PARIS – Sofinnova Partners SAS reported the successful closing of its med-tech accelerator fund, Sofinnova MD Start III, at $75 million. The fund had been oversubscribed and exceeded its original quota, with new investors joining existing ones such as Medtronic plc, Liva Nova plc, Baxter International Inc., French national public investment bank Bpifrance and the European Investment Fund.
LONDON – Anjarium Biosciences AG has raised $61 million in a series A to advance development of a new class of gene therapy it is developing from the ground up to overcome shortcomings of current viral vector-based products. The Zurich, Switzerland-based company is assembling a toolkit of stable DNA vectors and targeted lipid nanoparticle and exosome delivery vehicles that it said will lead to “bespoke expression of genes” and address the underlying causes of genetic diseases in a more predictable, repeatable and lasting way.
Chicago-based Vanqua Bio Inc. has raised $85 million in series B financing to accelerate development of its therapies tackling Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. Founded in 2019, Vanqua’s technology is focused on developing small-molecule activators of glucocerebrosidase, an enzyme that regulates levels of lipids in cells.
The market’s appetite for immunology candidates in chronic disease – in particular an oral interleukin-17 (IL-17) therapy for psoriasis – was proved by the upsized IPO pulled off by Dice Therapeutics Inc., and Tyra Biosciences Inc. benefited from the ongoing appetite in precision oncology in another, bigger-than-expected debut. Preclinical-stage Pasithea Therapeutics Inc. went public as well, albeit less spectacularly.
Abion Inc., which focuses on precision oncology, raised ₩38.76 billion (US$33.36 million) in its debut on the Korean Stock Exchange’s Kosdaq board on Sept. 8.
Biopharmas in Asia-Pacific raising money in public or private financings: Asahi Kasei, Brii, Cytovia, Haemalogix, ILC, KB Investment, Prism Biolab, RM Global Partners, Xenikos.
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