AzureCell Therapies, a biotech spin-off from the University of Geneva, has received €154,500 (CHF 150,000) from Venture Kick to deliver cell-based treatments that replace damaged neurons in Parkinson’s patients.
Parkinson’s disease affects over 10 million people worldwide. Current treatments only manage symptoms and fail to halt the disease’s underlying neurodegeneration.
While regenerative cell therapies hold promise to tackle the root cause of the disease by replacing lost dopamine-producing neurons, critical challenges — including tumour risk, scalable manufacturing, and sustained long-term efficacy — must be overcome to unlock the full potential of this transformative therapeutic approach.
AzureCell Therapies is pioneering next-generation regenerative cell therapies using lab-grown neurons derived from healthy donor stem cells, engineered for safety, scalability, and long-lasting functional integration into the brain.
Its proprietary cell and genetic engineering platforms enable controlled production of therapeutic neurons with consistent quality and minimal tumour risk. The result is a rare combination of clinical precision and scalable manufacturing, designed to restore damaged neural circuits and bring long-lasting, disease-modifying benefits to patients.
The Biotech startup combines expertise in neuroscience, stem cell biology, and genetic engineering with a strong venture-building track record. CEO Dr Bilal Fares is a second-time biotech founder, CSO Prof Karl-Heinz Krause is a stem cell expert with two successful exits, and SAB Chair Prof. Emi Nagoshi specialises in genetic engineering and Parkinson’s neuroprotection.
“We started with an ambitious vision to reshape cell therapy for neurodegenerative diseases. Thanks to Venture Kick’s timely funding, clear feedback, and strong network, we’ve grown into a team of five with over CHF 1 million in funding and are preparing for incorporation,” highlights CEO Bilal Fares.
The funds will boost its production platform, support good manufacturing practice (GMP) transition, and cover core business setup, including brand and IT development.
Lead image: AzureCell Therapies: co-founder and CEO Dr. Bilal Fares, Research Associate Lena Grollmus, Science & Business Associate Dr Olivia Cattaneo, Chair of the SAB Prof. Emi Nagoshi, and co-founder and CSO Prof Karl-Heinz Krause. Photo: uncredited.
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