"It is extremely rare that a completely new human disease response regulatory pathway is discovered, peer reviewed and published in a periodical of the stature of 'Nature Medicine'. Professor Ed Rainger's team at the University of Birmingham (UOB) have generated compelling evidence to support the existence of just such a pathway. In this new pathway a small peptide (PEPITEM) controls inflammation. The therapeutic restoration of the PEPITEM pathway (by peptide dosing) in diverse pre-clinical models of disease demonstrates strong curative potential across a broad spectrum of affected organs and tissues. In turn, this provides broad market applicability of PEPITEM based pharmaceuticals. The team have 5 years' of research experience in this respect and the intellectual property for the therapeutic use of the pathway is currently protected by 3 patents held by University of Birmingham. Thus the commercialisation of this technology represents an almost unique opportunity. Viatem Ltd is an asset-centric biopharmaceutical spinout company with a vision to develop a novel class of immuno-modulators that inhibit exaggerated inflammatory responses and accelerate resolution of inflammation. The core competence is know-how and IPR on therapeutic molecules, diagnostic assays, and medical use of PEPITEM and analogues thereof, either as monotherapy, or in combination with clinical standard of care. Investor feedback from a sampling of major VC Funds shows a strong appetite for Series A investment once seed funding delivers a lead compound for development. Thus Innovate UK funding will generate: 1) a lead, peptide based compound of proven stability and pharmacological efficacy, that will have utility across a broad range of indications; 2) a broad and dominant IP position which will provide freedom to operate; 3) an opportunity to develop agents for monotherapy and/or combination therapy; 4) a link between concept and pre-clinical testing and Series A funding for a drug development programme"