Release Therapeutics SA has announced that it has secured CHF3.3 million (US$3.87 million) in seed funding. The proceeds will be used to finance primate studies of the company’s cell macroencapsulation technology for use in metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD).

Armed with $55 million in series A funds and a U.S. government contract, Cambridge, Mass.-based Red Queen Therapeutics Inc. launched operations this week, with plans to advance its novel stapled lipopeptide platform, which creates new antiviral therapies that do not rely on the immune system to work.

Anivive Lifesciences Inc., a One Health technology company, reported the NIH’S National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has awarded grant funding worth up to $33 million to the company to support the development of a vaccine against the fungus Coccidioides, which causes Valley Fever.

Biopharma financings soared to $73.76 billion in the first seven months of 2024, marking a substantial 102% jump compared to the $36.47 billion accumulated in the same period in 2023. This amount places 2024 just behind the record-setting years of 2020 ($80.42 billion) and 2021 ($80.74 billion) in terms of funds raised through July. The $2.04 billion secured in July also is an increase from the $1.87 billion raised in June.

Airna Corp. Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., announced it has closed an oversubscribed $60 million financing round, bringing its total series A funding to $90 million.

Oxford Nanopore Technologies plc secured £80 million (US$102 million) in an oversubscribed equity raise, with £50 million coming from Novo Holdings.