Focalis Bio

Cutting-edge treatments for focal refractory epilepsy. Formerly named EpilepsyGTx.

3d rendered image of neuron cell network on black background

Focalis Bio is a late preclinical-stage biotech, developing cutting-edge gene therapies that will transform the management of focal refractory epilepsy (FRE).

The spinout's goal is to make patients with FRE seizure-free. 

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases, affecting over 50 million people worldwide (WHO). Focal epilepsy is a group of disorders in which patients experience seizures that arise from a specific part of the brain, while refractory epilepsy occurs when seizures persist despite trials of at least two tolerated and appropriately chosen antiseizure treatments.

Approximately one in five patients with epilepsy has focal refractory epilepsy.  

The mortality in people with refractory epilepsy is four times higher than in the general population. In the UK alone, approximately 1,000 epilepsy-related deaths are recorded each year. The hallmark symptom of FRE is recurrent and unpredictable seizures, which can cause injury and become life-threatening. 

People with epilepsy often struggle with anxiety, depression, and the social stigma associated with their disease, and their professional life is severely restricted.

The Focalis Bio journey so far: 

  • 2022: spinout founded at UCL as EpilepsyGTx
  • 2024: Focalis Bio raised $10m seed funding  
  • 2025: A $33 million Series A followed in 2025
  • 2026: company renamed Focalis Bio.

 

The Epilepsy GTx team
The EpilepsyGTx team from UCL: Prof Stephanie Schorge; Prof Dimitri Kullmann; Prof Matthew Walker; Prof Gabriele Lignani,  

Team

Professor Dimitri Kullman

Chief Scientific Officer; Scientific Founder

He is part of the Queen Square Institute of Neurology.

Professor Stephanie Schorge

Scientific Founder

Stephanie is the Sophia Jex-Blake Professor of Neuroscience at UCL and the Head of the Research Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology (NPP). She has been at UCL since 1999.

Prof Matthew Walker (UCL Institute of Neurology)

Prof Gabriele Liagnani (UCL Institute of Neurology)

Caitriona O'Rourke

Dr. Caitriona O'Rourke (Away from office)

Senior Business Manager

Dr O’Rourke joined us in 2018, having worked as a research associate within UCL on several diverse life science / pharmaceutical research projects covering the areas of tissue engineering, drug delivery, regenerative medicine, biomaterials and stem cell biology.

Caitriona holds a PhD in tissue engineering from the Open University and a MSc in neuropharmacology from the National University of Galway, Ireland.