What's up with biotech this week?
Caresyntax Raises $100 Million to Make Surgery Smarter and Safer
Caresyntax, the leading enterprise-level digital surgery platform delivering actionable insights to make surgery smarter and safer, today announced that it has closed a $100 million Series C funding round led by PFM Health Sciences LP, and included participation from Optum Ventures, Intel Capital, Lauxera Capital Partners, Vesalius Biocapital III, Arno Capital, Rezayat Investments, as well as current investors IPF Partners, the Relyens Group, and Surgical.AI. The investment follows a year in which the company saw 250% growth in new contract value, supported more than 30,000 surgeons, and improved care for more than two million patients.
Caresyntax’s digital surgery platform uses proprietary software and artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze large volumes of real-world data in and around the operating room (OR) to deliver insights that can be used immediately by the care team and longer-term by a variety of critical stakeholders, including surgeons to assess and improve care. Caresyntax also offers virtual, real-time access to outside experts, such as medical school instructors or medical device representatives, through its digital platform.
Caresyntax Raises $100 Million to Make Surgery Smarter and Safer - caresyntax
Caresyntax, the leading enterprise-level digital surgery platform delivering actionable insights to make surgery smarter and safer, today announced that it has closed a $100 million Series C funding round led by PFM Health Sciences LP, and included participation from Optum Ventures, Intel Capital, Lauxera Capital Partners, Vesalius Biocapital III, Arno Capital, Rezayat Investments, as well as current investors IPF Partners, the Relyens Group, and Surgical.AI.
Vantis Raises €3.8M in Funding
Vantis, a Munich, Germany-based digital health company, raised €3.8m in funding.
The round was co-led by btov Partners and firstminute capital with participation from angels such as the founders of think-cell.
The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and development efforts.
Led by Till Jansen, Maximilian Roedel, Ulrich Klank, Dr. Kevin Wiesner, and Priv.-Doz. Dr. Felix Jansen, Vantis provides a digital health application offering digital therapeutics for cardiovascular indications.
The solution enables continuous patient-centred treatment of heart disease through a mobile app personalised for each patient, continuous measurement of relevant vital signs through devices with dedicated Vantis integration and therapy monitoring with automated data analysis complemented by the doctor in the background.
Vantis Raises €3.8M in Funding | FinSMEs
Vantis, a Munich, Germany-based digital health company, raised €3.8m in funding. The round was co-led by btov Partners and firstminute capital
Exscientia Raises Up To $525M in Funding
Exscientia, an Oxford, England, UK-based clinical stage pharmatech company using artificial intelligence (AI) to design patient-based drugs, completed a $225m Series D funding round.
SoftBank Vision Fund 2 led the Series D and was joined by previous round lead investors, Novo Holdings and funds managed by Blackrock.
The company intends to use the funds to advance its proprietary pipeline through clinical testing as well as to continue expanding the technology platform toward autonomous drug design.
Led by Andrew Hopkins, CEO, Exscientia has built and integrated a broad array of AI and experimental technologies to capture and utilize the most patient-relevant data to precision design drugs for multiparameter optimization. The company’s platform evaluates the target and mechanism through high content phenomics, novel biophysics and deep learning from biological data. That information is then translated into the design of precision drugs through proprietary AI algorithms driven by thousands of models. To date, the company has been able to advance seven precision designed drugs from project initiation to development candidate in an average time of 12 months.
Exscientia Raises Up To $525M in Funding
Exscientia, an Oxford, England, UK-based clinical stage pharmatech company using artificial intelligence (AI) to design patient-based drugs, completed a $225m Series D funding round
Adcendo Raises EUR 51M in Series A Financing
Adcendo, a Copenhagen, Denmark-based biotech company which is developing antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for the treatment of cancers, raised EUR 51m (US$ 62m) in Series A financing.
The round was led by Novo Seeds and Ysios Capital, with participation from RA Capital Management, HealthCap and Gilde Healthcare. As part of the financing, Jeroen Bakker, Principal at Novo Seeds, will join the Board.
The company plans to use the funds to bring the lead program targeting the novel cancer target uPARAP/Endo180 to proof of concept in patients.
Founded in 2017 by scientists Niels Behrendt, Lars Henning Engelholm and Christoffer Nielsen from The Finsen Laboratory of Rigshospitalet and the University of Copenhagen, and Henrik Stage, a biotech-entrepreneur active in several biotech companies, and previously CEO/CFO of Santaris Pharma which was acquired by Roche in 2014, Adcendo is developing novel antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for treatment of cancers. ADCs are a class of highly potent biopharmaceutical drug composed of an antibody linked, via a chemical linker, to a biologically active drug or cytotoxic compound.
Adcendo Raises EUR 51M in Series A Financing | FinSMEs
Adcendo, a Copenhagen, Denmark-based biotech company which is developing antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for the treatment of cancers, raised EUR 51m (US$ 62m) in Series A financing
Mogrify Raises 17M in Second Series A Close
Mogrify Limited, a Cambridge, England, UK-based biopharmaceutical company, held the second closed of Series A financing of $17m, bringing the total raised to $33m in this round.
This second close of the Series A was led by Parkwalk Advisors and incorporates additional funding from strategic Corporate Pharma investor Astellas Venture Management as well as 24Haymarket, co-Founder of Abcam PLC, Dr Jonathan Milner, and Mogrify CEO, Dr Darrin M Disley OBE.
The company intends to use the funds to advance its immuno-oncology and ophthalmology programs, continue platform development and explore cell reprogramming for novel therapeutic application.
Proceeds from the financing will be used to advance Mogrify’s immuno-oncology and ophthalmology programs, inclusive of iPSC-derived allogeneic cell therapies targeting hematological and solid malignancies, as well as in vivo reprogramming therapies aiming to address retinal degeneration, a leading cause of blindness, through to IND-enabling studies.
Led by Dr. Darrin M. Disley, OBE, CEO, Mogrify provides a proprietary suite of platform technologies that enable systematic identification of the key transcriptomic and epigenetic cell switches that drive the speed, efficiency and maintenance of cellular reprogramming. In addition to the company’s core programs, the broad potential of both the MOGRIFY® and epiMOGRIFY technologies allow continued exploration and generation of novel cell-based and in vivo reprogramming therapies for disease areas with high unmet clinical need.
Mogrify Raises 17M in Second Series A Close | FinSMEs
Mogrify Limited, a Cambridge, England, UK-based biopharmaceutical company, held the second closed of Series A financing of $17m, bringing the total raised to $33m in this round
Cumulus Neuroscience Raises £6M in Funding
Cumulus Neuroscience, formerly known as BrainWaveBank, a Belfast, UK – based provider of “real-world” clinical trial data and AI-powered insights, raised £6m in funding.
The round was led by the Dementia Discovery Fund (DDF) joined by LifeArc, a medical research charity, and the UK Future Fund.
The company intends to use the funds to accelerate the development of CNS therapies.
Led by CEO Ronan Cunningham, Cumulus is a provider of “real-world” clinical trial data and AI-powered insights via an integrated biomarker platform co-developed with some of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies.
The company’s integrated solution is a platform capable of:
capturing frequent, longitudinal measurements of brain activity synchronously with a comprehensive range of functional and symptomatic domains outside of the clinic, and providing insights, powered by AI techniques, to support clinical trial decision making and execution This integrated platform, built on both proprietary expertise and partnerships with proven leaders in their field, remotely captures large amounts of real-world lab-quality data. Across the time-course of a clinical trial, mobile device-based assessments and simultaneous brain activity recordings track the full spectrum of drug mechanisms, neurophysiological functions, and patient symptoms, all in a user’s home.
Cumulus Neuroscience Raises £6M in Funding | FinSMEs
Cumulus Neuroscience, formerly known as BrainWaveBank, a Belfast, UK - based provider of “real-world” clinical trial data and AI-powered insights, raised £6m in funding
Mablink Bioscience Raises €4M in Seed Funding
Mablink Bioscience, a Lyon, France-based company developing antibody-drug conjugates (ADC), completed a €4M seed financing round.
The round was led by Elaia Partners with participation from Pertinence Invest 2 (Sofimac Innovation advised by Mérieux Equity Partners), Sham Innovation Santé (advised by Turenne Capital), Fondation Fournier-Majoie, Simba Santé (Angelor) and Crédit Agricole Création.
Led by Jean-Guillaume Lafay, CEO, Mablink Bioscience is a biopharmaceutical company which has developed PSARlink™, an innovative and hydrophilic drug-linker technology that brings improved pharmacological properties to antibody-drug conjugates.
The company will use the proceeds of this financing to move forward its ADC pipeline.
Mablink Bioscience Raises €4M in Seed Funding | FinSMEs
Mablink Bioscience, a Lyon, France-based company developing antibody-drug conjugates (ADC), completed a €4M seed financing round
Capsida Biotherapeutics Raises $140M in Series A Funding
Capsida Biotherapeutics Inc., a Thousand Oaks, CA-based biotechnology company using an adeno-associated virus (AAV) engineering and cargo development platform to develop tissue-targeted gene therapies for multiple types of diseases, raised $140m in Series A funding.
Backers included Versant Ventures and Westlake Village BioPartners, which together provided $50m. Capsida also announced a multi-year strategic collaboration and option agreement with AbbVie that provides $90m in up front and equity investment capital in addition to potential future option, development and commercial milestone payments. The collaboration is aimed at developing targeted gene therapies for three programs in serious neurodegenerative diseases.
Led by Robert Cuddihy, M.D., chief executive officer, Capsida provides an AAV engineering platform that generates capsids optimized to target specific tissue types and limits transduction of tissues and cell types that are not relevant to the target disease, allowing for improved efficacy and safety. In addition, the company is developing proprietary cargo that delivers effective gene replacement or enhancement customized for the specific disease of interest.
Capsida Biotherapeutics Raises $140M in Series A Funding | FinSMEs
Capsida Biotherapeutics Inc., a Thousand Oaks, CA-based biotechnology company using an adeno-associated virus (AAV) engineering and cargo development platform to develop tissue-targeted gene therapies for multiple types of diseases, raised $140m in Series A funding
Forge Biologics Raises $120M in Series B Financing
Forge Biologics, a Columbus, Ohio-based gene therapy-focused contract development and manufacturing organization, closed a $120m Series B financing.
The round was led by RA Capital Management with participation from Perceptive Advisors and related affiliates, Surveyor Capital (a Citadel company), Octagon Capital, and Marshall Wace and existing investors Perceptive Xontogeny Venture Fund and Drive Capital. In connection with the financing, Matthew Hammond, Ph.D., of RA Capital, and Fred Callori of the Perceptive Xontogeny Venture Fund will join Forge’s Board of Directors.
The company intends to use the funds to accelerate the expansion of its AAV manufacturing CDMO capabilities with cGMP production capacity, as well as operate its subsidiaries that are advancing novel adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy programs.
Led by Timothy J. Miller, Ph.D., CEO, President and Co-Founder, Forge Biologics is a hybrid gene therapy contract manufacturing and therapeutic development company with a 175,000 square foot facility in Columbus, Ohio which dedicated to AAV viral vector manufacturing, Forge offers end-to-end manufacturing services, including research and toxicology grade AAV production, to accelerate gene therapy programs from preclinical through clinical and commercial stage manufacturing.
Forge Biologics Raises $120M in Series B Financing | FinSMEs
Forge Biologics, a Columbus, Ohio-based gene therapy-focused contract development and manufacturing organization, closed a $120m Series B financing
Kaia Health Raises $75M in Series C Funding
Kaia Health, a NYC-based digital therapeutics company, raised a $75m Series C funding round.
The round was led by an unnamed growth equity fund with participation from existing investors Optum Ventures, Eurazeo, capital300, Balderton Capital, Heartcore Capital, Symphony Ventures (the investment vehicle of golf legend Rory McIlroy) and A Round Capital.
The company, which has raised a total of $125m to date, intends to use the funds to grow its commercial team, accelerate product and partnership development and extend the offering within Europe.
Led by CEO, President, and Founder Konstantin Mehl, Kaia Health is a digital therapeutics company that creates evidence-based treatments for a range of disorders including back pain, COPD and osteoarthritis. Working with experts across medical fields, the company uses machine learning to deliver individualized app interventions that aim to empower and motivate patients to take control and self-manage their condition with digital alternatives from their home using devices they already own (i.e. smartphones and tablets). Kaia Health is a member of the Digital Therapeutics Alliance (DTA), an international non-profit trade association of industry leaders and stakeholders engaged in the evidence-driven advancement of digital therapeutics. The company also has offices in Munich, Germany.
Kaia Health Raises $75M in Series C Funding | FinSMEs
Kaia Health, a NYC-based digital therapeutics company, raised a $75m Series C funding round
Ceribell Raises $53M in Series C Financing
Ceribell, Inc., a Mountain View, CA-based developer of a non-invasive brain monitor, completed a $53m Series C financing.
The round was co-led by Longitude Capital and The Rise Fund with participation from new investors RA Capital Management, Redmile Group and Red Tree Venture Capital, with existing shareholders.
The company will use the funds to further expand its commercial presence in emergency departments and intensive care units globally.
The Ceribell® technology platform is designed to address the need for faster diagnosis in patients with suspicion of seizure.
Led by Jane Chao, CEO and Co-Founder, Ceribell provides an FDA cleared, point of care brain monitor that uses real-time cloud computing and the proprietary Clarity™ machine learning algorithm to provide rapid answers at the bedside for immediate and precise treatment. The Ceribell EEG System received FDA 510(k) clearance in 2017 and is commercially available in the United States.
Ceribell Raises $53M in Series C Financing | FinSMEs
Ceribell, Inc., a Mountain View, CA-based developer of a non-invasive brain monitor, completed a $53m Series C financing
Sesame Raises Additional $24M in Funding
Sesame, a NYC-based direct-pay healthcare marketplace, raised an additional $24m in funding.
Backers included Giant Ventures, Industry Ventures and Coefficient Capital, we well as existing investors General Catalyst, Entree Capital, and Atreides Management.
The company, which has now raised just under $50m since its founding in 2019, intends to use the funds to strengthen its marketplace and expand its nationwide telehealth offerings and in-person care.
Led by CEO and Co-founder David Goldhill, Sesame is a direct-pay healthcare marketplace where patients pay doctors directly for care, including telehealth, prescriptions, and in-person care.
Sesame Raises Additional $24M in Funding | FinSMEs
Sesame, a NYC-based direct-pay healthcare marketplace, raised an additional $24m in funding
Life Sciences Raises $20M in Series A3 Financing
ReAlta Life Sciences, Inc., a Norfolk, Va.-based clinical stage biotech company, closed a $20m Series A3 financing.
The round was led by Marathon Pharma, with participation from existing investors and new, undisclosed investors.
The company intends to use the funds to advance multiple programs addressing ALI and HIE, including lead candidate RLS-0071, into Phase 2 clinical trials.
Led by Ulrich Thienel, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, ReAlta is advancing RLS-0071, which is in development to address hospital-based acute inflammatory conditions, including acute lung injury (ALI) and severe birth asphyxia or hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). The company is currently conducting a Phase 1 trial in healthy volunteers for RLS-0071, as well as a separate proof of concept study to evaluate RLS-0071 as a therapy for ALI in hospitalized COVID-19 subjects. In addition, ReAlta is advancing the second compound emerging from its proprietary EPICC technology platform, RLS-0088, through IND-enabling studies later this year.
ReAlta Life Sciences Raises $20M in Series A3 Financing | FinSMEs
ReAlta Life Sciences, Inc., a Norfolk, Va.-based clinical stage biotech company, closed a $20m Series A3 financing
Engage Technologies Group Raises $15M in Series A Funding
Engage Technologies Group, Inc., a Boise, Idaho-based creator of a Human Experience Platform for the healthcare Industry, raised $15m in Series A financing.
Series A investors consist of individual healthcare professionals who are customers.
The company plans to use the proceeds to enter new markets and create rich video content that aligns the patient journey from diagnosis to recovery.
Led by Michael Boerner, CEO and Founder, and by C. Lloyd Mahaffey, EVP & Chief Operating Officer, Engage Technologies provides a SaaS Human Experience Platform for the healthcare Industry which aims to enable a simplified workflow, primarily focused on improving and accelerating the pathway-to-purchase and end-to-end customer/patient experience.
Engage Technologies Group Raises $15M in Series A Funding | FinSMEs
Engage Technologies Group, Inc., a Boise, Idaho-based creator of a Human Experience Platform for the healthcare Industry, raised $15m in Series A financing
Artio Medical Closes $12M Tranche of Series A Financing
Artio Medical, Inc., a Praire Village, Kan.-based medical device company developing innovative products for the peripheral vascular, neurovascular, and structural heart markets, closed an additional $12m tranche of Series A financing, bringing the total to $46m.
The round was led by existing investors Nathaniel and Sarah Hagedorn.
The company intends to use the funds to complete the first-in-human clinical study of its Amplifi™ Vein Dilation System and prepare for commercialization of its Solus Gold™ Embolization Device.
Led by F. Nicholas Franano, MD, President and CEO, Artio Medical is a medical device company committed to developing innovative products for the treatment of peripheral vascular, neurovascular, and structural heart diseases.
Artio Medical Closes $12M Tranche of Series A Financing | FinSMEs
Artio Medical, Inc., a Praire Village, Kan.-based medical device company developing innovative products for the peripheral vascular, neurovascular, and structural heart markets, closed an additional $12m tranche of Series A financing, bringing the total to $46m
Take Command Health Closes $12.0M Series A Funding
TakeCommand Health, a Dallas, TX-based health benefits platform provider, closed a $12m Series A funding.
The round was led by LiveOak Venture Partners and SJF Ventures.
The company intends to use the funds to grow its team, launch new products and features, including a new payments solution, and enhance design support and account management.
Led by Jack Hooper, CEO, Take Command Health is a tech-enabled service startup providing small employers with an Individual Coverage HRA platform to offer a tax-free stipend for employees to buy qualified ACA coverage that fits their unique needs.
