Diamante

Based in Verona, Italy, Diamante S.r.l. is a biotechnology firm established in 2016 as a spin-off from the University of Verona. The company was founded by Valentina Garonzi (CEO), Roberta Zampieri (CSO), and Linda Avesani, an associate professor at the University of Verona and an expert in molecular farming. The concept originated from Avesani's research into using plants for producing high-value compounds, which, with Zampieri's support, led to the development of initial diagnostics and therapies. Garonzi's expertise in economic and financial analysis was crucial in transitioning the academic project into a commercial enterprise.

Diamante focuses on developing treatments for autoimmune diseases by pioneering a therapeutic approach centered on restoring the body's self-tolerance. The core of its technology is a proprietary Plant Molecular Farming platform that utilizes plant viruses to create stable virus-like nanoparticles (VNPs). These VNPs act as a scaffold, displaying specific peptides (autoantigens) that can re-educate the immune system to tolerate the body's own cells, thereby addressing the root cause of the autoimmune disease without causing general immunosuppression. This method is designed to be safer, more scalable, and cost-effective compared to traditional treatments.

The company's primary target market is autoimmune disease therapeutics, with its lead candidate being a treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Animal models for this RA drug have shown complete remission of arthritic symptoms, and the company expects to enter clinical trials in 2026. Diamante also developed the "Pi-Greek" diagnostic kit for Sjögren's syndrome. The company operates on a B2B model, with a revenue strategy based on licensing and pre-clinical study protocols. Diamante has successfully secured significant funding, including a €595K seed round in January 2023 led by Arieli Capital and €3.5M in non-dilutive funding from sources like the EIC Accelerator. The firm is preparing for a €10M Series A round in late 2025 to support its progression toward IND-enabling studies and further clinical development.

Keywords: molecular farming, autoimmune disease therapy, antigen-specific immunotherapy, rheumatoid arthritis treatment, plant-based biologics, virus-like nanoparticles, self-tolerance restoration, Sjögren's syndrome diagnosis, peptide drugs, biotech spin-off, plant bioreactors, nanomedicine, immunology, therapeutics, biopharmaceuticals, preclinical development, clinical trials, EIC Accelerator, venture capital, female-led startup