The identification of new targets in diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s – conditions which continue to have significant unmet needs – has taken a small step forward as one company, Violet Therapeutics Inc., plans to put $10.6 million in seed funding toward building out a pipeline based on technologies that elucidate the way cells interact amongst one another.
While med-tech financings in the second quarter (Q2) rose by 24% over the first quarter (Q1) – an historically low Q1 – the overall funding landscape in 2023 has struggled to keep up with other years, with IPOs in particular hitting rock bottom. A total of $5.8 billion was raised in Q2 through 128 transactions. Combined with Q1, the amount for the first half of 2023 is $10.5 billion through 255 transactions. This is an overall drop in value during the first six months of 31% compared with the same timeframe in 2022. It also is down from 2017 – the next lowest year – by 22%.
Neko Health AB reported it has secured $67 million in investment capital to develop its artificial intelligence (AI)-driven full body scanner beyond its home country, Sweden. This series A round was led by Berlin-based Lakestar Advisors GmbH, with participation from Atomico (UK) Partners LLP from London and General Catalyst Group Management LLC from Cambridge, Mass. “Our new concept in body digitization technology, capable of rapidly collecting large amounts of health data, will enable us to identify illness at an early stage and take preventive action,” Hjalmar Nilsonne, CEO and co-founder of Neko Health told BioWorld.