New commitments by investors in Boston-based Omega Funds have put the firm on track to deploy $438 million into new and existing life sciences companies during what Managing Director Otello Stampacchia called "the most exciting time to be investing in life sciences in a generation." The final close adds to what's becoming a busy season for fund rollouts, punctuated so far this month by announcements of closing for a new series A-focused $210 million fund from Perceptive Advisors and a new $115 million med-tech-focused fund from Israel's Peregrine Ventures.
LONDON – Biotech billionaire Bob Duggan is taking a majority stake in Summit Therapeutics plc, as part of a proposed subscription and placing to raise $50 million. The scheme has to be voted through by shareholders, but assuming it is approved, Duggan will control approximately 73% of Summit’s enlarged share capital. Duggan previously invested $25 million in the company at the start of 2019, and already holds 49% of the stock.
DUBLIN – Immunos Therapeutics AG raised CHF15 million (US$15.2 million) in a series A round to move a novel immuno-oncology platform designed to turn cold tumors hot into early clinical development.
BEIJING – EOC Pharmaceutical Group, of Shanghai, completed a series C financing round, bagging $71 million to advance its lead programs EOC-103 and EOC-315 for breast and gastric cancers. The round was led by Hangzhou Tigermed Consulting Co. Ltd. and its affiliated funds, TF Capital and Yingke PE. Hanne Capital and Everest Venture Capital also participated in the round. In 2017, EOC raised $32 million in a series B round. All funding participants are China-based.
Menlo Park, Calif.-based Akoya Biosciences Inc. has scooped up $50 million in financing, with an eye toward growing via the expansion of commercial and operational resources and continuing product development activities around its platforms for spatial biology.
Tumor-agnostic therapy developer Black Diamond Therapeutics Inc. has completed an oversubscribed series C financing of $85 million. The Cambridge, Mass.-based company said proceeds will help it advance candidates targeting oncogenic driver mutations of the ErbB kinases in EGFR and HER2, starting with a combined phase I/II trial of its most advanced candidate next year.