Düsseldorf—Global law firm Dentons has advised the Berlin-based EU Malaria Fund on a venture financing deal with the biotech company Sanaria. As part of the transaction, Sanaria will receive a venture loan for the development of two malaria vaccines, a malaria therapeutic and an oral COVID-19 vaccine.

The EU Malaria Fund combines funds from the European Union, the European Investment Bank, Investitionsbank Berlin, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other national and private European stakeholders. It aims to bridge the gap between research and the market and to provide innovative solutions for the prevention and treatment of serious infectious diseases.

Sanaria is headquartered in Maryland (USA) and is a world leader in the research and development of malaria vaccines and other malaria research products. Recently, the company also started to develop vaccines against COVID-19.

A Dentons team from Düsseldorf and Munich advised the EU Malaria Fund on the award of the venture loan.  

In June of this year, Dentons also advised the fund on a venture debt financing for Italian biotech company Achilles Vaccines. As the fund was established in Germany, the financing is subject to German law. Partner Axel Schlieter led the deal with support from senior associate Julia Heitmann in Dusseldorf, as well as partner Richard Fagerer and senior associate Alina Bresler in Munich, who advised on US law.

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