VLCAD Deficiency

Aug. 27, 2025 -- Minovia Therapeutics Ltd. (“Minovia” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel therapies to treat mitochondrial diseases and combat age-related decline, announces that it has been chosen to receive a $350,000 grant from Countdown for a Cure for a research proposal related to the development of novel mitochondrial blood-based biomarkers. Minovia Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Noa Sher, commented, “We are grateful to the Countdown for a Cure Foundation, whose funds are expected to be instrumental in our advancing development of blood-based functional mitochondrial biomarkers. These biomarkers will enable identification of patients who may benefit from our mitochondrial augmentation technology, or MAT, proprietary platform, as well as patient follow-up after MAT treatment. Given how critical mitochondria are to human health, we envision a world in which assessment of mitochondrial biomarkers is available in routine checkups for individuals of all age groups. We look forward to optimizing this technology.” In addition to the novel MAT-based mitochondrial therapies under development, Minovia has set dual goals of developing biomarkers to quantify mitochondrial content, quality and function and of using these biomarkers to determine mitochondrial scores in healthy individuals relative to mitochondrial disease patients. For this reason, Minovia opened a clinical trial in Sheba Medical Center to collect blood samples from both healthy volunteers and patients suffering from mitochondrial diseases. The Countdown for a Cure grant will fund clinical operations for blood sample collection from approximately 30 patients with primary mitochondrial diseases, and 140 samples from healthy controls. The samples collected will be analyzed in Minovia’s labs with its newly developed biomarkers, and a “MitoScore” will be determined for each sample. In addition, the Countdown for a Cure funding will support the development of new biomarkers using novel research tools. Mitochondrial dysfunction is known to occur in rare genetic mitochondrial diseases, as well as in chronic and age-related diseases. There is a profound unmet need for treatment of these devastating diseases, as there are currently no approved therapies for mitochondrial dysfunction and no functional tests to diagnose and quantify mitochondrial dysfunction in individuals of all ages. The Company also recently announced entry into a definitive business combination agreement (the “Business Combination Agreement”) with Launch One Acquisition Corp. (Nasdaq: LPAA, “Launch One”), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company. Following the expected closing of the transaction contemplated by this Business Combination Agreement (the "Business Combination"), projected for late 2025, the combined company will operate as Minovia Therapeutics and trade on Nasdaq under a new ticker symbol. Minovia Therapeutics, chaired by John Cox, is a clinical-state biotechnology company working on treatments to replace dead or defective mitochondria with new healthy mitochondria, helping people with mitochondrial diseases and fighting aging. Its main drug product, MNV-201, is already being tested for Pearson Syndrome and Myelodysplastic Syndrome. Minovia is also developing ways to help people live longer, healthier lives. Based in Haifa, Israel, where it operates a GMP facility for mitochondrial drug substance and drug product manufacturing for clinical trials related to its therapy, Minovia is planning to expand to the U.S. For more information, visit www.minoviatx.com. Countdown For A Cure (CFAC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing mitochondrial research and medicine, improving the lives of those affected by diseases linked to mitochondrial dysfunction. Founded in 2024 by Mitzi and Jeff Solomon, who experienced mitochondrial dysfunction and its impact on their family firsthand, CFAC partners with leading research institutions and patient advocacy groups to fund cutting-edge science and provide critical support to families. Mitzi and Jeff are driven by an unwavering commitment to supporting families, accelerating research, and uniting a community determined to make a tangible difference in the lives of those affected by mitochondrial disease and all diseases connected to mitochondrial dysfunction. Launch One Acquisition Corp. is a company set up to merge with and take public an exciting business in healthcare or technology. Listed on Nasdaq under the ticker LPAA, Launch One is led by experienced leaders who want to support game-changing solutions. For more information, contact Jurgen van de Vyver at jurgen@launchpad.vc. The content above comes from the network. if any infringement, please contact us to modify.

iStock, wildpixel Minovia’s lead product is MNV-201, an autologous hematopoietic stem cell product that is enriched with allogeneic mitochondria. Minovia Therapeutics, an Israeli biotech hoping to get to the root causes of disease and aging, is planting itself onto the Nasdaq through a special purpose acquisition company transaction valued at $180 million. The company will combine with Launch One Acquisition Corp. to become Mito US One, according to a Wednesday press release . The result will be a publicly traded biotech focused on Minovia’s mitochondrial augmentation technology, a platform that finds therapies for diseases driven by mitochondrial dysfunction . Minovia’s lead product is MNV-201, an autologous hematopoietic stem cell product that is enriched with allogeneic mitochondria. The biotech is testing the therapy in a Phase II trial for the ultra-rare pediatric disorder Pearson syndrome and in a Phase Ib study for low-risk myelodysplastic syndrome. The transaction, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter, will give Minovia access to a portion of $239.7 million in cash from Launch One’s trust account. Minovia will receive capital to boost growth and develop its pipeline, including reaching certain regulatory and clinical milestones and eventual commercial launches. Companies across biotech have been waiting for the public markets to open up, with only a handful making a run at an IPO this year. Minovia’s SPAC deal follows a similar one from Swiss cancer biotech Veraxa in April . In that deal, the ADC biotech combined with Voyager Acquisition Corp. for a valuation of $1.64 billion. And in February, BridgeBio did the same with Helix Acquisition Corp. II in a deal worth $450 million in proceeds .

The deal will fuel Minovia\'s lead product, a mitochondrial cell therapy.\n While the IPO landscape remains icy, Minovia Therapeutics is skating into the market using a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC).The Israeli biotech is planning to merge with publicly listed Launch One Acquisition, according to a June 25 release. Once the transaction closes, the newly combined company will operate under the name Mito US One and trade on the Nasdaq.The agreement gives Minovia a pre-money equity valuation of $180 million, which will increase with an expected bridge financing of at least $5 million to Minovia equity holders within 30 days of signing the merger. Equity holders could also receive additional shares worth up to $57.5 million in total after the deal closes, according to the release.Furthermore, the combined company expects at least $18 million in private investment in public equity (PIPE) money when the deal goes through. Launch One also has about $240 million in cash in a trust account, of which some may be available to Mito US One, depending on redemptions by public shareholders.The money will help fuel Minovia’s pipeline growth, including support for lead product MNV-201. The mitochondrial cell therapy is being tested in a mid-stage clinical trial for Pearson Syndrome, an extremely rare and severe pediatric disorder. The candidate has snagged both fast track and rare pediatric tags from the FDA in the indication.The biotech is also studying MNV-201 in a phase 1b study for low-risk myelodysplastic syndrome, a chronic blood disorder. MNV-201 consists of a patient\'s autologous CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Minovia created the product using its own platform, dubbed mitochondrial augmentation technology (MAT). The biotech believes its tech has the potential to treat both rare genetic mitochondrial diseases and age-related mitochondrial dysfunction disorders.“Minovia provides a clinical-stage platform with the potential to lead an entirely new category of cell therapy,” Launch One Acquisition CEO Chris Ehrlich said in the release. “The company is advancing toward pivotal trials and we expect it will be bringing U.S.-based GMP manufacturing online by the end of 2025, allowing it to scale both its rare disease and longevity programs globally.”