Dogma Biotech Wins $100K Award from QB3 Mentoring Program to Develop Glycosylation Technology for Biologics
Dogma Biotech, a company developing a technology to improve delivery of biologic drugs to specific tissues, and reduce the immune reaction they cause — and thereby enable more patients to receive treatment, and experience fewer side effects — has won a $100K award from QB3.
The company, a participant in the QB3 early-stage mentoring program, advised by Philippe Cronet, general manager of San Diego-based Wacker Biotech USA, successfully presented to the wider mentor group at a pitch session in June.
“We are excited to have received this award and will put it to good use,” said Sergio del Risco, Dogma’s CEO and co-founder. “It will enable us to establish scientific operations in the Bay Area, which will further help us connect with investors and partners to move this technology forward so it can begin to help patients.”
“We’re very happy to make this award to Dogma,” said Kaspar Mossman, managing director of QB3. “The mentor group as a whole saw a lot of potential in the company, and Sergio is a terrific CEO.”
Dogma is developing precision glycosylation for enzymes and other biologic therapeutics. The company’s data shows that it can control the structure of glycans that are attached to proteins, and produce molecules that are glycosylated in a far more consistent manner than by the current industry standard, production in CHO cells.
Dogma sees scientific, medical, and commercial opportunity in initially targeting lysosomal storage disorders. Their data shows improved delivery to brain and bone, which are important targets for this condition. The company has licensed a glyco-engineered protein to a Spanish pharma company currently advancing the asset toward a Phase 1 clinical trial.
Dogma’s current home base is Bogota, Colombia. The core technology originated in the lab of Javier Almeciga, a professor of pharmaceutical chemistry at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogota and the company’s scientific founder. Dogma’s US-incorporated subsidiary has licensed the IP. The award makes it possible for the company to move into QB3’s UC Berkeley incubator Bakar Bio Labs and conduct further proof-of-concept work while benefiting from the Bakar ecosystem and the supportive entrepreneurial environment in the Bay Area.
The QB3 mentoring program matches company founders with scientific and business mentors who have deep experience in early-stage biotech. The next application deadline is October 10, 2025.
