Convergent Therapeutics
Series A in 2023
Convergent Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical stage pharmaceutical company focused on developing next generation radiopharmaceutical therapies for prostate and other cancers. The company's proprietary technology involves dual-targeted radionuclide therapy developed by Dr. Neil Bander, Professor of Urologic Oncology at Weill Cornell Medicine and licensed to Convergent by Cornell University. CONV 01-α, a monoclonal antibody conjugated with 225Ac, a radioactive alpha particle emitter, was specifically designed to bind to the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). A key functional feature of CONV 01-α is that, once bound to PSMA, it becomes internalized, thereby delivering its powerful radioactive payload directly into the prostate cancer cells. CONV 01-α is covered by multiple issued U.S. and foreign patents. If FDA-approved, CONV 01-α would be the first antibody approved to direct a radioisotope to prostate cancer, and the first drug approved for the use of 225Ac in a cancer treatment.
Flare Therapeutics is a biotechnology company opening up a new therapeutic space with a novel approach to decipher the biology of transcription factors to develop small molecule medicines. Based on insights from the seminal work of its scientific founders, Flare’s team has uncovered ‘switch sites,’ druggable regions that are key targets for transcription factor regulation to address mutations that cause disease. Our drug discovery to target switch sites has rapidly advanced, resulting in an emerging pipeline of drug programs that address well-validated transcription factors, initially focused on precision oncology with future potential in neurology, rare genetic disorders, immunology, and inflammation.
Pretzel was founded by some of the world’s foremost academics in mitochondrial biology, and we benefit from the leadership of accomplished experts in drug discovery, drug development, and company formation. Our name is inspired by the focal point of our science, the mitochondrion, whose highly folded inner membrane is one of many fascinating features that make it unlike any other organelle in the body.
AlloVir focuses on the development of cell therapies and focuses on restoring natural immunity against the virus-associated diseases. It provides an ideal environment for ViraCyte to develop and advance its product pipeline from discovery through late-stage clinical trials. The company was founded in 2013 and headquartered in Houston, Texas.
Gossamer Bio is a San Diego-based company focused on the discovery and development of novel and differentiated therapeutic products, to address high unmet needs amongst various targeted patient populations. Founded by the former Receptos executive team, Gossamer Bio’s strategy will be to leverage an asset-rich in-licensing environment, with a focus on areas of high unmet need, utilizing a team with a strong track record of execution in immunology, inflammation, fibrosis and oncology.
Vascular Dynamics, Inc. develops and commercializes a catheter-delivered implant for the treatment of drug-resistant hypertension. It offers MobiusHD, an hypertension treatment amplifying the natural baroreceptor response in the carotid sinus with a minimally invasive procedure to stimulate vasodilation, reduce heart rate, modulate kidney response, and decrease blood pressure. The company was founded in 2008 and is based in Irvine, California.
Scholar Rock is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, specializing in the discovery and development of innovative therapies targeting growth factor signaling in serious diseases. The company’s lead product candidate, SRK-015, is a selective inhibitor of myostatin activation and is currently undergoing Phase II clinical trials for spinal muscular atrophy. Additionally, Scholar Rock is advancing SRK-181, which is in Phase I trials for treating cancers resistant to checkpoint inhibitors. The company employs a proprietary platform to design monoclonal antibodies that selectively modulate the activation of growth factors in disease microenvironments, addressing challenges associated with traditional growth factor inhibition. Scholar Rock is also developing a pipeline of candidates for a variety of conditions, including neuromuscular disorders, cancer, fibrosis, and anemia. Furthermore, the company has a collaboration with Gilead Sciences to explore specific inhibitors of transforming growth factor beta for fibrotic diseases. Founded in 2012, Scholar Rock aims to improve patient outcomes through its targeted therapeutic approach.
HappyVore, known as Les Nouveaux Fermiers, is a French company that specializes in manufacturing and selling plant-based meat products. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Paris, it focuses on creating meat alternatives using natural and local plant ingredients. The company's offerings are designed to provide a healthier option for consumers while significantly reducing environmental impact, with its products generating 11 times less CO2 and requiring 10 times less water compared to traditional meat production. HappyVore serves both restaurants and individual consumers through online sales, emphasizing a commitment to taste and sustainability in its mission to better feed the planet.
ImCheck Therapeutics SAS is a biotechnology company incorporated in 2015 and based in Marseille, France. The company specializes in designing and developing immunotherapeutics that target the butyrophilin super-family of checkpoint molecules, specifically engaging γ9δ2 T cells. With a primary focus on immuno-oncology, ImCheck Therapeutics develops immunomodulatory antibodies aimed at treating various cancers, including breast, gastric, and ovarian cancers, as well as other immune-related diseases. The company is dedicated to addressing severe unmet medical needs through its innovative approach to cancer treatment and the development of next-generation immunotherapeutics.
Senti Biosciences is a team of bioengineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs on a mission to treat the most complex and challenging diseases. Led by pioneers in synthetic biology and computation, Senti is using the latest techniques in the fields to build the future of gene and cell-based therapies. Senti’s proprietary synthetic biology platform provides fundamental advantages for therapeutics development. Senti Biosciences is a resident company of Johnson & Johnson Innovation, JLABS at South San Francisco (JLABS @ SSF).
MoMa Therapeutics, Inc. discovers precision medicines by targeting the molecular machines that underlie human disease. MoMa Therapeutics, Inc. was formerly known as ATPases NewCo, Inc. and changed its name to MoMa Therapeutics, Inc. in March 2020. The company was founded in 2019 and is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Zero Motorcycles, Inc. manufactures and supplies electric motorcycles. It offers street, dirt, and dual sport motorcycles; and accessories, apparel, fairings and bodywork, parts, tires and wheels, and upgrades. The company sells its products through dealers and online. The company has a strategic partnership with Polaris Inc. Zero Motorcycles, Inc. was formerly known as Electricross, Inc. The company was founded in 2006 and is based in Scotts Valley, California with an additional office in Noord-Scharwoude, the Netherlands.
Onxeo is a clinical-stage biotechnology company based in Paris, France, focused on developing innovative oncology drugs that target tumor DNA repair mechanisms. The company offers Beleodaq, a treatment for relapsed or refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma, and is advancing several other candidates, including Livatag, a nanoparticle formulation of doxorubicin currently in Phase III trials for primary liver cancer. Validive, a buccal tablet for preventing and treating severe oral mucositis in head and neck cancer patients, has completed Phase II trials. Additionally, Onxeo is developing AsiDNA, which is undergoing Phase 1 trials for metastatic melanoma, and OX401, which is in preclinical development for DNA damage response and immuno-oncology applications. The company has established partnerships with Spectrum Pharmaceuticals for Beleodaq, Monopar Therapeutics for Validive, and Gustave Roussy for the clinical trials of AsiDNA in relapsed ovarian cancer. Onxeo, previously known as BioAlliance Pharma, was founded in 1997 and has a commitment to advancing oncology treatments worldwide.
LifeMine Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company, engages in the genomic discovery of new drug modalities from eukaryotic microbes. It utilizes an integrated genomically-enabled drug discovery platform to discover and develop a pipeline of new drugs from fungi. The company was incorporated in 2016 and is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts with an additional office in New York, New York.
Leyden Labs aims to help people live their lives to the fullest. Its platform targets commonalities of viral families to protect humanity from known and future viruses. Its portfolio of accessible intranasal product candidates may provide people with the freedom to immediately protect themselves from and prevent the spread of many strains of respiratory viruses, including ones in the influenza and coronavirus families. The Company’s energetic team of world-renown biotechnology veterans and fresh talent is dedicated to thinking differently to free humanity from the burden of respiratory viruses.
Korro Bio Inc. specializes in the development of nucleic acid-based therapeutics aimed at targeting specific sequences in genetic code, with a focus on treating rare diseases. Founded in 2018 and located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the company utilizes a proprietary platform that enables efficient and selective RNA editing by leveraging natural processes found in multi-cellular organisms. This innovative approach allows Korro Bio to edit messenger RNA and recode specific codons, facilitating targeted modifications in protein structure and function across various tissues.
Jumbotail Technologies Pvt. Ltd., founded in 2015 and based in Bengaluru, India, operates an online marketplace focused on connecting wholesale buyers with food and grocery products. The platform serves tens of thousands of Kirana stores, offering a diverse range of high-quality staples, homecare items, packaged foods, and personal care products from leading brands. Jumbotail also provides essential services such as supply chain logistics, a mobile app for order placement, integration with point-of-sale systems, and credit solutions for shop owners facing challenges in obtaining bank loans. The company aims to enhance the food and grocery ecosystem in India through the use of technology and data science, addressing the unique needs of the Indian market. With a strong team composed of alumni from prestigious institutions and experience in major companies, Jumbotail is dedicated to innovating and improving the e-commerce landscape, supply chain efficiency, and financial accessibility in the sector.
EQRx operates as a biotechnology company, focused on re-engineering the process from drug discovery to patient delivery with the goal of offering a market-based solution for the rising cost of medicines. By bringing together stakeholders from across the healthcare system and utilizing the latest advances in science and technology, the company seeks to discover, develop and deliver high-quality, patent-protected medicines more efficiently and cost-effectively than ever before.
The company was founded in 2019 and is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States.
ezCater, Inc. provides online catering ordering solutions for small start-ups and Fortune 500 companies. Its solutions enable users to order food online for meetings. The company offers ezManage, a catering management platform; and ezOrdering that provides restaurants with means to accept online catering orders on their own website. ezCater, Inc. was founded in 2007 and is based in Boston, Massachusetts. It has an additional office in Denver, Colorado.
Neumora Therapeutics operates as a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering precision medicines for brain diseases through the integration of data science and neuroscience.
Lycia Therapeutics
Series B in 2021
Lycia Therapeutics is a biotechnology company that focuses on developing technology that utilizes lysosome-targeting chimeras. The company was founded by Carolyn R. Bertozzi in 2019 and is based in San Diego, California, USA.
Asher Biotherapeutics, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on developing immunotherapy drugs for cancer treatment. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in South San Francisco, California, the company aims to create innovative therapeutic solutions to improve patient outcomes in oncology. Asher Bio leverages advanced technologies and research to enhance the effectiveness of immune-based therapies, positioning itself as a key player in the evolving field of cancer treatment.
Laronde is pioneering a platform that offers a completely novel way of modulating human biology. Endless RNA™ (eRNA), is a uniquely engineered RNA that can be programmed to express diverse proteins inside the body. It is persistent, non-immunogenic, allows for repeat dosing, and offers flexibility in formulation and delivery. Laronde was founded in 2017 by Flagship Labs, the innovation foundry of Flagship Pioneering. The company is rapidly scaling to support the parallel development of multiple programs across many disease areas.
Vigil will use the Series A funds to progress its lead pipeline candidate, a monoclonal antibody TREM2 agonist, through Phase 1 studies, advance their small molecule TREM2 agonist to IND, as well as pursue additional assets to grow the pipeline and increase the body of data supporting microglia biology as an important therapeutic pathway.
Ring Therapeutics, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that specializes in developing innovative gene therapies through its proprietary viral vector platform known as Anellovector. Founded in 2017, the company harnesses the biology of the human commensal virome to create redosable and targetable DNA therapies. This approach addresses significant limitations associated with traditional gene therapies, such as restricted access to various tissues, challenges with redosing, risks of genomic integration, and issues related to tolerability. By expanding the applications of gene therapy beyond simple gene replacement, Ring Therapeutics aims to treat a broader range of diseases that have previously been difficult to address. The company was formerly known as VL46, Inc. until its name change in November 2018.
Lyndra Therapeutics is a biotechnology company focused on developing ultra-long-acting oral medications designed to replace daily pill regimens. By providing sustained-release therapies that can be administered weekly or even monthly, the company aims to enhance medication adherence and improve health outcomes. Their innovative approach includes polypill strategies that consolidate multiple medications into a single dose, thereby increasing safety and efficacy while potentially reducing overall healthcare costs. Lyndra Therapeutics is actively developing treatments for a range of conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, psychiatric conditions, opioid use disorders, immunology, HIV, malaria vector control, and oral contraceptives. Established in 2015 and headquartered in Watertown, Massachusetts, the company seeks to make a significant impact on global health through its advanced therapeutic solutions.
Abata Therapeutics, a company focused on translating the biology of regulatory T cells (Tregs) into transformational medicines for patients living with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) and other severe autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
Bright Peak Therapeutics
Series B in 2021
Bright Peak Therapeutics is a biotechnology company with a platform capable of chemically synthesizing and optimizing natural proteins such as cytokines.
Cyclerion Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company harnessing the power of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) pharmacology to discover, develop and commercialize breakthrough treatments for serious and orphan diseases. Its focus is on enabling the full therapeutic potential of next-generation sGC stimulators. Its pipeline products include Olinciguat, Praliciguat, and others.
Engine Biosciences is a biotechnology company focused on drug discovery through the application of machine learning to genomics. Based in San Francisco and Singapore, the company has developed a proprietary platform that integrates high-throughput laboratory experimentation with artificial intelligence algorithms to analyze complex biological networks. This approach generates unique data on gene interactions and provides biological insights validated through controlled experiments. By deciphering the intricacies of genetic codes, Engine Biosciences aims to accelerate and reduce the costs of research and development for new medical therapies. The platform supports various applications, including target discovery, drug repositioning, and precision medicine, and is utilized by both the company's internal teams and its partners across a range of disease indications. Founded in 2014, the team includes members from prestigious institutions such as MIT, Harvard, and the Mayo Clinic.
Amount, Inc. is a technology company focused on developing mobile banking solutions for financial institutions. Established in 2018 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Amount offers a comprehensive suite of products designed to enhance digital credit offerings. Its flagship product, Amount 360, is a cloud-based platform that provides an integrated approach to lending, including credit decisioning, fraud prevention, and account verification. The company's solutions cater to various financial needs such as personal loans, credit cards, and deposit accounts. Amount's technology enables partners to transition to digital operations efficiently, with the capability to optimize performance across multiple product categories. Serving clients that manage nearly $1 trillion in assets and serve over 25 million customers in the United States, Amount plays a significant role in the evolution of the digital banking landscape.
Escale is a technology marketing and sales company. It is displacing the traditional outsourced agency & outsourced sales model, which has misaligned incentives, fails at leveraging data across online-to-offline conversion funnels and creates sub-par customer experiences. Via Escale's platform, it acquires customers for major B2C brands, managing the entire marketing and sales funnel from demand generation online through closing the final sales with our in-house performance sales center. It is paid 100% in a commission model for each customer it acquires and all marketing spend comes from its own investment to ensure they are truly aligned for performance and have full control over their own decisions. Escale was founded by Matthew Kligerman and Ken Diamond in 2013; and is headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Flare Therapeutics is a biotechnology company opening up a new therapeutic space with a novel approach to decipher the biology of transcription factors to develop small molecule medicines. Based on insights from the seminal work of its scientific founders, Flare’s team has uncovered ‘switch sites,’ druggable regions that are key targets for transcription factor regulation to address mutations that cause disease. Our drug discovery to target switch sites has rapidly advanced, resulting in an emerging pipeline of drug programs that address well-validated transcription factors, initially focused on precision oncology with future potential in neurology, rare genetic disorders, immunology, and inflammation.
Cava Group, Inc. owns and operates a chain of Greek and Mediterranean restaurants. It offers salads, dips, spreads, toppings, and dressings. The company has strategic partnerships with Garden School Foundation, Sow Much Good, Urban Roots, and Future Chefs. Cava Group, Inc. was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Washington, District Of Columbia.
ViaCyte, Inc. is a regenerative medicine company based in San Diego, California, focused on developing innovative cell replacement therapies for diabetes. The company is working on several product candidates, including VC-01, designed for type 1 diabetes, and VC-02, which facilitates blood vessel interaction with implanted pancreatic precursor cells. Their VCTX210 product utilizes a proprietary human stem cell line that helps prevent immune system rejection, eliminating the need for immunosuppressants. ViaCyte's therapies differentiate stem cells into pancreatic beta-cell precursors that are implanted in an encapsulation device, enabling the production of insulin in response to blood glucose levels. The company's aim is to provide long-term solutions for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients, reducing their dependence on insulin and minimizing associated health complications. Founded in 1999 and formerly known as Novocell, Inc., ViaCyte also has operations in Athens, Georgia.
Wiloki is an innovative and motivating platform for children and teenagers aged 7 to 14. The personalized educational tool, enriched with artificial intelligence, intends to develop in Europe and enrich its educational content offer.
Repertoire Immune Medicines is a clinical stage biotechnology company working to unleash the human immune system to prevent, treat or cure cancer, autoimmune conditions and infectious diseases. The company is currently conducting experimental medicine clinical trials using autologous T cells primed against cancer antigens and tethered to IL-15.
Omega Therapeutics, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that focuses on developing genomic medicines aimed at curing diseases. Founded in 2016, the company utilizes its proprietary epigenomic programming platform to create Omega Epigenomic Controllers. These innovative controllers are designed to selectively modulate the activity of the human genome, allowing for precise tuning of gene expression to achieve therapeutic effects. By targeting specific cell types, Omega Therapeutics aims to transform human medicine through the direct control of genomic functions, offering potential solutions for a variety of diseases.
Asher Biotherapeutics, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on developing immunotherapy drugs for cancer treatment. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in South San Francisco, California, the company aims to create innovative therapeutic solutions to improve patient outcomes in oncology. Asher Bio leverages advanced technologies and research to enhance the effectiveness of immune-based therapies, positioning itself as a key player in the evolving field of cancer treatment.
ElevateBio, LLC is a holding company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that focuses on developing cell and gene-based therapies. Founded in 2017, ElevateBio operates a portfolio of companies dedicated to creating, manufacturing, and commercializing innovative treatments for cancer and viral infections. The company collaborates with leading scientists and inventors to build its portfolio and has established a centralized facility designed to streamline the research and development process. This approach allows ElevateBio to translate scientific advancements in cell and gene therapy into viable medical products, ultimately aiming to provide effective treatments for patients with severe diseases.
Evox Therapeutics Limited develops a modular platform for clinical translation of exosome-based therapeutics. The company develops extracellular vesicles-based nucleic acid and protein delivery technology. Its technology aims to hitch a ride on tiny particles called exosomes, which the body uses to transport molecules between cells. Evox Therapeutics Limited was founded in 2016 and is based in Oxford, United Kingdom.
Sagimet Biosciences is a biotechnology company that focuses on developing novel therapeutics to treat important diseases such as liver disease NASH and specific cancers, with a focus on targeting dysfunctional metabolic pathways. It was founded in 2007 and headquartered in San Mateo, California.
Valo Health is a new type of technology company, uniting human and machine intelligence aiming to accelerate the creation of life-changing treatments.
LEXEO Therapeutics is a fully integrated biotechnology company. LEXEO Therapeutics’ pipeline consists of adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated therapies primarily developed at Weill Cornell Medicine’s Department of Genetic Medicine. Beyond LEXEO Therapeutics’ lead programs – which are focused on both rare and non-rare monogenic (single genemutation) diseases – the company’s preclinical pipeline spans monogenic diseases, as well as hereditary and acquired diseases across a spectrum of patient population sizes and a range of unmet medical needs. Importantly, LEXEO Therapeutics will focus on advancing clinical programs through to commercialization, with the goal of maintaining an ongoing research collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine’s Department of Genetic Medicine to help advance the company’s pre-clinical pipeline.
Scorpion Therapeutics, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in Boston, Massachusetts, focused on developing advanced precision oncology therapies for cancer treatment. Founded in 2020, the company aims to enhance the accessibility and effectiveness of precision medicine for cancer patients. Scorpion Therapeutics specializes in creating drugs in three primary areas: therapies targeting known oncogenes, agents for currently undruggable cancer targets, and innovative drugs for new targets. By integrating state-of-the-art technologies in target discovery, medicinal chemistry, and translational medicine, the company is committed to delivering next-generation precision oncology solutions. Its experienced leadership team is dedicated to employing a tailored approach to efficiently advance the field of precision cancer treatment.
Ikena Oncology is dedicated to bringing next generation oncology therapies to patients suffering from cancer. Ikena Oncology are committed to leveraging our unique understanding of the complex biologic pathways that drive the formation and spread of cancers to discover and develop novel, patient-directed therapies. Selecting patients for treatment in clinical studies with biomarkers we develop is at the core of our strategy.
FogPharma is a healthcare company founded in 2015 and headquartered in Gloucester, Massachusetts. The firm is dedicated to the pharmaceutical sector, with a primary focus on developing innovative treatments for cancer. It operates with the support of a diverse group of private and institutional investors, fostering collaboration among its founders, employees, and advisors. FogPharma aims to create a new class of medicines designed to extend and enhance the lives of cancer patients. The company's commitment to its mission drives its efforts to pioneer effective solutions in cancer treatment.
Yumanity Therapeutics is a biotechnology company dedicated to transforming drug discovery for neurodegenerative diseases linked to protein misfolding. Founded in December 2014 by protein folding expert Susan Lindquist and biotech leader Tony Coles, Yumanity aims to develop innovative, disease-modifying therapies to address critical unmet medical needs in conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The company leverages proprietary platforms to identify potential therapeutic targets and has made progress in advancing a new chemical lead series specifically for Parkinson’s disease, while also exploring additional compounds for Alzheimer's disease and ALS.
Locanabio, Inc., is an RNA-targeting gene therapy company focused on developing therapies for patients with severe neurodegenerative, neuromuscular, and retinal diseases.
At Olive we are on a mission to eliminate the hassles of online shopping while simultaneously creating a marketplace that is built for a more sustainable future. Reimagining online shopping from the ground up, we are building a technology platform to power the most convenient and sustainable e-commerce experience. When you shop at hundreds of our retail partners, you receive consolidated cardboard-free deliveries in secure 2-way Olive Shippers with crazy simple returns – just request a pickup with a single click in the Olive app, drop in any returns, and we handle the rest.
Faze Medicines, a pharmaceutical company, develops interventions against driver of disease pathology. It develops small molecule drugs for initial therapeutic focus areas, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and myotonic dystrophy type 1. The company was founded in 2020 and is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Amount, Inc. is a technology company focused on developing mobile banking solutions for financial institutions. Established in 2018 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Amount offers a comprehensive suite of products designed to enhance digital credit offerings. Its flagship product, Amount 360, is a cloud-based platform that provides an integrated approach to lending, including credit decisioning, fraud prevention, and account verification. The company's solutions cater to various financial needs such as personal loans, credit cards, and deposit accounts. Amount's technology enables partners to transition to digital operations efficiently, with the capability to optimize performance across multiple product categories. Serving clients that manage nearly $1 trillion in assets and serve over 25 million customers in the United States, Amount plays a significant role in the evolution of the digital banking landscape.
Noema Pharma is a biotechnology company based in Basel, Switzerland, founded in 2019. The company focuses on developing innovative therapies for orphan neurological disorders characterized by imbalanced neuronal networks. Its research and development efforts aim to address the most disabling symptoms associated with conditions such as Tuberculosis Sclerosis Complex, Trigeminal Neuralgia, and Tourette syndrome. By prioritizing patient needs, Noema Pharma seeks to create effective treatments that significantly improve the quality of life for individuals suffering from these challenging conditions.
Achilles Therapeutics is a developer of immunotherapies intended to offer next-generation, patient-specific therapies to treat cancer. The company's immunotherapies harness the immune system to destroy cancer cells that target truncal tumor neo-antigens and flags to the immune system present on the surface of every cancer cell, enabling scientists to target and destroy tumors without harming healthy tissues.
Private Equity Round in 2020
Ambrx is a biopharmaceutical company that develops protein therapeutics that preserve potency, reduce dosing frequency, and improve homogeneity of the drug substance. It focuses on discovering and developing biopharmaceutical products.
Ambrx's development pipeline includes ADC and bi-specific product candidates, long-acting protein product candidates, collaboration product and product candidates, and other early-stage programs. It has collaborations with MabSpace Biosciences to discover and develop various antibody drug conjugates for oncology in China and internationally; and BeiGene to develop and commercialize next-generation biologics drugs.
Peter Schultz and Troy Wilson founded Ambrx in 2003. It has its headquarters in La Jolla in California.
GenSight Biologics S.A. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company based in Paris, France, focused on the discovery and development of gene therapies for mitochondrial and neurodegenerative diseases affecting the eye and central nervous system. The company's lead product candidates include GS010, an AAV2-based gene therapy currently undergoing Phase III clinical trials for treating Leber hereditary optic neuropathy linked to mutations in the ND4 gene, and GS030, which is in Phase I/II trials aimed at addressing retinitis pigmentosa and geographic atrophy associated with dry age-related macular degeneration. In addition to these candidates, GenSight Biologics is advancing other products in preclinical stages targeting various ophthalmic and neurodegenerative conditions. The company was founded in 2012 and remains dedicated to developing innovative approaches to prevent retinal degeneration and restore vision in patients with severe vision impairment or blindness.
TigerConnect is a healthcare communication platform designed to enhance collaboration among healthcare professionals, patients, and care providers. Founded in 2010 and based in Santa Monica, California, the company offers real-time mobile messaging that combines a user-friendly experience with robust security and privacy features. Trusted by over 4,000 healthcare organizations, TigerConnect processes more than 10 million messages daily and boasts a 99.99% uptime. The platform facilitates effective communication and workflow integration with critical hospital systems, ultimately aiming to improve productivity, reduce costs, and enhance patient outcomes. TigerConnect's commitment to client success is evident in its comprehensive support services, which assist organizations in optimizing communication workflows.
Talaris Therapeutics is a operator of a biotechnology company engaged in the development of innovative cellular therapies. The company's proprietary allogeneic cell therapy product has shown to induce tolerance in recipients of solid organ transplants from unmatched and unrelated donors, enabling living donor kidney transplant recipients to wean completely off immunosuppression one year after transplant.
I-Mab HK develops drugs to treat diabetes, cancer, and autoimmune diseases. The company develops preclinical compounds, including GX-P2; a long-acting PD-L1 drug for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases and GX-G8; a long-acting GLP-2 drug for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced diarrhea and short bowel syndrome. The company was formerly known as Tianzhenshi Biotechnology Company and changed its name to I-Mab HK in March 2017. The company is headquartered in Tianjin, China.
Private Equity Round in 2020
Kronos Bio focuses on the research and development of first-in-class therapies that modulate historically recalcitrant cancer targets.
It develops therapies that modulate historically undruggable targets. The company leverages deep capabilities in high-throughput small-molecule microarrays (SMM), targeted protein degradation, and cancer biology in order to identify potent and selective compounds against transcription factors and other central drivers of oncogenic signaling.
Taysha Gene Therapies is a company focused on developing adeno-associated virus (AAV) based gene therapies aimed at treating monogenic diseases of the central nervous system. Founded in 2019 and based in Dallas, Texas, the company is advancing several therapeutic candidates, including TSHA-101 for GM2 gangliosidosis, TSHA-118 for CLN1 disease, TSHA-102 for Rett syndrome, TSHA-103 for SLC6A1 haploinsufficiency disorder, and TSHA-104 for Surfeit locus 1 deficiency. Taysha Gene Therapies collaborates with The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center to enhance the development and commercialization of its innovative treatments, with a mission to eradicate severe and life-threatening CNS diseases through curative gene therapies. The company's expertise in drug development and its partnership with a leading gene therapy program enable it to effectively progress its pipeline of potential therapies.
Thrive Earlier Detection Corp. is a healthcare company dedicated to improving cancer detection through innovative technology. It focuses on the development of CancerSEEK, a liquid biopsy test that analyzes genomic mutations in tumor DNA and protein markers in plasma to identify multiple types of cancer at their earliest stages, often before symptoms become apparent. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with an additional office in Baltimore, Maryland, Thrive aims to integrate early cancer detection into routine medical care. The company was previously known as Thrive Sciences Inc. and has been a subsidiary of Exact Sciences Corporation since early 2021. Thrive was launched with support from various investors, including Third Rock Ventures and Section 32, reflecting a strong commitment to advancing cancer diagnostics.
Cerevel (www.cerevel.com) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing drug candidates to treat disorders of the central nervous system (CNS). The company has a portfolio of pre-commercial neuroscience assets, which include three clinical-stage compounds and several pre-clinical compounds designed to target a broad range of CNS disorders including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, schizophrenia and addiction. Headquartered in the Greater Boston area, Cerevel was formed in 2018 through a partnership between Bain Capital and Pfizer.
Seer is a developer of a life sciences and health data platform intended to facilitate early, pre-symptomatic detection of chronic life-threatening diseases. The company's platform captures and translates molecular insights from the proteome with improved accuracy and speed, enabling healthcare professionals to detect cancer and neurological diseases, drive earlier treatment and improve patient outcomes.
Imvax, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, focused on developing innovative patient-specific vaccines and immunotherapy strategies for treating malignant gliomas and other cancers that lack effective treatments. The company's lead product, IGV-001, is an autologous tumor cell vaccine designed to stimulate a robust immune response against tumor cells by utilizing the patient's own immune system. Imvax employs advanced methodologies, including patient cell harvest, treatment, and implants, as well as techniques that promote immunogenic cell death and activate both the innate and adaptive immune responses. Founded in 2015 by a team of experienced professionals, Imvax aims to address significant unmet medical needs in oncology through its novel therapeutic approaches.
Autobahn Therapeutics, Inc. develops small molecule therapies for the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) disorders. The company develops ABX-002, a thyroid hormone receptor beta agonist therapy for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), and adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN). Autobahn Therapeutics, Inc. was formerly known as Llama Therapeutics, Inc. and changed its name to Autobahn Therapeutics, Inc. in December 2019. The company was incorporated in 2017 and is based in San Diego, California.
SQZ Biotech is a developer of a cell engineering technology designed to deliver a diverse set of materials into patient cells. It is a privately held company that develops cellular therapies for multiple indications using the proprietary CellSqueeze technology. Through internal research programs and external partnerships, SQZ’s unique cell engineering capabilities are being used to develop a new generation of cell therapies by engineering the immune system both through immune activation and immune suppression for a wide range of clinical challenges.
Erasca develops oncology drugs intended to provide precision oncology options. The company's drugs are being developed through multiple discovery programs for undisclosed targets that are biological drivers of cancer and are pursuing additional opportunities for pipeline expansion through academic and biopharmaceutical collaborations, providing patients with new potential solutions to not just treat but cure cancer.
It was founded in 2018 and headquartered in San Diego, California.
Iteos Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, engages in the discovery and development of immuno-oncology therapeutics for cancer patients. Its product pipeline includes EOS-850, a small molecule antagonist of the adenosine A2a receptor that is an open-label Phase 1/2a clinical trial in adult patients; and EOS-448, an antagonist of TIGIT or T-cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains, which is in Phase 1/2a clinical trial. The company was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
ElevateBio, LLC is a holding company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that focuses on developing cell and gene-based therapies. Founded in 2017, ElevateBio operates a portfolio of companies dedicated to creating, manufacturing, and commercializing innovative treatments for cancer and viral infections. The company collaborates with leading scientists and inventors to build its portfolio and has established a centralized facility designed to streamline the research and development process. This approach allows ElevateBio to translate scientific advancements in cell and gene therapy into viable medical products, ultimately aiming to provide effective treatments for patients with severe diseases.
Element Science is a medical device and digital health company that develops solutions at the intersection of clinical-grade wearable devices, machine learning algorithms, and lifesaving therapies to address the needs of high-risk cardiovascular patients, primarily as they transition from the hospital to home. The company developing a proprietary next-generation wearable digital platform that unites patient-centric human factor engineering, sophisticated machine learning algorithm development principles, and rigorous electromechanical medical device development standards.
The company was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
Health Data Analytics Institute is created a predictive platform that transcends the understanding of healthcare data and connects it to quantifiable, actionable information that benefits patients, providers, and society. But we don’t just translate data, we transform it into a continuum of insights — applicable across all touch points in an individual’s dynamic health journey. It’s deep knowledge that quantifies longevity, health status, health risks, and health costs. But that’s just the start.
Viseon, Inc. is a medical device company based in Irvine, California, focused on developing innovative technology for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (MISS) procedures. Founded in 2017 as a spin-out from Rebound Therapeutics Corporation, Viseon has created the Voyant technology, which serves as a single-use disposable alternative to traditional surgical microscopes, endoscopes, and loupes. This technology enables the operative field to be projected onto a high-definition flat panel display, benefiting both the operating room and remote locations. The company has made significant strides in recent months, developing a range of devices aimed at enhancing procedural and clinical outcomes in spine surgery. Viseon has established a robust intellectual property portfolio with 13 patents and formed a Scientific Advisory Board composed of leading MISS physicians. Additionally, it has completed a series of pre-clinical studies in preparation for initial human-use trials.
Generation Bio is a genetic medicines company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that specializes in developing gene therapies aimed at treating both rare and prevalent diseases. Established in 2016, the company focuses on conditions affecting the liver, retina, skeletal muscle, central nervous system, and oncology. Generation Bio employs an innovative non-viral platform that includes a proprietary high-capacity DNA construct known as closed-ended DNA (ceDNA), a cell-targeted lipid nanoparticle delivery system (ctLNP), and a scalable, capsid-free manufacturing process. This approach allows for the targeted delivery of genetic materials, including large and multiple genes across various tissues, and enables redosable treatments tailored to individual patient needs. By enhancing access to therapies for rare diseases and addressing more common conditions, Generation Bio aims to provide durable and sustainable treatment options for patients throughout their lives.
Triplet Therapeutics, Inc. develops therapeutics and treatments for triplet disorders. It develops treatment for repeat expansion disorders, including Huntington’s disease, myotonic dystrophy, and spinocerebellar ataxias. Triplet Therapeutics, Inc. was formerly known as rzna, Inc. The company was founded in 2018 and is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Seer is a developer of a life sciences and health data platform intended to facilitate early, pre-symptomatic detection of chronic life-threatening diseases. The company's platform captures and translates molecular insights from the proteome with improved accuracy and speed, enabling healthcare professionals to detect cancer and neurological diseases, drive earlier treatment and improve patient outcomes.
Black Diamond Therapeutics is a precision oncology medicine company focused on discovering and developing small molecule, tumor-agnostic therapies. The company's lead product candidate, BDTX-189, is designed to inhibit specific mutations in ErbB kinases, including the epidermal growth factor receptor. Additionally, Black Diamond is advancing a pipeline of allosteric-EGFR mutation inhibitors and other early-stage programs targeting allosteric mutations in kinases associated with cancer and rare genetic diseases. The company employs a technology platform known as Mutation-Allostery-Pharmacology, which aims to address undrugged mutations in patients with genetically defined cancers. Founded in 2014 and based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Black Diamond Therapeutics was previously known as ASET Therapeutics until its rebranding in 2018.
Thrive Market, Inc. is a membership-based online shopping platform that aims to make healthy living accessible and affordable. Founded in 2014 and based in Culver City, California, the company offers a wide range of over 5,000 organic and non-GMO products, spanning categories such as food, health, beauty, and home essentials. Thrive Market provides customers with the ability to shop using various filters that cater to specific diets and lifestyles. In addition to serving residential customers, it also caters to commercial clients across the United States. The company has a philanthropic initiative, Thrive Gives, which matches every paid membership with a free one for individuals in need, and has raised significant funds for food access and environmental sustainability causes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Thrive Market established a relief fund to support families affected by the crisis.
Mission Lane LLC specializes in providing credit card services to subprime consumers, aiming to facilitate access to responsible credit on transparent terms. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the company utilizes advanced technology, data analytics, and machine learning to enhance the customer experience. Mission Lane offers digital self-service tools that empower customers to manage their accounts effectively and work towards improving their credit scores. The company is dedicated to creating fair and clear credit solutions, ensuring that its terms are straightforward and accessible compared to other options in the market. By focusing on customer success, Mission Lane fosters a mutually beneficial relationship where both the company and its clients thrive together.
Inotrem S.A. is a biotechnology company based in Paris, France, specializing in the discovery and development of innovative treatments for inflammatory pathologies, particularly in critical care settings. Founded in 2013, the company focuses on immunotherapy and has created a novel immunomodulation approach targeting the TREM-1 pathway to manage excessive inflammation. Its lead product, nangibotide (also known as LR12), is a first-in-class TREM-1 inhibitor designed to address severe conditions such as septic shock and myocardial infarction. Inotrem is also advancing a program aimed at treating chronic inflammatory diseases, leveraging its proprietary technology platform to develop new therapeutic modalities.
Achilles Therapeutics is a developer of immunotherapies intended to offer next-generation, patient-specific therapies to treat cancer. The company's immunotherapies harness the immune system to destroy cancer cells that target truncal tumor neo-antigens and flags to the immune system present on the surface of every cancer cell, enabling scientists to target and destroy tumors without harming healthy tissues.
ORIC Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, discovers and develops therapies for treatment of cancers. Its lead product candidate is ORIC-101, a small molecule antagonist of the glucocorticoid receptor, which has been linked to resistance to multiple classes of cancer therapeutics across various solid tumors. The company’s second product candidate is ORIC-533, an orally bioavailable small molecule inhibitor of CD73 being developed for resistance to chemotherapy- and immunotherapy-based treatment regimens. It is also developing multiple precision medicines targeting other cancer resistance mechanisms. The company was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in South San Francisco, California.
Kronos Bio focuses on the research and development of first-in-class therapies that modulate historically recalcitrant cancer targets.
It develops therapies that modulate historically undruggable targets. The company leverages deep capabilities in high-throughput small-molecule microarrays (SMM), targeted protein degradation, and cancer biology in order to identify potent and selective compounds against transcription factors and other central drivers of oncogenic signaling.
Seer is a developer of a life sciences and health data platform intended to facilitate early, pre-symptomatic detection of chronic life-threatening diseases. The company's platform captures and translates molecular insights from the proteome with improved accuracy and speed, enabling healthcare professionals to detect cancer and neurological diseases, drive earlier treatment and improve patient outcomes.
BioNTech is a biotechnology company based in Mainz, Germany, focused on developing and commercializing innovative immunotherapies for cancer and infectious diseases. Founded in 2008, BioNTech employs advanced computational discovery and therapeutic drug platforms to create novel biopharmaceuticals. The company has a diverse oncology pipeline, which includes various product candidates in clinical trials targeting different types of cancers, such as melanoma, prostate cancer, HPV-positive head and neck cancers, triple-negative breast cancer, and ovarian cancer. Additionally, BioNTech is exploring neo-antigen specific immunotherapies and mRNA-based treatments, along with novel immunomodulators and therapies for rare diseases. The company collaborates with several major pharmaceutical firms to enhance its research and development efforts. BioNTech also operates a subsidiary in the United States, developing targeted therapies for solid tumors.
Booster Fuels, Inc. specializes in on-demand fuel delivery services, utilizing a mobile application that allows users to conveniently order fuel directly to their locations, such as office parking lots. The company operates in major metropolitan areas including Austin, Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Nashville, Orange County, San Francisco, and Seattle, delivering fuel at competitive prices comparable to traditional gas stations. Booster serves both individual consumers and corporate clients, providing fuel services at numerous companies, office parks, and university campuses. Many Fortune 100 companies have adopted Booster's services for their employees. Additionally, Booster caters to commercial fleets, delivering fuel during off-hours to save fleet managers significant costs. Incorporated in 2014 and based in San Mateo, California, Booster has successfully raised over $88 million in funding from various venture capital firms.
Thrive Earlier Detection Corp. is a healthcare company dedicated to improving cancer detection through innovative technology. It focuses on the development of CancerSEEK, a liquid biopsy test that analyzes genomic mutations in tumor DNA and protein markers in plasma to identify multiple types of cancer at their earliest stages, often before symptoms become apparent. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with an additional office in Baltimore, Maryland, Thrive aims to integrate early cancer detection into routine medical care. The company was previously known as Thrive Sciences Inc. and has been a subsidiary of Exact Sciences Corporation since early 2021. Thrive was launched with support from various investors, including Third Rock Ventures and Section 32, reflecting a strong commitment to advancing cancer diagnostics.
AlloVir focuses on the development of cell therapies and focuses on restoring natural immunity against the virus-associated diseases. It provides an ideal environment for ViraCyte to develop and advance its product pipeline from discovery through late-stage clinical trials. The company was founded in 2013 and headquartered in Houston, Texas.
Schrödinger is a healthcare software company that specializes in computational drug design, serving the biopharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. Founded in 1990, the company operates through two main segments: Software and Drug Discovery. Its software solutions facilitate drug discovery processes for pharmaceutical and industrial clients, as well as academic and governmental research institutions. In addition to software sales, Schrödinger engages in drug discovery through its own preclinical and clinical programs, often collaborating with other organizations. The company is committed to advancing its computational platform by investing in scientific research and talent, and it has established partnerships and collaborations across more than 70 countries. With a workforce of over 400 employees, Schrödinger continues to influence the life sciences and materials science industries through innovative approaches to drug discovery.
Foghorn Therapeutics is developing therapies based on a system that directs which genes our cells express, and when, where, and in what order.By manipulating this system with our unique Gene Traffic ControlTM platform, Foghorn will change how genes turn “on” and “off.” Unlike approaches that edit genes, this novel way of thinking will alter what our DNA has in store for us—and rewrite destiny for millions of people living with disease.With Gene Traffic ControlTM Foghorn is pioneering a new, major class of drug targets to develop unprecedented therapies for cancer and other serious diseases. We have already validated multiple targets, are in the process of developing drug candidates in multiple types of cancer and are beginning to explore other diseases.
Escale is a technology marketing and sales company. It is displacing the traditional outsourced agency & outsourced sales model, which has misaligned incentives, fails at leveraging data across online-to-offline conversion funnels and creates sub-par customer experiences. Via Escale's platform, it acquires customers for major B2C brands, managing the entire marketing and sales funnel from demand generation online through closing the final sales with our in-house performance sales center. It is paid 100% in a commission model for each customer it acquires and all marketing spend comes from its own investment to ensure they are truly aligned for performance and have full control over their own decisions. Escale was founded by Matthew Kligerman and Ken Diamond in 2013; and is headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Hookipa Pharma is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing immune-therapeutics for infectious diseases and cancers using its proprietary arenavirus vector platforms. The company operates two main platforms: Vaxwave, aimed at creating prophylactic vaccines, and TheraT, which focuses on immuno-oncology therapies. Its key product candidates include HB-101, a vaccine for cytomegalovirus currently in a Phase II clinical trial for kidney transplant patients, and HB-201 and HB-202, which are in preclinical studies for treating human papillomavirus-positive cancers. Additionally, Hookipa is collaborating with Gilead Sciences to develop therapies for chronic Hepatitis B and HIV infections. Founded in 2011 and based in New York, Hookipa Pharma aims to leverage its innovative technologies to elicit robust immune responses, addressing limitations found in conventional vaccine and therapeutic approaches.
Oyster Point Pharma, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in Princeton, New Jersey, that specializes in the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative therapies for ocular surface diseases. Founded in 2015, the company is primarily focused on its lead product candidate, OC-01, a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist currently undergoing Phase III clinical trials for the treatment of dry eye disease. This condition, which affects over 30 million Americans, is characterized by a chronic lack of sufficient tears, leading to discomfort and potential vision problems. OC-01 is developed as a nasal spray and aims to restore tear film homeostasis by activating the trigeminal parasympathetic pathway, thereby stimulating natural tear production. Additionally, the company is exploring the use of OC-01 for neurotrophic keratitis, further expanding its therapeutic potential in ocular health.
Lyndra Therapeutics is a biotechnology company focused on developing ultra-long-acting oral medications designed to replace daily pill regimens. By providing sustained-release therapies that can be administered weekly or even monthly, the company aims to enhance medication adherence and improve health outcomes. Their innovative approach includes polypill strategies that consolidate multiple medications into a single dose, thereby increasing safety and efficacy while potentially reducing overall healthcare costs. Lyndra Therapeutics is actively developing treatments for a range of conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, psychiatric conditions, opioid use disorders, immunology, HIV, malaria vector control, and oral contraceptives. Established in 2015 and headquartered in Watertown, Massachusetts, the company seeks to make a significant impact on global health through its advanced therapeutic solutions.
Black Diamond Therapeutics is a precision oncology medicine company focused on discovering and developing small molecule, tumor-agnostic therapies. The company's lead product candidate, BDTX-189, is designed to inhibit specific mutations in ErbB kinases, including the epidermal growth factor receptor. Additionally, Black Diamond is advancing a pipeline of allosteric-EGFR mutation inhibitors and other early-stage programs targeting allosteric mutations in kinases associated with cancer and rare genetic diseases. The company employs a technology platform known as Mutation-Allostery-Pharmacology, which aims to address undrugged mutations in patients with genetically defined cancers. Founded in 2014 and based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Black Diamond Therapeutics was previously known as ASET Therapeutics until its rebranding in 2018.