Resolve Biosciences, Orionis Biosciences, Prenuvo
Resolve Biosciences Raises $71M in Series B Financing
Resolve Biosciences, a Monheim am Rhein, Germany-based molecular cartography technology company, raised $71m in Series B funding.
The round was led by Patient Square Capital with participation from EDBI, PS Capital, Alafi Capital, and NRW.BANK.
The company, which has now raised more than $100m, intends to use the funds to scale operations and accelerate product development to meet demand worldwide.
Led by CEO Jason T. Gammack, Resolve Biosciences is applying Molecular Cartography™ to enable scientists to gain insights based on the resolution view of spatial biology. The platform provides the required sensitivity, specificity, and workflow convenience to illuminate critical mechanisms, map interactions, and elucidate the cell’s complex transcriptional landscape without destroying the tissue section or cell culture sample. The technology is modular and flexible, and is expected to incorporate the interrogation of DNA, protein, and metabolomic data layers in the future. The technology offers sensitivity and specificity to help scientists detect individual transcripts and rare signals to interpret fundamental biology and advance the understanding of complex biological questions in critical fields such as oncology, neuroscience, infectious disease, and agriculture.
Resolve Biosciences Raises $71M in Series B Financing
Resolve Biosciences, a Monheim am Rhein, Germany-based provider of a Molecular Cartography technology, raised $71M in Series B funding
Anokion Raises $35M in Equity Funding from Pfizer
Anokion, a Lausanne, Switzerland-based clinical-stage biotechnology company, raised $35M in Equity funding.
The round was led by Pfizer Breakthrough Growth Initiative. In conjunction with the funding, Michael Vincent, M.D., Ph.D., senior vice president and chief scientific officer, Inflammation & Immunology, Pfizer, joined the company’s scientific advisory board, which will be announced later this year, and Allison Kean, M.D., executive director, Worldwide Business Development, Pfizer joined Anokion’s board of directors as an observer.
Separately, Anokion and Pfizer have entered into an agreement to leverage Pfizer’s development expertise and capabilities in support of the continued clinical development of KAN-101, Anokion’s lead candidate for the treatment of individuals with celiac disease.
The company intends to use a portion of the proceeds to fund its Phase 2 clinical program of KAN-101 for the treatment of individuals with celiac disease, a serious autoimmune disorder triggered by ingestion of gluten, for which there are no approved therapeutic treatments available.
Led by Deborah Geraghty, Ph.D., CEO, Anokion SA is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on both prevalent and rare autoimmune diseases, including celiac disease, multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes. Its approach leverages the company’s immune-based platform, which targets natural pathways in the liver to restore immune tolerance and address the underlying cause of autoimmune disease.
Anokion Raises $35M in Equity Funding from Pfizer
Anokion, a Cambridge, MA and Lausanne, Switzerland-based clinical-stage biotechnology company, raised $35M in Equity funding
Orionis Biosciences Secures $55M Financing Round
Orionis Biosciences, a Waltham, MA- and Gent, Belgium-based life sciences company, raised $55M in funding.
The round was led by Cormorant Asset Management, and Novartis. Robert Petit joined as Head of Early Clinical Development; Bihua Chen was appointed to the Board of Directors.
The company intends to use the funds for R&D expansion, pipeline growth and advancement of its lead cancer immunotherapy programs into clinical trials.
Led by CEO Nikolai Kley, Orionis Biosciences is advancing a deep pipeline of biologics for the treatment of cancer based on its A-Kine™ platform, which engineers target-selective, conditionally active cytokines designed to trigger anti-tumor immune responses even in “cold” tumors that lack prevalent immune involvement and are refractory to checkpoint inhibitor therapies. A-Kines aim to avoid the systemic toxicities observed with traditional cytokine therapies. In addition, Orionis is developing a diverse spectrum of small molecule molecular glues using its Allo-Glue™ platform, harnessing a first-in-class, genome-scale approach to discovery and rational design of molecular glues in order to reach previously intractable targets.
Orionis Biosciences Secures $55M Financing Round - FinSMEs
Orionis Biosciences, a Waltham, MA- and Gent, Belgium-based life sciences company, raised $55M in funding
Irish-founded Ochre Bio raises $30m to develop liver disease treatments
Ochre Bio has raised $30m in a Series A funding round to find new treatments for chronic liver disease.
The Oxford-based start-up was founded by Quin Wills and Athlone native Jack O’Meara in 2019. The company is looking to improve the viability of donor livers, testing RNA treatments on donated human livers that can be kept alive for several days inside the lab.
The investor syndicate included EIT Health, which contributed €500,000 through its Gold Track accelerator programme. Other investors included Khosla Ventures, Hermes-Epitek, Backed VC, LifeForce Capital, Selvedge, AixThera and LifeLink.
Ochre Bio has generated spatial-sequencing, single-cell sequencing and imaging data in more than 1,000 diseased human livers across three continents.
The start-up plans to use the latest funding to turn the insights from its initial research into RNA-based drug candidates.
These will be tested on donated livers at Ochre Bio’s recently launched ‘Liver ICUs’ across the US. These ICUs use livers that are considered too fatty for use in transplants.
Irish-founded Ochre Bio raises $30m to develop liver disease treatments
Ochre Bio is looking for ways to regenerate poor quality donor livers, giving more people access to better quality organs for transplants.
Hoxton Farms Raises $22M in Series A Funding
Hoxton Farms, a London, UK-based grower of animal fat from stem cells, raised $22M in funding.
The round was led by Collaborative Fund, with participation from Fine Structure Ventures.
The company intends to use the funds to build its pilot facility in London’s trendy Shoreditch area, and to expand its recruitment efforts.
Founded by Max Jamilly and Ed Steele, Hoxton Farms combines cell biology and mathematical modeling to grow purified animal fat in bioreactors and produce a cruelty-free, and sustainable ingredient.
Hoxton Farms Raises $22M in Series A Funding
Hoxton Farms, a London, UK-based grower of animal fat from stem cells, raised $22M in funding
Feel Raises £10M in Series A Funding
Feel, a London, UK-based provider of digital health and wellness subscription brand, raised £10M in Series A funding.
The round was led by Velocity Capital Advisors, with participation from Btomorrow Ventures, Fuel Ventures, TMT Investments and ITV AdVentures.
The company intends to use the funds to continue to strengthen its position in existing markets and bring their products and strong brand to new international territories.
Led by Boris Hodakel, Founder and CEO, Feel is a digital health company that provides clean label nutrition products such as vitamin supplements and functional food with innovative formulas backed by research and science.
Feel Raises £10M in Series A Funding - FinSMEs
Feel, a London, UK-based provider of digital health and wellness subscription brand, raised £10M in Series A funding
Prenuvo Raises $70M in Series A Funding
Prenuvo, a Redwood City, CA-based provider of a radiation-free whole body imaging for early detection of cancer and other diseases, raised $70m in Series A funding.
The round was led by Felicis, with participation from existing investors including Tony Fadell, Dr. Timothy A. Springer, Anne Wojcicki, Steel Perlot, Rande Gerber, and Cindy Crawford.
The company intends to use the funds to invest in its artificial intelligence (AI) team, new radiology tools, custom advanced MRI builds, and national expansion.
Led by CEO Andrew Lacy and Dr. Raj Attariwala, Prenuvo offers MRI using AI to proactively screen for cancer and disease in under one hour. A single scan covers 26 regions and organs of the body in under 60 minutes. With high clinical diagnostic quality, it can screen for and diagnose more than 500 conditions – including most solid tumors at Stage 1.
The company operates preventative screening clinics in Vancouver, Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, Dallas, Boca Raton, and Minneapolis, and plans to launch additional locations over the next year, in cities including New York City, Chicago, Boston, and Bethesda.
Prenuvo Raises $70M in Series A Funding
Prenuvo, a Redwood City, CA-based provider of a radiation-free whole body imaging for early detection of cancer and other diseases, raised $70m in Series A funding
Viome Life Sciences Raises $67M in Funding
Viome Life Sciences, a Bellevue, WA-based digital health company, raised $67M in funding.
The round was led by Bold Capital Group, with participation from existing investors Khosla Ventures, West River Group, Glico, Ocgrow Ventures, and Physician Partners.
The company intends to use the funds to support the continuous development of its product pipeline, including the Oral Health Intelligence Test, early detection diagnostic tests for chronic diseases, and cancers.
Led by Founder & CEO Naveen Jain, Viome Life Sciences is a biotechnology company launched in 2016 to address the epidemic of chronic diseases, cancer, and aging. The company developed a suite of innovative diagnostic tools to empower over half a million users to test, not guess, and to receive actionable insights to empower each of us to live a longer and healthier life. Viome’s proprietary approach combines novel mRNA research and FDA-backed technology to analyze epigenetic biomarkers to deliver comprehensive, AI-driven health insights to shape a healthy lifespan.
The latest round follows the launch of Viome’s first CancerDetect™ test for oral & throat cancers. This at-home early diagnostic tool can detect early biomarkers associated with oral and throat cancer with high rates of specificity and sensitivity.
Viome Life Sciences Raises $67M in Funding - FinSMEs
Viome Life Sciences, a Bellevue, WA-based mission-driven, digital health company, raised $67M in funding
Syncona To Buy Applied Genetic Technologies, for Up to $73.5M
A newly established portfolio company of Syncona Limited (LON: SYNC), a London, UK-based healthcare company focused on founding, building and funding global leaders in life science, is to acquire Applied Genetic Technologies Corporation (Nasdaq: AGTC), an Alachua, FL-based clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapies for the treatment of rare and debilitating diseases with an initial focus on inherited retinal diseases (IRDs), for approximately $73.5m.
Led by CEO Sue Washer, Applied Genetic Technologies is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing genetic therapies for people with rare and debilitating ophthalmic, otologic and central nervous system (CNS) diseases. The company is designing and constructing critical gene therapy elements and bringing them together to develop customized therapies with the potential to address unmet patient needs. AGTC’s most advanced clinical programs in XLRP and ACHM CNGB3 leverage its technology platform to potentially improve vision for patients with inherited retinal diseases.
Led by CEO Martin Murphy, Syncona aims to found, build and fund companies around exceptional science to create a diversified portfolio of 15-20 healthcare businesses. They focus on developing treatments for patients by working in close partnership with academic founders and management teams.
Syncona To Buy Applied Genetic Technologies, for Up to $73.5M
A newly established portfolio company of Syncona Limited (LON: SYNC), a London, UK-based healthcare company focused on founding, building and funding global leaders in life science, is to acquire Applied Genetic Technologies Corporation (Nasdaq: AGTC), an Alachua, FL-based clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapies for the treatment of rare and debilitating diseases with an initial focus on inherited retinal diseases (IRDs), for approximately 73.5m
CheckedUp Acquires Health Media Network
CheckedUp, a New York-based provider of digital healthcare solutions, acquired Health Media Network, a Norwalk, CT-based provider of digital healthcare solutions and wellness content.
The amount of the deal was not disclosed.
With the acquisition, CheckedUp will create a scaled digital network with a focus on technology innovation and delivering dedicated customer service and support.
HMN offers in-office communication tools and video content to deliver a more meaningful experience for patients, care givers, and health care professionals. Its assets include an internet-connected, addressable Digital TV Network across therapeutic specialties including cardiology, neurology, women’s health, and infectious disease, as well as custom published wallboards and wellness literature curated for each office location.
Founded by Dr. Richard Awdeh, CEO, and Mark Awdeh, and Mark Awdeh, CheckedUp is a physician founded digital patient education company that actively engages patients, caregivers, and physicians at the Point of Care. The company supports treatment decisions by healthcare providers and patients through its digital technologies, including waiting room displays and interactive digital wallboards. The technology transmits information on diseases and treatments through its digital network in the critical moments when medical decisions are made. CheckedUp is backed by Rockbridge Growth Equity.
CheckedUp Acquires Health Media Network - FinSMEs
CheckedUp, a New York-based provider of digital healthcare solutions, acquired Health Media Network, a Norwalk, CT-based provider of digital healthcare solutions and wellness content
Digitalis Ventures Closes Fourth Fund, at $300M
Digitalis Ventures, a NYC-based venture capital firm, closed of its fourth fund, totaling $300m in commitments.
The new capital will be invested in entrepreneurs and researchers developing breakthrough science and technology with the potential to transform patients’ lives.
Led by Geoffrey W. Smith, Founder and Managing Partner, Digitalis Ventures has invested in over 50 companies across the US, UK, and Europe. Representative investments include Good Therapeutics, whose lead conditionally active cytokine program was acquired earlier this year by Roche; GRO Biosciences, which is scaling the production of proteins that incorporate non-standard amino acids; Terray Therapeutics, which is developing an AI-powered small molecule discovery platform; Cayaba Care, which is providing home-based pregnancy care in communities that need it most; and findhelp, the technology provider of social care infrastructure in the US.
