Mission BioCapital

SiteOne Therapeutics is a San Francisco-based company developing innovative therapeutics and diagnostics for acute and chronic pain. Their lead candidates are selective inhibitors of the Naᵥ1.7 ion channel, aiming to treat pain safely and effectively without relying on NSAIDs or opioids.

Alessa Therapeutics, Inc. is a pre-clinical stage biotechnology company based in San Francisco, California, focused on developing localized treatments for solid organ diseases. Founded in 2018, the company specializes in a drug delivery implantable system specifically designed to treat prostate cancer. This innovative system allows for the sustained and localized administration of anti-androgen drugs directly to the tumor in the prostate, minimizing systemic exposure and enhancing treatment efficacy. By concentrating on localized therapies, Alessa Therapeutics aims to improve patient outcomes in the management of various organ diseases.

Nuvig Therapeutics focuses on developing innovative therapies aimed at restoring immune homeostasis and rebalancing immune function. The company is dedicated to creating a pipeline of novel immune therapeutics specifically targeting chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. By harnessing natural mechanisms to modulate immune responses, Nuvig seeks to enhance treatment options for patients, ultimately improving their health outcomes.

Jupiter Bioventures is a venture builder company dedicated to de-risking early-stage therapeutic projects. It operates by evaluating opportunities through a specific set of investment criteria and providing initial seed capital to founders. This approach enables the growth of innovative projects in the biotechnology sector, supporting entrepreneurs as they navigate the challenges of early development. By focusing on early-stage initiatives, Jupiter Bioventures aims to foster advancements in therapeutic solutions while minimizing the inherent risks associated with new ventures.

Babylon Biosciences is a biotechnology company dedicated to discovering and developing small-molecule therapeutics to treat Alzheimer's disease. Its proprietary platform facilitates the identification and advancement of these therapeutics, aiming to alleviate the burden of nerve and brain-related diseases.

Umlaut.Bio is a spinout of the European Molecule Biology Laboratory (EMBL), is pursuing tRNA targets for treatment of cancer and immunological diseases.

Bullseye Bio is a biotechnology company specializing in drug discovery services. It operates a therapeutics discovery platform designed to generate scalable data for machine learning, with a focus on unlocking the therapeutic potential of intracellular protein-protein interactions. The company's pipeline includes treatments for cardiometabolic, inflammation, and oncology indications, aiming to provide life-saving therapies for high-need conditions.

Velocity Bio is a biotechnology company based in San Carlos, California, and is a spinout from Stanford University. The company focuses on high-throughput platforms designed for selectivity-first allosteric drug discovery, specifically targeting under-drugged human enzymes associated with severe diseases. Currently operating in stealth mode, Velocity Bio aims to innovate in the field of drug development by addressing critical unmet medical needs through its advanced technological approaches.

TippingPoint Biosciences is developing therapeutics that target abnormal DNA packaging states in diseases such as cancer.

Cloverleaf Bio specializes in the development of an innovative RNA therapeutic platform focused on oncology. This platform enables the direct inhibition of cancer-promoting enzymes using a single therapeutic molecule, offering a novel approach to improve patient outcomes in cancer treatment.

March Biosciences is a clinical-stage biotechnology company specializing in cell therapies for hematological cancers. It focuses on developing CAR-T cell therapies, with its lead product, MB-105, targeting CD5 in refractory T-cell lymphoma and leukemia. The company's approach involves biologically informed target selection, simplified CAR-T engineering, and a streamlined manufacturing process to ensure cell functionality and consistency.

Vaxess Technologies is a biotechnology company focused on silk biomaterial platforms for vaccine and therapeutic delivery. It develops the MIMIX microneedle patch for transdermal, sustained-release delivery of vaccines and therapies, designed to improve stability and ease of use, including formulations that do not require cold chain storage. The MATRIX formulation and drying platform supports thermostable vaccine, therapeutic, and diagnostic products. The company aims to enable long-term immune responses and easier distribution, including in low-resource settings. Its technology supports oncology and infectious disease applications, including therapies that promote durable anti-tumor immunity and improved treatment outcomes. Founded in 2011 and based in Boston, the company positions its platforms to enable stable, targeted delivery and potentially reduce treatment burden for patients.

Progentos Therapeutics focuses on developing regenerative medicine therapies. Its primary approach involves stimulating the body's natural repair mechanisms to restore myelin in patients with multiple sclerosis, aiming to improve neurological function and enhance quality of life.

Nocion Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapies called 'nocions' that selectively target actively firing nociceptors to provide relief for serious conditions such as cough, itch, pain, and inflammation.

Aperture Therapeutics is a biotechnology company dedicated to developing novel therapies for age-related neurodegenerative diseases. It employs a distinctive drug discovery platform that leverages the genetic diversity of patients to identify new disease pathways and drug targets. Currently in the pre-clinical stage, the company operates from a lab incubator, integrating insights from neuroscience and immunology to advance its research. Aperture Therapeutics' approach centers on the significance of genetic diversity in the discovery process, aiming to create more effective treatments for neurodegeneration and neuroimmunology conditions.

QurAlis Corporation is a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based clinical-stage biotechnology company developing precision therapeutics for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases. It focuses on drugs that directly target disease-causing genetic alterations using proprietary platforms and biomarkers to identify and treat patients with specific genetic mutations, aiming to halt disease progression and improve outcomes.

Vaxess Technologies is a biotechnology company focused on silk biomaterial platforms for vaccine and therapeutic delivery. It develops the MIMIX microneedle patch for transdermal, sustained-release delivery of vaccines and therapies, designed to improve stability and ease of use, including formulations that do not require cold chain storage. The MATRIX formulation and drying platform supports thermostable vaccine, therapeutic, and diagnostic products. The company aims to enable long-term immune responses and easier distribution, including in low-resource settings. Its technology supports oncology and infectious disease applications, including therapies that promote durable anti-tumor immunity and improved treatment outcomes. Founded in 2011 and based in Boston, the company positions its platforms to enable stable, targeted delivery and potentially reduce treatment burden for patients.

Vaxess Technologies is a biotechnology company focused on silk biomaterial platforms for vaccine and therapeutic delivery. It develops the MIMIX microneedle patch for transdermal, sustained-release delivery of vaccines and therapies, designed to improve stability and ease of use, including formulations that do not require cold chain storage. The MATRIX formulation and drying platform supports thermostable vaccine, therapeutic, and diagnostic products. The company aims to enable long-term immune responses and easier distribution, including in low-resource settings. Its technology supports oncology and infectious disease applications, including therapies that promote durable anti-tumor immunity and improved treatment outcomes. Founded in 2011 and based in Boston, the company positions its platforms to enable stable, targeted delivery and potentially reduce treatment burden for patients.

Integrated Biosciences focuses on developing innovative therapeutics aimed at combating age-related diseases. Founded on research from prestigious institutions such as Harvard, MIT, and UCSB, the company has made significant strides in the field, including the first AI-driven discovery of anti-aging drug candidates and the introduction of a novel structural class of antibiotics in six decades. By leveraging synthetic biology and machine learning, Integrated Biosciences seeks to control cellular stress responses, facilitating advancements in cellular rejuvenation and empowering medical professionals with next-generation treatment options.

Dren Bio is a biotechnology company that specializes in protein engineering technologies aimed at depleting pathogenic cells, protein aggregates, and other disease-causing agents. The company operates under a holding business model, developing a diverse portfolio of projects that function as stand-alone assets. Dren Bio's platform is designed to address a range of health conditions, including hematologic neoplasms, solid tumors, autoimmune disorders, and diseases associated with protein aggregation. By focusing on innovative protein-based technologies, Dren Bio enables healthcare professionals to manage and treat various serious diseases more effectively.

Nuvig Therapeutics focuses on developing innovative therapies aimed at restoring immune homeostasis and rebalancing immune function. The company is dedicated to creating a pipeline of novel immune therapeutics specifically targeting chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. By harnessing natural mechanisms to modulate immune responses, Nuvig seeks to enhance treatment options for patients, ultimately improving their health outcomes.

Arkuda Therapeutics, Inc. is a biotechnology company founded in 2018 and based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, focused on developing innovative treatments for patients with neurological diseases. The company utilizes new insights into progranulin and lysosomal biology to create therapies that aim to correct progranulin deficiency and address lysosomal dysfunction, particularly in genetically-defined frontotemporal dementia associated with mutations in the GRN gene. By targeting these underlying biological mechanisms, Arkuda's lead compounds are designed to improve cellular health in the brain, potentially delaying the progression of neurodegenerative diseases and the onset of their symptoms.

Ambagon Therapeutics is a biotechnology company focused on developing small-molecule therapeutics for cancer treatment. The company specializes in research aimed at stabilizing the interactions of oncogenic proteins, which are often difficult to modulate with traditional methods. By selectively enhancing the activity of tumor-suppressing proteins associated with transcription factors and oncoproteins, Ambagon aims to provide new therapeutic options for addressing significant unmet clinical needs in oncology. Founded by Christian Ottmann, Lucas Brunsveld, and Michelle Arkin, the company is dedicated to advancing innovative solutions in cancer care.

Vedere Bio, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, established in 2019. The company focuses on developing gene therapy products aimed at restoring functional vision for patients who have experienced vision loss due to Inherited Retinal Degenerations (IRDs) and other causes of vision impairment, both genetic and non-genetic. Unlike many ocular gene therapies that primarily slow the progression of vision loss, Vedere Bio seeks to restore lost vision, regardless of the patient's genetic background or stage of their condition. As of September 2020, Vedere Bio operates as a subsidiary of Novartis AG.

Caribou Biosciences develops cellular engineering solutions based on CRISPR technologies, offering a gene editing platform with applications in human therapeutics, disease modeling, genomics research, and agricultural biotechnology.

Dren Bio is a biotechnology company that specializes in protein engineering technologies aimed at depleting pathogenic cells, protein aggregates, and other disease-causing agents. The company operates under a holding business model, developing a diverse portfolio of projects that function as stand-alone assets. Dren Bio's platform is designed to address a range of health conditions, including hematologic neoplasms, solid tumors, autoimmune disorders, and diseases associated with protein aggregation. By focusing on innovative protein-based technologies, Dren Bio enables healthcare professionals to manage and treat various serious diseases more effectively.

Totient Inc. is an AI-driven biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, founded in 2016. The company specializes in using advanced machine learning and immunoinformatics to analyze complex datasets in the field of drug discovery and development. It focuses on identifying novel tissue-specific antigens and reconstructing high-affinity antibody therapeutics from tissues impacted by cancer, autoimmune diseases, and infections. By leveraging its platform's unique capabilities, Totient aims to quickly and accurately identify potent antibody candidates suitable for a variety of therapeutic applications, including cell therapies and bispecific antibodies. This innovative approach positions the company to address significant medical challenges in multiple areas of healthcare.

QurAlis Corporation is a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based clinical-stage biotechnology company developing precision therapeutics for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases. It focuses on drugs that directly target disease-causing genetic alterations using proprietary platforms and biomarkers to identify and treat patients with specific genetic mutations, aiming to halt disease progression and improve outcomes.

Pandion Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in Watertown, Massachusetts, focused on developing innovative therapeutics for patients with autoimmune diseases. The company’s lead product candidate, PT101, is an engineered interleukin-2 variant currently undergoing Phase 1a clinical trials for various autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, including moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis and systemic lupus erythematosus. In addition to PT101, Pandion's pipeline includes PT627, a systemic PD-1 agonist in preclinical studies, and two bifunctional molecules, PT001 and PT002, designed to provide tissue-selective immunomodulation by targeting specific adhesion molecules in the gastrointestinal tract. Pandion employs a network-based approach to immune system conceptualization through its TALON drug design platform and collaborates with Astellas Pharma to develop locally acting immunomodulators for pancreatic autoimmune diseases. The company aims to create a new generation of therapeutics that offer enhanced efficacy and safety for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

Arkuda Therapeutics, Inc. is a biotechnology company founded in 2018 and based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, focused on developing innovative treatments for patients with neurological diseases. The company utilizes new insights into progranulin and lysosomal biology to create therapies that aim to correct progranulin deficiency and address lysosomal dysfunction, particularly in genetically-defined frontotemporal dementia associated with mutations in the GRN gene. By targeting these underlying biological mechanisms, Arkuda's lead compounds are designed to improve cellular health in the brain, potentially delaying the progression of neurodegenerative diseases and the onset of their symptoms.

Vaxess Technologies is a biotechnology company focused on silk biomaterial platforms for vaccine and therapeutic delivery. It develops the MIMIX microneedle patch for transdermal, sustained-release delivery of vaccines and therapies, designed to improve stability and ease of use, including formulations that do not require cold chain storage. The MATRIX formulation and drying platform supports thermostable vaccine, therapeutic, and diagnostic products. The company aims to enable long-term immune responses and easier distribution, including in low-resource settings. Its technology supports oncology and infectious disease applications, including therapies that promote durable anti-tumor immunity and improved treatment outcomes. Founded in 2011 and based in Boston, the company positions its platforms to enable stable, targeted delivery and potentially reduce treatment burden for patients.

Vedere Bio, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, established in 2019. The company focuses on developing gene therapy products aimed at restoring functional vision for patients who have experienced vision loss due to Inherited Retinal Degenerations (IRDs) and other causes of vision impairment, both genetic and non-genetic. Unlike many ocular gene therapies that primarily slow the progression of vision loss, Vedere Bio seeks to restore lost vision, regardless of the patient's genetic background or stage of their condition. As of September 2020, Vedere Bio operates as a subsidiary of Novartis AG.

Nocion Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapies called 'nocions' that selectively target actively firing nociceptors to provide relief for serious conditions such as cough, itch, pain, and inflammation.

Alessa Therapeutics, Inc. is a pre-clinical stage biotechnology company based in San Francisco, California, focused on developing localized treatments for solid organ diseases. Founded in 2018, the company specializes in a drug delivery implantable system specifically designed to treat prostate cancer. This innovative system allows for the sustained and localized administration of anti-androgen drugs directly to the tumor in the prostate, minimizing systemic exposure and enhancing treatment efficacy. By concentrating on localized therapies, Alessa Therapeutics aims to improve patient outcomes in the management of various organ diseases.

Founded in 2008, Photoswitch Biosciences develops innovative tools for drug discovery and safety pharmacology. The company specializes in creating assay systems that enable precise control over ion channel function, facilitating the identification and testing of new drug candidates.

Zymergen, Inc. is a biotechnology company that focuses on researching, developing, and manufacturing microbes for various industries, including agriculture, chemicals, materials, pharmaceuticals, electronics, and personal care. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Emeryville, California, Zymergen employs a platform that integrates automation, machine learning, and genomics to enhance the efficiency of microbial strain optimization and production processes. This technology enables the company to improve existing manufacturing strains and facilitates the development of new products by engineering novel molecules from microbes. With additional offices in Boise, Idaho; Medford, Massachusetts; Seattle, Washington; and Tokyo, Japan, Zymergen aims to partner with nature to create innovative materials and products that deliver significant value across multiple sectors.

QurAlis Corporation is a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based clinical-stage biotechnology company developing precision therapeutics for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases. It focuses on drugs that directly target disease-causing genetic alterations using proprietary platforms and biomarkers to identify and treat patients with specific genetic mutations, aiming to halt disease progression and improve outcomes.

Principia Biopharma Inc. is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company headquartered in South San Francisco, California, focused on developing innovative therapies for immune-mediated diseases. The company's lead product, rilzabrutinib, is an inhibitor undergoing Phase III clinical trials for pemphigus and pemphigus foliaceus, as well as Phase 1/2 trials for immune thrombocytopenia and Phase 2 trials for IgG4-related disease. Additionally, Principia is developing PRN2246/SAR442168, which is in Phase II for multiple sclerosis and other central nervous system conditions, alongside PRN473, a drug candidate in Phase I trials for immune-mediated diseases. Principia Biopharma maintains a collaboration agreement with Genzyme Corporation for the development of treatments for MS and other CNS diseases. Originally incorporated in 2008, the company is dedicated to addressing significant unmet medical needs in immunology and oncology through its innovative drug development platform.

Cell Design Labs, Inc. is a biotherapeutics company based in San Francisco, California, founded in 2015. The company specializes in developing innovative cell-based therapies aimed at treating cancer and other severe diseases. By harnessing the potential of the body's immune system, Cell Design Labs creates advanced therapies that are designed to target and eliminate malignant cells with high precision and safety. Its focus includes developing disruptive T cell receptor therapies that modify immune cells to recognize and destroy cancerous threats effectively. As a subsidiary of Gilead Sciences, Cell Design Labs is positioned to contribute significantly to the field of cancer treatment through its pioneering research and development efforts.

Avexegen Therapeutics Inc. is a development stage biotechnology company based in San Diego, California, founded in 2014. The company specializes in creating innovative therapies aimed at healing damaged and inflamed gut tissue in patients suffering from gastrointestinal disorders, particularly Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Additionally, Avexegen focuses on addressing needs in premature infants with necrotizing enterocolitis. By employing a novel approach to treatment, Avexegen aims to improve the long-term health outcomes of patients with these serious conditions.

True North Therapeutics is a biotechnology company based in South San Francisco, California, founded in 2013 as a spin-out of iPierian. The company focuses on developing therapies that target the classical pathway of the immune system's complement system to address rare diseases with high unmet clinical needs. Its lead product, TNT009, is a monoclonal antibody designed to selectively inhibit the classical complement pathway, aiming to treat conditions such as cold agglutinin disease, warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia, antibody-mediated rejection, bullous pemphigoid, and other rare diseases in hematologic, kidney transplant, dermatology, and neurological spaces. True North Therapeutics was acquired by Bioverativ Inc.

Atreca is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers and develops antibody-based immunotherapeutics for various solid tumor types. Its lead product candidate, ATRC-101, is a monoclonal antibody with a novel mechanism of action and target derived from its proprietary discovery platform.

eFFECTOR Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company based in San Diego, California, that specializes in the development of selective translation regulators for the treatment of cancer and other serious diseases. Founded in 2012, the company is pioneering a new class of oncology drugs known as selective translation regulator inhibitors (STRIs). These drug candidates specifically target the eIF4F complex and its associated kinase, MNK 1/2, which play critical roles in protein synthesis and are linked to prominent cancer signaling pathways such as PI3K-AKT and RAS-MEK. eFFECTOR's products aim to inhibit pathways that drive tumor growth, survival, and immune evasion by regulating the expression of oncoproteins and immunosuppressive proteins. The lead candidate, tomivosertib, is currently being evaluated in a Phase 2b trial for non-small cell lung cancer in combination with pembrolizumab. Additionally, zotatifin, an inhibitor of eIF4A, is undergoing dose-escalation in a Phase 1/2 trial, with further expansion cohorts anticipated. The company also collaborates with Pfizer to advance inhibitors targeting eIF4E.

Founded in 2014, Vivace Therapeutics is a biotechnology company based in the San Francisco Bay Area. It focuses on discovering and developing cancer therapeutics by targeting novel pathways, with a particular emphasis on the Hippo pathway which controls tissue regeneration and organ size.

Zephyrus Biosciences, Inc. is a life science research tools company based in Berkeley, California, founded in 2013. The company specializes in developing and commercializing innovative tools for 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. By utilizing microfluidics technology, the scWestern system partitions single cells into micro-wells, lyses them, and performs SDS-PAGE separation on each cell lysate. This technology facilitates the identification of cellular subpopulations, the analysis of enriched cell populations post-FACS sorting, and studies on cell signaling and cancer heterogeneity, among other applications. Researchers leverage Zephyrus's products to gain deeper insights into various biological fields, including cancer, stem cells, neurology, and human disease development, ultimately aiming to enhance healthcare outcomes.

Redwood Bioscience is a biotechnology company focused on precision protein-chemical engineering to develop optimized biotherapeutics. Established in 2008 and based in Emeryville, California, the company specializes in site-specific modification technology, which addresses the challenges of conjugating biologics with synthetic molecules. This innovative approach enables the creation of homogeneous hybrid biotherapeutics, enhancing the effectiveness of treatments. Redwood Bioscience's methods for optimizing drug conjugates leverage the binding specificity and extended half-life of biologic carriers while incorporating the potency advantages of small molecules and synthetic peptides, positioning the company at the forefront of advancements in antibody-drug conjugates and semi-synthetic biotherapeutics.

Circle Pharma, Inc. is an early-stage biotechnology company based in South San Francisco, California, founded in 2012 by Matt Jacobson and Scott Lokey. The company specializes in developing cell-permeable macrocyclic peptide therapeutics aimed at critical clinical targets. It employs proprietary computational design algorithms and innovative synthetic chemistry to create first-in-class macrocycle therapies that can be administered through various routes, including oral delivery. Circle Pharma's platform utilizes structure-based rational drug design and an iterative process to generate large virtual libraries of diverse macrocycle scaffolds, which are selected for their permeability. This approach enables the company to address challenging targets, particularly in the context of intracellular protein-protein interactions that play a significant role in cancer, thereby fulfilling unmet clinical needs. The company is led by David J. Earp.

Sentieon, Inc. is a bioinformatics company based in Mountain View, California, founded in 2014. It specializes in developing and commercializing cloud-based solutions for the life sciences and clinical markets. Sentieon offers a range of bioinformatics tools designed for processing genomics data with a focus on accuracy, efficiency, and quick turnaround times. Its notable products include Sentieon DNAseq, which aids in germline DNA analysis, and Sentieon TNseq, designed for detecting tumor-normal somatic variants. These software-only tools boast scalability and upgradeability, leveraging optimized algorithms to improve computing performance. Sentieon aims to enhance the capabilities of scientists and clinicians by providing precision tools that facilitate comprehensive tumor characterization and other critical bioinformatics processes.

SiteOne Therapeutics is a San Francisco-based company developing innovative therapeutics and diagnostics for acute and chronic pain. Their lead candidates are selective inhibitors of the Naᵥ1.7 ion channel, aiming to treat pain safely and effectively without relying on NSAIDs or opioids.