Mission Bay Capital

Mission Bay Capital, established in 2009 and based in San Francisco, California, is a venture capital firm that focuses on early-stage investments in the healthcare and biotechnology sectors. The firm primarily targets bioscience companies, aiming to support innovative ventures that have the potential to advance medical technologies and improve patient outcomes. Through its dedicated fund, Mission Bay Capital II, the firm has concentrated its investments within the Bay Area and across California, emphasizing opportunities in life sciences, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology.

Robert Blazej

Partner

40 past transactions

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.

Nobell Foods

Series B in 2021
Nobell Foods is a biotech company based in San Francisco, California, that specializes in developing and producing animal-based food substitutes using plant materials. Founded in 2016, the company aims to transform plants into bioreactors to generate protein, unlocking their potential to create innovative food alternatives. By focusing on plant-based solutions, Nobell Foods seeks to provide sustainable options that can replace traditional animal products, contributing to a more environmentally friendly food system.

Symbiome

Venture Round in 2020
Symbiome, Inc. is a skincare company based in San Francisco, California, specializing in products formulated with microbiomic and plant-based ingredients. Founded in 2017, the company aims to provide skincare solutions that reflect natural principles and utilize ancestral ingredients. Originally known as Persona Biome, Inc., it adopted the name Symbiome, Inc. in December 2019. By combining scientific research with traditional knowledge, Symbiome develops products designed to promote healthy skin.

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.

Glycomine

Series B in 2019
Glycomine, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in San Carlos, California, established in 2014. The company specializes in developing nanomedicines aimed at treating rare genetic disorders, particularly those related to protein and lipid glycosylation. These disorders often lead to significant health challenges for affected individuals, and Glycomine focuses on creating therapeutics for diseases that currently lack FDA-approved treatment options. With approximately 7,000 rare disorders identified worldwide, and a majority of them without viable therapies, Glycomine is positioned to address critical unmet medical needs in this niche area of healthcare.

Alector

Series E in 2018
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.

GraphWear Technologies

Series A in 2018
GraphWear Technologies Inc. develops an advanced nanotechnology sensing platform that non-invasively screens body vitals in real-time from sweat, breath, saliva, etc. The company offers patch sensors to measure lactic acid and glucose levels in sweat. It provides its devices for dehydration monitoring, glucose detection, and muscle endurance and recovery. The company offers its solutions to help professional sports teams, college athletics, and amateur athletes to avoid dehydration and optimize their performance. GraphWear Technologies Inc. was founded in 2015 and is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Wildtype

Seed Round in 2018
Wild Type, Inc. is a San Francisco-based company that produces meat, poultry, and seafood through cellular agriculture, eliminating the need for raising or slaughtering animals. Founded in 2016, Wild Type offers a sustainable alternative to traditional food sources, addressing critical issues such as climate change, food security, and public health. By leveraging advanced cellular agriculture technologies, the company aims to redefine how society sources healthy and delicious meat, contributing to a more sustainable food ecosystem.

ViewPoint Therapeutics

Series B in 2018
ViewPoint Therapeutics is a biotechnology company dedicated to the development of treatments for diseases of protein misfolding, including cataracts. The company's crystallin stabilizers include a small molecule that is active in preclinical models of age-related cataracts via a target-based screening and optimization effort, providing physicians with drugs to prevent or reverse protein misfolding, which is implicated in numerous common disorders of aging including cataracts, presbyopia, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Pionyr Immunotherapeutics

Series B in 2017
Pionyr Immunotherapeutics Inc. is a biotechnology company based in San Francisco, California, focused on developing innovative cancer immunotherapies. Established in 2015, the company aims to enhance the body’s antitumor immunity by targeting the tumor microenvironment. Pionyr employs advanced technologies for novel target discovery and antibody generation, which underpin its next-generation immuno-oncology therapeutics. Central to its strategy is the Myeloid Tuning™ approach, designed to specifically modify the cellular composition within the tumor microenvironment, thereby improving the immune system's ability to combat tumors.

Sound Agriculture

Series B in 2017
Sound Agriculture uses molecular discovery to create climate-resilient crops, enhancing harvest yields for growers. They also use an innovative life science approach to sustainably increase farming productivity. The company was founded in 2013 and headquartered in Emeryville, California.

Asilomar Bio

Series B in 2017
Asilomar Bio is creating crop protection tools to enhance harvest yields and efficiency by leveraging their breakthrough technology in plant science and chemical manufacturing.

Vivace Therapeutics

Series B in 2017
Vivace Therapeutics is a venture-backed start-up dedicated to discovering and developing cancer therapeutics by targeting a novel pathway. At Vivace Therapeutics, they pursue their work with passion, driven by a conviction to help people fight cancer and live life to the fullest. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Vivace Therapeutics is an oncology-focused portfolio-based drug discovery and development company adopting a capital-efficient and modality-indifferent approach to bring novel therapies to patients in need. Their experienced management team and world-class scientists work to advance promising drugs and therapeutic technologies that they believe can help conquer cancer.

LogicInk

Pre Seed Round in 2017
LogicInk is a electronics-free wearable that provides information about body and environment. LogicInk Corporation is Powered by programmable chemistry and biology, they envision a future where LogicInk wearables seamlessly integrate into your daily life, enabling health awareness and self-expression.

SiteOne, Inc.

Series B in 2017
SiteOne, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on developing innovative therapeutics and diagnostics for the treatment of acute and chronic pain. Established in 2010 and based in Bozeman, Montana, the company aims to provide safe and effective alternatives to existing pain management therapies, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and opioids. SiteOne's lead therapeutic candidates are selective inhibitors of the voltage-gated sodium ion channel Naᵥ1.7, which is essential for transmitting pain signals in the nervous system. By targeting this specific channel, SiteOne seeks to offer new solutions for patients suffering from various pain conditions.

Pionyr Immunotherapeutics

Series A in 2017
Pionyr Immunotherapeutics Inc. is a biotechnology company based in San Francisco, California, focused on developing innovative cancer immunotherapies. Established in 2015, the company aims to enhance the body’s antitumor immunity by targeting the tumor microenvironment. Pionyr employs advanced technologies for novel target discovery and antibody generation, which underpin its next-generation immuno-oncology therapeutics. Central to its strategy is the Myeloid Tuning™ approach, designed to specifically modify the cellular composition within the tumor microenvironment, thereby improving the immune system's ability to combat tumors.

Circle Pharma

Series A in 2016
Circle Pharma, Inc. is an early-stage biotechnology company based in South San Francisco, California, specializing in the development of cell permeable macrocyclic peptide therapeutics. Founded in 2012 by Professors Matt Jacobson and Scott Lokey, the company utilizes proprietary computational design algorithms alongside innovative synthetic chemistry to target significant clinical challenges. Circle Pharma employs an iterative design process that creates large virtual libraries of diverse macrocycle scaffolds, chosen for their inherent permeability. This approach allows the company to develop potent and specific therapeutics aimed at important clinical targets. David J. Earp serves as the company's leader, guiding its mission to advance peptide-based therapies.

Tangible Science

Venture Round in 2016
Tangible Science, LLC develops a polymer coating to solve the problem of contact lens discomfort and hydrogel and silicone hydrogel disposable lenses. Its technology improves comfort for contact lens patients who experience dryness during lens wear. Tangible Science, LLC was formerly known as Ocular Dynamics, LLC. The company was founded in 2011 and is based in Redwood City, California.

Chrono Therapeutics

Series B in 2016
Chrono Therapeutics Inc., a digital transdermal drug delivery company, develops SmartStop, a digital nicotine replacement therapy. Its wearable solution tailors the timing and dose sizes of drugs, preempts predictable peak disease, and addiction symptoms with a device. The company was incorporated in 2003 and is based in Hayward, California.

Cell Design Labs

Venture Round in 2016
Cell Design Labs is a biotherapeutics company pioneering breakthrough science to develop disruptive cell-based therapies for cancer and other devastating diseases. Cell Design Labs leverages the power of the body’s immune system to develop smart, living therapies with the capability to treat our most challenging diseases with unprecedented power, precision, safety and durability

Caribou Biosciences

Series B in 2016
Caribou Biosciences, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in Berkeley, California, specializing in cellular engineering and genome analysis through CRISPR-Cas9 technology. Founded in 2011, the company provides a gene editing platform that allows for targeted modifications in the genome. Its applications span various sectors, including human and animal therapeutics, agricultural biotechnology, and industrial biotechnology. Caribou's solutions facilitate the development of new disease models, enhance traits in plants, and support functional genomic screens. The company aims to advance both basic and applied biological research, leveraging its transformative capabilities to impact therapeutic development and bioproduction.

ViewPoint Therapeutics

Series A in 2016
ViewPoint Therapeutics is a biotechnology company dedicated to the development of treatments for diseases of protein misfolding, including cataracts. The company's crystallin stabilizers include a small molecule that is active in preclinical models of age-related cataracts via a target-based screening and optimization effort, providing physicians with drugs to prevent or reverse protein misfolding, which is implicated in numerous common disorders of aging including cataracts, presbyopia, and neurodegenerative diseases.

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.

Effector Therapeutics

Series B in 2015
Effector Therapeutics, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in San Diego, California, established in 2012. The company specializes in the discovery and development of small molecule drugs designed to treat cancer and other serious diseases by selectively regulating protein synthesis, specifically targeting mRNA translation. Effector Therapeutics focuses on developing translation regulators that inhibit disregulated translation, which is crucial for tumor growth and survival. This innovative approach aims to provide potent and selective therapeutic options, offering a promising avenue for delivering new cancer treatments to patients in need.

Atreca

Series A in 2015
Atreca, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company based in South San Francisco, California, focused on discovering and developing antibody-based immunotherapeutics for various solid tumors. Its lead product candidate, ATRC-101, is a monoclonal antibody currently in clinical development, which demonstrates a unique mechanism of action and targets derived from antibodies identified through Atreca's innovative discovery platform. ATRC-101 has shown in vitro reactivity with a significant majority of cancer samples, including those from ovarian, non-small cell lung, colorectal, and breast cancer patients. Additionally, the company has established a strategic research collaboration with Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. to identify antigenic targets of select antibodies with potential applications in oncology. Founded in 2010, Atreca aims to advance its therapies to improve treatment options for cancer patients.

Alector

Series C in 2015
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.

SiteOne, Inc.

Venture Round in 2015
SiteOne, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on developing innovative therapeutics and diagnostics for the treatment of acute and chronic pain. Established in 2010 and based in Bozeman, Montana, the company aims to provide safe and effective alternatives to existing pain management therapies, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and opioids. SiteOne's lead therapeutic candidates are selective inhibitors of the voltage-gated sodium ion channel Naᵥ1.7, which is essential for transmitting pain signals in the nervous system. By targeting this specific channel, SiteOne seeks to offer new solutions for patients suffering from various pain conditions.

Bolt Threads

Series B in 2015
Bolt is a materials company that invents and scales materials that put the planet on a path towards a better future. Biofabricated silk fibers MicrosilkTM - based on proteins found in nature, produced using Bolt Threads proprietary technology and revolutionary bioengineering concepts. Next-generation of performance fibers, fabrics and luxury products that represent cutting-edge technology in science, while raising the bar for quality, performance, and design.

Caribou Biosciences

Series A in 2015
Caribou Biosciences, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in Berkeley, California, specializing in cellular engineering and genome analysis through CRISPR-Cas9 technology. Founded in 2011, the company provides a gene editing platform that allows for targeted modifications in the genome. Its applications span various sectors, including human and animal therapeutics, agricultural biotechnology, and industrial biotechnology. Caribou's solutions facilitate the development of new disease models, enhance traits in plants, and support functional genomic screens. The company aims to advance both basic and applied biological research, leveraging its transformative capabilities to impact therapeutic development and bioproduction.

Tangible Science

Angel Round in 2015
Tangible Science, LLC develops a polymer coating to solve the problem of contact lens discomfort and hydrogel and silicone hydrogel disposable lenses. Its technology improves comfort for contact lens patients who experience dryness during lens wear. Tangible Science, LLC was formerly known as Ocular Dynamics, LLC. The company was founded in 2011 and is based in Redwood City, California.

Bolt Threads

Series A in 2014
Bolt is a materials company that invents and scales materials that put the planet on a path towards a better future. Biofabricated silk fibers MicrosilkTM - based on proteins found in nature, produced using Bolt Threads proprietary technology and revolutionary bioengineering concepts. Next-generation of performance fibers, fabrics and luxury products that represent cutting-edge technology in science, while raising the bar for quality, performance, and design.

Circle Pharma

Seed Round in 2014
Circle Pharma, Inc. is an early-stage biotechnology company based in South San Francisco, California, specializing in the development of cell permeable macrocyclic peptide therapeutics. Founded in 2012 by Professors Matt Jacobson and Scott Lokey, the company utilizes proprietary computational design algorithms alongside innovative synthetic chemistry to target significant clinical challenges. Circle Pharma employs an iterative design process that creates large virtual libraries of diverse macrocycle scaffolds, chosen for their inherent permeability. This approach allows the company to develop potent and specific therapeutics aimed at important clinical targets. David J. Earp serves as the company's leader, guiding its mission to advance peptide-based therapies.

Zephyrus Biosciences

Seed Round in 2014
Zephyrus Biosciences, Inc. is a life science research tools company based in Berkeley, California, founded in 2013. The company specializes in the development and commercialization of innovative research tools that facilitate protein analysis at the single-cell level. Its flagship product, the scWestern System, allows for western blotting on individual cells, a significant advancement in the field of single-cell analysis. This system employs microfluidics technology to isolate single cells in micro-wells, lysing them and performing SDS-PAGE separation on each lysate. Researchers utilize Zephyrus's tools to explore critical areas such as cancer biology, stem cell research, neurology, and broader human disease studies, ultimately contributing to advancements in diagnostics and therapeutics. As of March 2016, Zephyrus operates as a subsidiary of Bio-Techne Corp.

Principia Biopharma

Series B in 2014
Principia Biopharma is a private, pre-clinical stage company initially focused on the discovery and development of differentiated small molecule drugs targeting inflammatory/autoimmune diseases as well as cancer. The company expects to submit an IND for its lead program in 2013 and continues to invest in additional programs and its reversible covalent platform.

Tangible Science

Seed Round in 2013
Tangible Science, LLC develops a polymer coating to solve the problem of contact lens discomfort and hydrogel and silicone hydrogel disposable lenses. Its technology improves comfort for contact lens patients who experience dryness during lens wear. Tangible Science, LLC was formerly known as Ocular Dynamics, LLC. The company was founded in 2011 and is based in Redwood City, California.

Effector Therapeutics

Series A in 2013
Effector Therapeutics, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in San Diego, California, established in 2012. The company specializes in the discovery and development of small molecule drugs designed to treat cancer and other serious diseases by selectively regulating protein synthesis, specifically targeting mRNA translation. Effector Therapeutics focuses on developing translation regulators that inhibit disregulated translation, which is crucial for tumor growth and survival. This innovative approach aims to provide potent and selective therapeutic options, offering a promising avenue for delivering new cancer treatments to patients in need.

Principia Biopharma

Series A in 2012
Principia Biopharma is a private, pre-clinical stage company initially focused on the discovery and development of differentiated small molecule drugs targeting inflammatory/autoimmune diseases as well as cancer. The company expects to submit an IND for its lead program in 2013 and continues to invest in additional programs and its reversible covalent platform.

Magnamosis

Seed Round in 2012
Magnamosis develops a medical device designed to create a magnetic compression anastomosis with improved outcomes. Magnamosis' product is an effective alternative to normal surgical staplers, enabling doctors to use them for colorectal and other GI tract.

Calithera

Series A in 2010
Calithera Biosciences, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in South San Francisco, California, dedicated to discovering and developing small molecule therapeutics for cancer treatment. The company focuses on targeting tumor metabolism and tumor immunology to create innovative anti-cancer drugs. Its lead product candidate, CB-839, is an inhibitor of glutaminase currently undergoing Phase II clinical trials for solid tumors. Additionally, Calithera is developing CB-1158, an oral arginase inhibitor in Phase I/II trials for hematology and oncology indications. The company is also working on other candidates, including CB-280 for cystic fibrosis and CB-708, an inhibitor of CD73. Calithera has established collaborations with major pharmaceutical firms, including Bristol-Myers Squibb and Incyte Corporation, to advance its research and development efforts. Founded in 2010, Calithera aims to address critical challenges in cancer therapy through its specialized drug development pipeline.

Redwood Bioscience

Seed Round in 2010
Redwood Bioscience is utilizing precision protein-chemical engineering to develop optimized and novel biotherapeutics. The Company's site specific modification technology overcomes the significant challenges associated with conjugating biologics to synthetic molecules to create homogenous hybrid biotherapeutics. Hybrid drugs offer advantages over single agents by providing the specificity and half-life benefits of biologics with the potency benefits of synthetic peptides and small molecules. Leveraging site specifically modified carrier scaffolds, Redwood is developing peptide therapeutics with improved serum half lives and antibody drug conjugates designed to have improved potency and reduced toxicity. Moreover, through “expanding the chemical space of protein drugs”, Redwood is developing heterofunctional products with unique protein-chemical architectures. The Company is working with partners to enhance the value of their investments in existing programs and to jointly develop novel compounds. Redwood also is developing biotherapeutics for its own internal programs.
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