Start-ups

Some lines of research in our laboratory have led to the development of start-ups aimed at accelerating the clinical application of the most relevant and promising antiviral strategies that we studied. 

Rotalactis s.r.l., founded by Prof. David Lembo, is involved in the research and development of molecules with anti-rotavirus action. Specifically, the activity of this start-up has led to the development and patent of RotalactinaTM, a peptide derivative of donkey milk with strong anti-rotavirus properties. 


Panoxyvir Ltd., founded in 2016, is made up of Professors David Lembo and Giuseppe Poli, and Dr. Andrea Civra. The company's mission is the research and development of endogenous oxysterols as a biological source of molecules with antiviral activity. The team was the first to identify and patent the broad spectrum efficacy of oxysterols against different non-enveloped viruses, such as rhinoviruses, rotaviruses, and papillomavirus. Recently, they also demonstrated oxysterols' activity against coronaviruses.

Thanks to the innovation brought in the field of antiviral therapies, Panoxyvir distinguished itself over the years by winning several national awards: