Our timeline

  • 20 December 2007
    • Okapi Sciences BVBA is founded by Professor Johan Neyts, Dr Stefaan Wera and Dr Erwin Blomsma.
  • 17 October 2008
    • Okapi Sciences NV is incorporated, with the transfer of knowledge and IP from three universities – KU Leuven, ULg (Liège) and Innsbruck – and the Prague Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry (IOCB).
  • 17 October 2008
    • Okapi Sciences successfully concludes arrangements for a financing round of 8.5 million euros. The investment is led by the Agri Investment Fund and the Dutch Thuja Capital, with participations from Fortis Private Equity Arkimedes, KBC Arkiv, the Flemish innovation fund Vinnof, the Gemma Frisius Fund at KU Leuven and Spinventure. A first tranche of funding is released on this day.
  • 1 December 2008
    • Two scientists join, research activities start in shared laboratory space at KU Leuven, and offices are rented in the centre of Leuven.
  • 6 November 2009
    • Okapi Sciences opens a second facility in Liège to strengthen collaboration with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at ULg.
  • 1 December 2009
    • Okapi Sciences moves to a new facility in the industrial park in Heverlee, with fully integrated laboratory and offices to ensure maximum efficiency and accommodate further growth.
  • 19 october 2010
    • Two years after its foundation, Okapi Sciences reaches Milestone 1 and confirms that the product development of two pet products is on schedule and important progress has been made in the screening and early development of antiviral drugs against foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) and classical swine fever virus (CSFV).
  • 22 October 2010
    • With the support of partners in the Netherlands, France and the UK, a first batch of cGMP finished product is made and released shortly afterwards.
  • 9 November 2010
    • Milestone 1 is met. The second tranche of the 8.5 million euro capital increase takes place.
  • 21 October 2011
    • Milestone 2 is met. The third and final tranche of the 8.5 million euro capital increase takes place.
  • 14 June 2012
    • Okapi Sciences enters into a distribution agreement for its KHV diagnostic kit with MegaCor Diagnostik. This diagnostic kit is the first product Okapi Sciences will bring to market.