b'SiVEC Biotechnologies(Fort Collins)For Lyndsey Linke, Co-Founder & CEO ofPh.D. Her dissertation project developed anMomentum is building as SiVEC hopes to STATESiVEC Biotechnologies (SiVEC), receivingsiRNA-based antiviral that was aerosolizedclose its first license in the gene therapy the $250,000 Advanced Industries Early- to commercial poultry to prevent avian influ- space in the next six months. And while her Stage Capital and Retention Grant awardedenza virus. This focus broadened to humanteam of four is gaining attention of various by OEDIT in 2020 was a significant nod ofhealth thanks to support at the state, and atpharmaceutical companies across the country, endorsement to her self-described outsidethe federal level via the National Institutes ofshe is a strong voice for Colorado. the box thinking.Health. Currently SiVECs lead asset, an siRNA-When I share my experiences with CBSA, GRANTS SiVEC has developed a bacteria-based deliverybasedantiviralforuniversalprotectionthe states Advanced Industries program, platform to efficiently generate and deliveragainst seasonal and pandemic influenza,the startup incubator programs available nucleic acids and gene therapies to specificallyis in pre-clinical development.SiVEC is alsoat Colorado State University and at other targeted tissues. The approach of using bac- using the platform to develop a portfolio ofacademic and non-profit institutions, the teria instead of viral vectors or lipid nanopar- first-in-class therapeutics for oncology andmessage I receive is Wow, that community ticles is novel, and SiVEC has designed theirrare genetic diseases.is amazingly supportive, Linke says. SPURAdvanced Industries Acceleratorbacterial platform to overcome the limitationsWe are showing exactly what the OEDITThe more I travel,of these existing delivery systems.grant program is supposed to do by being an Inherently, when injecting or inhaling bacteria,impetus for innovation, says Linke, whoseI see how fortunate people think Whoa, that is crazy, says Linke.company has received almost $4 million in But when you look at our data and see therenon-dilutive funding.we are that this is a Programs Drive Breakthroughsis engineering, thought, and innovation, youThe payback for this innovation could be signif- vibrant and growing GROWTH realize we can do this well, and safely. In fact,icant. As indicated by the explosion in nucleiccommunity that I am so we would challenge any viral vector or LNP toacid and gene therapies in the last 20 years, do what we can with our bacterial platform.the rapid growth of the drug delivery marketproud to be part of.SiVEC spun out of Colorado State Universityis expected to reach $310 billion by 2025.LYNDSEY LINKE, CO-FOUNDER & CEO in 2016, where Linke received her M.E., andSIVEC BIOTECHNOLOGIESFunding from OEDIT provided a significant nod of endorsement for Co-Founder & CEO Lyndsey Linke and the SiVEC Biotechnologies team.WRITTEN BY JENNIFER BARTHE ntrepreneurial ingenuity supported by state funding is resulting in life- supporting and game-changing prod-ucts and platforms. Colorados Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) funds life sciences success through the Advanced Industries Accelerator Grant Program, a vital source of non-dilutive capital. OEDIT also supports businesses with Advanced Industries Investment Tax Credits. These programs have successfully led to job development, enhanced organizational cred-ibility, and attracted additional investments.20 BIOSCIENCECOLORADO 2022-2023 2022-2023 BIOSCIENCECOLORADO 21'