter Nussbaumer from KHAN-I. Joining the investment round, alongside i&i Bio, KHAN-I and i&i Prague, are two new partners: the Holeček Family Foundation and BIOINVESTIMED a. s. "Supporting this innovative project allows us to participate in the important development of new treatment methods and therapeutic strategies in the field of oncological diseases. At the same time, we are impressed that a Czech entity has embarked on this difficult and financially demanding path. With our engagement we would like to motivate other investors to fund promising life science companies in the Czech Republic," says Ondřej Novák, Director of the Holeček Family Foundation. Contact: Martin Kovalčík, kovalcik@iniprague.com , +420 777 472 863 About i&i Bio i&i Bio is a Luxembourg-based venture capital firm that invests in innovative European life sciences companies focused on drug discovery, medical devices, diagnostics, and digital health. The Fund was created thanks to the cooperation of the biotech incubator i&i Prague and the European Investment Fund (see below). With over € 53 million under management, i&i Bio plans to invest in about 20 early-stage companies. i&i Bio is led by an experienced team of professionals with backgrounds in private equity, healthcare and venture capital supporting entrepreneurs on their journey to global success. Thanks to close cooperation with the fund’s main sponsor, the biotech academic incubator i&i Prague, i&i Bio is supporting and advancing transformative Central European technology companies. For more information visit www.inibio.eu . About CasInvent Pharma CasInvent Pharma is a drug discovery spin-off company established in 2020 by Masaryk University (MU) and Bio-Innovation Centre i&i Prague, s.r.o. (Ltd). The mission of the company is to develop new therapeutic options for the treatment of resistant tumours. The CasInvent platform is based on the use of proprietary, best-in-class highly selective inhibitors of enzymes belonging to the casein kinase 1 (CK1) family that are responsible for the regulation of different cellular mechanisms leading to resistance to targeted therapies. More information at www.casinvent.com . About European Investment Fund i&i Bio is supported by an investment from the EIF, with the support of: lnnovFin Equity, with the financial backing of the European Union under Horizon 2020 Financial Instruments and the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) set up under the Investment Plan for Europe. The purpose of EFSI is to help support financing and implementing productive investments in the European Union and to ensure increased access to financing; and the Pan-European Guarantee Fund (EGF), implemented by the EIF with the financial support of the Participating Member States. The objective of EGF is to respond to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring that companies in the Participating Member States have sufficient short-term liquidity available to weather the crisis and are able to continue their growth and development in the medium to long-term. About KHAN-I KHAN Technology Transfer Fund I GmbH & Co KG (KHAN-I) is an early-stage life sciences venture fund with € 70 million under management. Their 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 (EIF) 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 (EFSI) under the Investment Plan for Europe. KHAN-I is also supported by Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH (AWS 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.). More information at www.khanu.de. About Holeček Family Foundation We support people with knowledge, experience and vision in areas we consider important for the development of our society. We provide support in the form of an open opportunity to receive funding from the Foundation and we leave it up to the beneficiaries to decide how to best use the support we grant. We would like to inspire others with our actions, because we believe that giving back to society brings value to us all. Our main area of focus is the Czech educational system. Educated people are a prerequisite for the development of any society and there is therefore a close focus on educational projects in the Foundation’s activities. Good health is a prerequisite for a full and active life of each of us. Therefore, the quality of health care, social care and the health care system is also in the Foundation’s focus. Last but not least, the Foundation supports science and research projects as the main drivers of progress and development in any society. The Foundation mainly supports organisations such as universities or hospitals, which already have a strong potential in the fields mentioned above, but their funding does not always allow them to fully develop their potential. In addition to these main areas of focus, the Board of Trustees also looks at specific innovative projects with the potential of bringing new discoveries or practices. More information at www.holecekfoundation.cz .