Dementia Discovery Fund

The Dementia Discovery Fund is the world’s largest venture fund focused entirely on discovering and developing novel therapies for dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. The DDF has raised a total of £250 million to develop novel disease-modifying therapeutics for all forms of dementia. They have a mandate to validate novel hypotheses and expand the breadth of targets and mechanisms in development for dementia over the 15 year life of the fund. This enables the DDF to invest in truly novel, early-stage projects starting from target identification, and explore novel biological insights for translation into disease-modifying drugs.

Laurence Barker Ph.D

Partner

Jonathan Behr

Partner

Georgia Frost

Investment Associate

Christian Jung

Partner

Huiyuan Zhang

Investment Associate

32 past transactions

Cerevance

Series B in 2023
Cerevance LLC is engaged in the development of therapeutics targeting specific proteins expressed selectively in brain cell types affected by neurological diseases. The company utilizes its proprietary NETSseq platform to profile distinct brain cell types, such as neurons and glial cells, in mature human brain tissue. This technology reveals transcriptional and epigenetic differences, facilitating the early detection and treatment of serious neurological and psychiatric disorders, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Founded in 2016, Cerevance is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with an additional office in Cambridge, United Kingdom. The company's focus is on advancing new medicines for central nervous system diseases by addressing the underlying mechanisms of neurodegeneration and related conditions.

Harness Therapeutics

Seed Round in 2022
Transine Therapeutics

AviadoBio

Series A in 2021
AviadoBio mission is to transform the lives of people living with neurodegenerative disorders by developing and delivering transformative gene therapies for diseases including frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The Company’s technology is based on pioneering research from King’s College London and the UK Dementia Research Institute.

LOQUS23 THERAPEUTICS

Seed Round in 2021
LoQus23 is a DDF-formed company focussing on targeting DNA damage repair pathways to treat Huntington’s disease and other triplet repeat diseases.

Nitrase Therapeutics

Series A in 2021
Nitrase Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing drugs targeting a newly identified class of enzymes known as Nitrases. Initially concentrating on Parkinson’s disease, Nitrase aims to create therapies that may slow or halt the progression of this neurodegenerative condition. Beyond its primary focus, the company plans to expand its research to address other aging-related diseases, including Type II diabetes, heart disease, and various cancer types. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Jackson, Wyoming, with additional facilities in San Francisco, California, Nitrase Therapeutics is positioned to contribute significantly to the treatment of complex diseases associated with aging.

Harness Therapeutics

Seed Round in 2021
Transine Therapeutics

Therini Bio

Seed Round in 2021
Therini Bio is dedicated to the research and development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of neurological diseases. The company's approach is based on novel findings by the Akassoglou lab at Gladstone/UCSF that implicate fibrin as a key driver of neuroinflammation.

BrainWaveBank

Convertible Note in 2020
BrainWaveBank Limited is a brain health research company focused on developing innovative solutions to track and improve cognitive health, particularly in the context of dementia. Founded in 2015 and based in Belfast, United Kingdom, the company has created a unique wearable electroencephalography (EEG) device that allows users to non-invasively measure their brain activity. This device works in conjunction with mobile games designed to challenge cognitive skills, enabling individuals to monitor their cognitive health daily from the comfort of their homes. By securely collecting and analyzing data from a large user base, BrainWaveBank aims to build comprehensive neurocognitive profiles that can advance the understanding of brain health and inform the development of future treatments for neurological disorders. The company's approach emphasizes scalability and accessibility, making it a valuable tool for both consumers and clinical professionals.

Alchemab Therapeutics

Series A in 2020
Alchemab Therapeutics is developing natural protective antibodies designed to keep people free of hard-to-treat diseases. They are building their transformative engine to identify novel drug targets and develop a broad pipeline of novel antibody therapeutics for hard-to-treat cancers, neurodegenerative conditions, and infectious diseases.

QurAlis

Series A in 2020
QurAlis Corporation is a biotechnology company focused on discovering and developing precision therapeutics for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neurological diseases. Established in 2016 and based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, QurAlis aims to address the genetic underpinnings of ALS, leveraging its proprietary platforms and biomarkers to create targeted treatments. The company's pipeline includes innovative therapies designed to restore dysfunctional cellular processes, treat overactive neurons, and eliminate toxic proteins associated with the disease. By concentrating on genetically validated targets, QurAlis seeks to advance antisense oligonucleotides and small molecule programs that can effectively manage various subtypes of ALS, ultimately working to halt disease progression and improve patient outcomes. QurAlis operates as a subsidiary of Q-State Biosciences, Inc.

Nitrase Therapeutics

Series A in 2020
Nitrase Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing drugs targeting a newly identified class of enzymes known as Nitrases. Initially concentrating on Parkinson’s disease, Nitrase aims to create therapies that may slow or halt the progression of this neurodegenerative condition. Beyond its primary focus, the company plans to expand its research to address other aging-related diseases, including Type II diabetes, heart disease, and various cancer types. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Jackson, Wyoming, with additional facilities in San Francisco, California, Nitrase Therapeutics is positioned to contribute significantly to the treatment of complex diseases associated with aging.

Cerevance

Series B in 2020
Cerevance LLC is engaged in the development of therapeutics targeting specific proteins expressed selectively in brain cell types affected by neurological diseases. The company utilizes its proprietary NETSseq platform to profile distinct brain cell types, such as neurons and glial cells, in mature human brain tissue. This technology reveals transcriptional and epigenetic differences, facilitating the early detection and treatment of serious neurological and psychiatric disorders, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Founded in 2016, Cerevance is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with an additional office in Cambridge, United Kingdom. The company's focus is on advancing new medicines for central nervous system diseases by addressing the underlying mechanisms of neurodegeneration and related conditions.

Harness Therapeutics

Seed Round in 2020
Transine Therapeutics

AviadoBio

Seed Round in 2020
AviadoBio mission is to transform the lives of people living with neurodegenerative disorders by developing and delivering transformative gene therapies for diseases including frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The Company’s technology is based on pioneering research from King’s College London and the UK Dementia Research Institute.

Ribometrix

Venture Round in 2019
Ribometrix is a platform therapeutics company that discovers small molecule drugs that target functional 3D RNA structures to treat human diseases. Our scientific offices are located in the newly renovated Biolabs Space in Durham, with offices in Chapel Hill and Boston.

AstronauTx

Venture Round in 2019
AstronauTx is a UCL spin-off, will develop medicines designed to reset the behaviour of astrocytes.

Therini Bio

Seed Round in 2019
Therini Bio is dedicated to the research and development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of neurological diseases. The company's approach is based on novel findings by the Akassoglou lab at Gladstone/UCSF that implicate fibrin as a key driver of neuroinflammation.

LOQUS23 THERAPEUTICS

Seed Round in 2019
LoQus23 is a DDF-formed company focussing on targeting DNA damage repair pathways to treat Huntington’s disease and other triplet repeat diseases.

Caraway Therapeutics

Series A in 2018
Rheostat’s mission is to invent novel treatments for neurodegenerative disease through modulation of mitophagy and autophagy. They believe that the degradation of toxic cellular components, whether they are damaged organelles or aggregated proteins, is a fundamental node of biology. Mutations that impair these clearance pathways cause multiple neurodegenerative diseases, many of which are associated with cognitive impairment. They aim to leverage our understanding of these critical pathways to discover and develop novel small molecules that will restore cellular balance and treat neurodegenerative and rare diseases.

Ribometrix

Series A in 2018
Ribometrix is a platform therapeutics company that discovers small molecule drugs that target functional 3D RNA structures to treat human diseases. Our scientific offices are located in the newly renovated Biolabs Space in Durham, with offices in Chapel Hill and Boston.

Evelo Biosciences

Venture Round in 2018
Evelo Biosciences is a biotechnology company focused on developing oral biologics, specifically monoclonal microbials, for treating a range of inflammatory diseases and cancers. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the company is advancing several candidates through various stages of clinical development. EDP1815, currently in a Phase 1b clinical study, aims to treat psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, while other candidates in pre-clinical stages target conditions such as psoriatic arthritis, asthma, and neuro-inflammatory diseases. Additionally, EDP1503 is undergoing Phase 1/2 trials for colorectal cancer and other malignancies. By utilizing naturally occurring monoclonal microbials, Evelo seeks to revolutionize drug discovery and development, offering a new approach to modulating systemic immunology and biology through oral delivery. This innovative platform has the potential to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of treatments across various health conditions.

Cerevance

Venture Round in 2018
Cerevance LLC is engaged in the development of therapeutics targeting specific proteins expressed selectively in brain cell types affected by neurological diseases. The company utilizes its proprietary NETSseq platform to profile distinct brain cell types, such as neurons and glial cells, in mature human brain tissue. This technology reveals transcriptional and epigenetic differences, facilitating the early detection and treatment of serious neurological and psychiatric disorders, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Founded in 2016, Cerevance is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with an additional office in Cambridge, United Kingdom. The company's focus is on advancing new medicines for central nervous system diseases by addressing the underlying mechanisms of neurodegeneration and related conditions.

Tiaki Therapeutics

Seed Round in 2018
Tiaki Therapeutics, Inc. is focused on developing microglia-targeted therapeutics aimed at treating dementias. Founded in 2017 and located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the company leverages insights from academic research to create a platform for discovering small molecule therapeutics that restore microglial function in the aging brain. Tiaki's innovative approach combines human disease datasets with an authentic ex vivo brain model and bioinformatics analyses to identify novel targets for dementia treatment. This methodology allows for patient-specific insights into dysregulated pathways associated with neuroinflammatory diseases, facilitating the analysis of genomics and transcriptomics for advanced drug development. Tiaki is supported by the Dementia Discovery Fund, a venture capital initiative dedicated to fostering effective, disease-modifying therapies for dementia.

Ribometrix

Seed Round in 2017
Ribometrix is a platform therapeutics company that discovers small molecule drugs that target functional 3D RNA structures to treat human diseases. Our scientific offices are located in the newly renovated Biolabs Space in Durham, with offices in Chapel Hill and Boston.

Mitoconix Bio

Series A in 2017
Mitoconix Bio Ltd develops a novel strategy to improve mitochondrial health as a disease modifying therapeutic for neurodegenerative diseases. The company was founded in 2016 and is based in Jerusalem, Israel.

Cerevance

Series A in 2017
Cerevance LLC is engaged in the development of therapeutics targeting specific proteins expressed selectively in brain cell types affected by neurological diseases. The company utilizes its proprietary NETSseq platform to profile distinct brain cell types, such as neurons and glial cells, in mature human brain tissue. This technology reveals transcriptional and epigenetic differences, facilitating the early detection and treatment of serious neurological and psychiatric disorders, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Founded in 2016, Cerevance is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with an additional office in Cambridge, United Kingdom. The company's focus is on advancing new medicines for central nervous system diseases by addressing the underlying mechanisms of neurodegeneration and related conditions.

Autifony Therapeutics

Venture Round in 2017
Autifony Therapeutics Limited, a biotechnology company, develops medicines to treat hearing disorders such as hearing loss and tinnitus. The company was incorporated in 2011 and is based in London, United Kingdom.

Gen2 Neuroscience

Seed Round in 2016
Gen2 Neuroscience develops therapeutics for the treatment of dementia targeting abnormal forms of the essential cellular protein tau.

Alector

Series D in 2016
Alector, Inc. is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's and frontotemporal dementia. The company's lead product, AL001, is a humanized recombinant monoclonal antibody currently in phase II clinical trials for frontotemporal dementia. Additionally, AL101 is in phase I clinical trials for various neurodegenerative diseases, while AL002 and AL003 are undergoing phase 1b trials specifically for Alzheimer's disease. Alector is leveraging advancements in antibody technology, neuroimmunology, and human genetics to create innovative therapeutics. The company maintains a collaboration with Adimab, LLC, which aids in the discovery and optimization of antibody therapeutics. Alector has a pipeline of ten programs in the research and development stage and aims to advance several candidates through pre-clinical development within the next two years. Founded in 2013, Alector is headquartered in South San Francisco, California.

Nordic

Seed Round in 2010
Based in Madison, Wis., Nordic is the largest Epic consulting practice in the world and the industry leader in providing electronic health record (EHR) consulting services to healthcare organizations using Epic software. Nordic is the only firm to be ranked No. 1 by KLAS in Epic Implementation Support and Staffing since the report’s inception in 2012. In the most recent Best in KLAS Report, Nordic was named the KLAS Category Leader for the “Other Implementation” category, which includes services and methodology in revenue cycle, integration, lab and reporting. Founded in 2010, Nordic has worked with more than 125 clients in 40 states, partnering with more than a third of Epic’s clients.
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