Angios is developing new treatments for challenging vascular diseases using the vascular organoid model developed by the company’s founders. The vascular organoids allow the company to model human microvascular complications in the dish and thereby find new pathways associated with disease progression.
Diseases affecting blood vessel functionality remain an unresolved global health problem, especially in diabetic patients who suffer from a multitude of vascular complications that can cause blindness, non-healing wounds and kidney failure.
The company’s initial focus is diabetic retinopathy, which is a complication of type 1 and 2 diabetes. The condition is caused by chronic hyperglycemia and is the leading cause of preventable visual impairment and blindness in working-age adults.
To accelerate its therapeutic development, Angios has entered a multi-year, multi-target collaboration with AbCellera to facilitate the discovery of monoclonal and bispecific antibodies for vascular diseases of the eye. AbCellera will use its AI-powered antibody discovery platform to generate panels of antibodies for up to three Angios-selected targets to address diabetic retinopathy. Angios will have the rights to develop and commercialize the therapeutic products resulting from the collaboration, while AbCellera will receive equity and research fees and is eligible for milestone payments and royalties based on the development and commercialization of the antibodies.
The company is also investigating the application of organoids for regenerative purposes. This could represent a new treatment strategy, especially for diabetic wounds, which in the worst cases can result in amputation.
Founded in 2021 and based in Innsbruck, Austria, the company expects to expand to around seven employees by the end of this year.