Quark Venture

Quark Venture, established in 2015, is a Vancouver-based venture capital firm specializing in equity financing for innovative biotechnology and health sciences companies worldwide. The firm focuses on supporting breakthrough technology platforms and projects within these sectors.

Zafrira Avnur Ph.D

Chief Scientific Officer

Jesson Chen

Chairman and Partner

Neena Kadaba

Director, Science

Xiao Yu

Director, Investments and Principal

32 past transactions

Alpha9 Theranostics

Series B in 2022
Alpha9 Theranostics is a biopharma company that focuses on radiotherapeutics for the treatment of solid and hematologic malignancies. The company is creating a strong pipeline of radiopharmaceuticals to target solid and hematologic malignancies. Its systematic approach to radiotherapeutic design is fueled by a toolbox of technologies and chemistries, which offers broad potential for expansion into a multitude of oncology targets. Alpha9 Theranostics was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

V-Wave

Series C in 2021
V-Wave Ltd. is a medical technology company specializing in the development of percutaneous implantable therapeutic devices for patients with chronic heart failure. Established in 2009 and headquartered in Caesarea, Israel, with additional offices in the United States, V-Wave aims to address the needs of patients who continue to experience severe symptoms or require hospitalization despite optimal medical treatment. The company's flagship product is the V-Wave Shunt, a biocompatible, inter-atrial unidirectional implant designed to alleviate symptoms related to chronic heart failure by regulating Left Atrial Pressure. This innovative device seeks to improve patients' quality of life by reducing hospitalizations, enhancing exercise capacity, and ultimately providing symptomatic relief. V-Wave's team comprises experienced engineers and medical scientists dedicated to advancing the field of cardiovascular devices.

Lyndra Therapeutics

Series C in 2021
Lyndra Therapeutics develops ultra‑long‑acting oral medicines that release drugs over periods of up to a month while temporarily residing in the stomach. The company focuses on sustained, steady‑state delivery for conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, psychiatric and opioid use disorders, immunology, HIV, malaria vector control, and oral contraceptives. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Watertown, Massachusetts, Lyndra’s platform aims to improve medication adherence and reduce healthcare costs by enabling once‑weekly or monthly dosing of approved drugs and novel therapeutics.

Volastra

Seed Round in 2021
Volastra Therapeutics, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on developing innovative therapies for metastatic cancers. Established in 2019 and headquartered in New York, the company leverages unique insights into chromosomal instability to create targeted treatment strategies. Volastra utilizes a library of organoids derived from metastatic cancer samples to better understand tumor spread and identify effective therapeutic approaches. Additionally, the company combines artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, and proprietary imaging techniques, which enhance the ability of healthcare professionals to determine which cancers are more likely to metastasize. This approach aims to facilitate quicker target identification, optimize patient selection for therapies, and ultimately improve patient outcomes.

CalciMedica

Series D in 2021
CalciMedica is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapeutics for inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. It specializes in discovering and developing small molecule drugs that target calcium release-activated calcium channels.

V-Wave

Series C in 2020
V-Wave Ltd. is a medical technology company specializing in the development of percutaneous implantable therapeutic devices for patients with chronic heart failure. Established in 2009 and headquartered in Caesarea, Israel, with additional offices in the United States, V-Wave aims to address the needs of patients who continue to experience severe symptoms or require hospitalization despite optimal medical treatment. The company's flagship product is the V-Wave Shunt, a biocompatible, inter-atrial unidirectional implant designed to alleviate symptoms related to chronic heart failure by regulating Left Atrial Pressure. This innovative device seeks to improve patients' quality of life by reducing hospitalizations, enhancing exercise capacity, and ultimately providing symptomatic relief. V-Wave's team comprises experienced engineers and medical scientists dedicated to advancing the field of cardiovascular devices.

EnClear Therapies

Series A in 2020
EnClear Therapies develops device-based therapies for treating neurodegenerative diseases by removing toxic proteins from cerebrospinal fluid. Its initial targets are Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP). Incorporated in 2018, the company is based in Newburyport, Massachusetts.

Volastra

Seed Round in 2020
Volastra Therapeutics, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on developing innovative therapies for metastatic cancers. Established in 2019 and headquartered in New York, the company leverages unique insights into chromosomal instability to create targeted treatment strategies. Volastra utilizes a library of organoids derived from metastatic cancer samples to better understand tumor spread and identify effective therapeutic approaches. Additionally, the company combines artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, and proprietary imaging techniques, which enhance the ability of healthcare professionals to determine which cancers are more likely to metastasize. This approach aims to facilitate quicker target identification, optimize patient selection for therapies, and ultimately improve patient outcomes.

Eyevensys

Series B in 2020
Eyevensys S.A.S. is a Paris-based company that specializes in non-viral gene therapy for ophthalmology. Founded in 2008, it focuses on developing innovative solutions to improve drug delivery methods for ocular diseases. The company utilizes its proprietary Electro-Transfection (ET) technology to administer plasmids to the ciliary muscle, allowing for the sustained release of therapeutic proteins directly into the vitreous, addressing conditions such as uveitis, age-related macular degeneration, and various retinopathies, including central retinal vein occlusion and diabetic retinopathy. Eyevensys aims to overcome the limitations of current treatment options, which often involve invasive procedures like intravitreal injections and surgeries. By enhancing compliance, ocular bioavailability, and tolerability, Eyevensys seeks to create a robust product pipeline that delivers improved clinical outcomes while minimizing the need for frequent and invasive interventions.

Raziel Therapeutics

Series C in 2019
Founded in 2012 and based in Rehovot, Israel, Raziel Therapeutics develops RZL-012, a novel synthetic small molecule for treating obesity. Its drug is injected into fat tissue, causing fat cell death at the injection site and resulting in long-lasting reduction of fat volume.

Raziel Therapeutics

Series C in 2019
Founded in 2012 and based in Rehovot, Israel, Raziel Therapeutics develops RZL-012, a novel synthetic small molecule for treating obesity. Its drug is injected into fat tissue, causing fat cell death at the injection site and resulting in long-lasting reduction of fat volume.

Pi Therapeutics

Series B in 2019
Pi Therapeutics is a discovery-stage biopharmaceutical company aiming to develop a novel cancer drug. The company is financed by a syndicate of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company through its venture group Takeda Ventures Inc., Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, OrbiMed Israel Partners, Pontifax, and the Israel Innovation Authority, and has operated since March 2015 in the FutuRx biotech accelerator in Ness Ziona, Israel. The company’s mission is to develop novel first-in-class drugs directed against the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), mainly for treatment of cancer.

Lyndra Therapeutics

Series B in 2019
Lyndra Therapeutics develops ultra‑long‑acting oral medicines that release drugs over periods of up to a month while temporarily residing in the stomach. The company focuses on sustained, steady‑state delivery for conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, psychiatric and opioid use disorders, immunology, HIV, malaria vector control, and oral contraceptives. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Watertown, Massachusetts, Lyndra’s platform aims to improve medication adherence and reduce healthcare costs by enabling once‑weekly or monthly dosing of approved drugs and novel therapeutics.

Keros Therapeutics

Series B in 2019
Keros Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in Lexington, Massachusetts, dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative treatments for hematological and musculoskeletal disorders with significant unmet medical needs. The company's lead product candidate, KER-050, targets low blood cell counts, or cytopenias, including anemia and thrombocytopenia in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes and myelofibrosis. Additionally, Keros is developing KER-047, a small molecule aimed at treating anemia and fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, which is currently in Phase 1 clinical trials. Another candidate, KER-012, is being explored for its potential in treating bone loss disorders such as osteoporosis and osteogenesis imperfecta, as well as pulmonary arterial hypertension. Keros Therapeutics emphasizes understanding the role of the Transforming Growth Factor-Beta family of proteins, which are crucial for the regulation of blood cell production and the maintenance of muscle and bone health.

Sitka Biopharma

Venture Round in 2018
Sitka Biopharma Inc. is a preclinical biotechnology company based in Vancouver, Canada, founded in 2013. The company specializes in developing a novel nanoparticle platform technology aimed at enhancing drug absorption in challenging-to-penetrate tissues. Its lead candidate, STK-01, targets the absorption issues associated with intravesical chemotherapy for bladder cancer, addressing the limitations of current therapies that often face significant uptake and tolerability challenges. Sitka Biopharma's technology is designed to deliver a higher concentration of the chemotherapeutic agent docetaxel directly into the bladder wall, thereby improving treatment outcomes. The platform is also being explored for future applications in intraperitoneal delivery for ovarian cancer, showcasing its versatility in treating localized diseases where local administration is feasible yet currently ineffective.

Canary Medical

Venture Round in 2018
Founded in 2013, Canary Medical specializes in developing implantable sensor technology for remote patient monitoring. Its flagship product, canturio™te, is the world's first 'smart knee' tibial extension that monitors joint performance and transmits data to the cloud autonomously.

V-Wave

Series C in 2018
V-Wave Ltd. is a medical technology company specializing in the development of percutaneous implantable therapeutic devices for patients with chronic heart failure. Established in 2009 and headquartered in Caesarea, Israel, with additional offices in the United States, V-Wave aims to address the needs of patients who continue to experience severe symptoms or require hospitalization despite optimal medical treatment. The company's flagship product is the V-Wave Shunt, a biocompatible, inter-atrial unidirectional implant designed to alleviate symptoms related to chronic heart failure by regulating Left Atrial Pressure. This innovative device seeks to improve patients' quality of life by reducing hospitalizations, enhancing exercise capacity, and ultimately providing symptomatic relief. V-Wave's team comprises experienced engineers and medical scientists dedicated to advancing the field of cardiovascular devices.

ARTMS

Venture Round in 2017
ARTMS is a technology developer focused on transforming the production of diagnostic imaging isotopes. The company specializes in the QUANTM Irradiation System, which supports decentralized and local production of essential medical isotopes such as gallium-68, zirconium-89, technetium-99m, and copper-64. By utilizing hospital-based medical cyclotrons, ARTMS enables cost-effective and high-yield production of these critical isotopes, allowing the nuclear medicine industry to better control and meet its supply chain requirements. Through its innovative approach, ARTMS aims to enhance the availability and accessibility of important diagnostic tools in healthcare.

Bioarray Therapeutics

Series B in 2017
Bioarray Therapeutics, Inc. is a biotechnology company founded in 2009 and based in Farmington, Connecticut. The company focuses on developing proprietary predictive diagnostic tests aimed at improving cancer treatment outcomes. Its primary offering is a breast cancer response prediction test, which utilizes a gene expression profile to evaluate a patient's likelihood of responding to standard pre-surgery taxane-based chemotherapy options. By providing these predictive diagnostics, Bioarray Therapeutics seeks to enhance treatment efficacy and reduce the reliance on a trial-and-error approach in cancer care.

CathWorks

Series B in 2017
CathWorks is a medical technology company that applies computational science platforms to enhance percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) therapy decisions. It offers CathWorks FFRangio, a non-invasive device delivering objective multi-vessel physiologic measurements to optimize and confirm intra-procedural PCI therapies.

Sitka Biopharma

Seed Round in 2017
Sitka Biopharma Inc. is a preclinical biotechnology company based in Vancouver, Canada, founded in 2013. The company specializes in developing a novel nanoparticle platform technology aimed at enhancing drug absorption in challenging-to-penetrate tissues. Its lead candidate, STK-01, targets the absorption issues associated with intravesical chemotherapy for bladder cancer, addressing the limitations of current therapies that often face significant uptake and tolerability challenges. Sitka Biopharma's technology is designed to deliver a higher concentration of the chemotherapeutic agent docetaxel directly into the bladder wall, thereby improving treatment outcomes. The platform is also being explored for future applications in intraperitoneal delivery for ovarian cancer, showcasing its versatility in treating localized diseases where local administration is feasible yet currently ineffective.

Eloxx

Series C in 2017
Eloxx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in Waltham, Massachusetts, specializing in the development of novel drugs targeting rare and ultra-rare genetic diseases caused by nonsense mutations. Founded in 2013, the company is focused on discovering and commercializing ribonucleic acid modulating drug candidates. Its lead investigational product, ELX-02, is currently undergoing Phase 2 clinical trials aimed at treating cystic fibrosis and nephropathic cystinosis in patients with specific nonsense mutations. Eloxx utilizes its advanced technology platform to create oral small molecules that can induce ribosomal readthrough, thereby enabling the production of full-length functional proteins. The company is building a robust pipeline of therapeutic candidates designed to address various genetic disorders, including Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Tay-Sachs syndrome, by overcoming the limitations posed by premature stop codons.

PhysIQ

Series B in 2017
PhysIQ, Inc. is a health technology company based in Chicago, Illinois, that specializes in developing a cloud-based predictive platform for personalized physiology analytics. The company has created VitaLink, a remote patient monitoring interface that offers clinicians enhanced insights into the health status of chronically ill patients in an ambulatory setting. PhysIQ's technology processes various data streams to establish an individual's normal baseline, allowing for the monitoring and detection of clinically significant changes in health indicators. This capability enables healthcare providers to anticipate acute medical events before symptoms arise, while also empowering individuals to take control of their health and fitness. The platform is adaptable and can be integrated into patient monitoring devices from other manufacturers, distinguishing it from other technologies that rely on population-based statistics. PhysIQ was previously known as VGBio, Inc. and was incorporated in 2013.

PHEMI

Series B in 2017
PHEMI Systems Corporation specializes in developing a comprehensive privacy, security, governance, and data management system optimized for Microsoft Azure. Founded in 2013 and based in Vancouver, Canada, the company focuses on the healthcare sector, offering the PHEMI Data Privacy Manager. This cloud-based platform addresses the critical need for healthcare organizations to secure, manage, and control access to sensitive information while ensuring compliance with privacy regulations. Built on a privacy-by-design architecture, PHEMI’s software facilitates data sharing and integrates seamlessly with numerous data sources, as well as popular data science and business analysis tools. The platform is designed to scale according to the organization's size and offers a flexible usage-based pricing model.

Eloxx

Series C in 2017
Eloxx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in Waltham, Massachusetts, specializing in the development of novel drugs targeting rare and ultra-rare genetic diseases caused by nonsense mutations. Founded in 2013, the company is focused on discovering and commercializing ribonucleic acid modulating drug candidates. Its lead investigational product, ELX-02, is currently undergoing Phase 2 clinical trials aimed at treating cystic fibrosis and nephropathic cystinosis in patients with specific nonsense mutations. Eloxx utilizes its advanced technology platform to create oral small molecules that can induce ribosomal readthrough, thereby enabling the production of full-length functional proteins. The company is building a robust pipeline of therapeutic candidates designed to address various genetic disorders, including Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Tay-Sachs syndrome, by overcoming the limitations posed by premature stop codons.

Lyndra Therapeutics

Series A in 2017
Lyndra Therapeutics develops ultra‑long‑acting oral medicines that release drugs over periods of up to a month while temporarily residing in the stomach. The company focuses on sustained, steady‑state delivery for conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, psychiatric and opioid use disorders, immunology, HIV, malaria vector control, and oral contraceptives. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Watertown, Massachusetts, Lyndra’s platform aims to improve medication adherence and reduce healthcare costs by enabling once‑weekly or monthly dosing of approved drugs and novel therapeutics.

Biscayne Pharmaceuticals

Series B in 2017
Biscayne Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company based in Miami, Florida, that focuses on developing therapies utilizing growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) analogs. Since its incorporation in 2012, the company has worked on GHRH antagonists aimed at treating various cancers, including castrate-resistant prostate cancer, as well as GHRH agonists designed to aid in the repair of cardiac damage in patients with heart disease. Additionally, Biscayne Pharmaceuticals is developing drugs for refractory epilepsy and drug-resistant cancers, targeting GHRH receptors that stimulate the production of growth hormone necessary for tissue growth and repair. This innovative approach enables the company to address several challenging medical conditions that are often difficult to treat.

Biscayne Neurotherapeutics

Series B in 2017
Biscayne Neurotherapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company based in Miami, Florida, focused on developing innovative therapies for challenging neurological disorders. The company’s primary product, BIS-001, is a synthetic form of huperzine A, which acts as an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor with significant brain penetration. This unique mechanism of action targets difficult-to-treat conditions, particularly refractory forms of epilepsy, including refractory partial complex seizures and Dravet syndrome in children. Biscayne Neurotherapeutics is supported by an experienced executive team and a network of esteemed scientific advisors specialized in seizure and other central nervous system disorders, positioning the company to make impactful contributions to the field of neurology.

Microbion Corporation

Venture Round in 2017
Microbion Corporation is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing products for treating resistant and difficult-to-treat infections. It specializes in bismuth-thiols, used to prevent microbial biofilms on medical devices and manage infectious diseases. Founded in 1982, the company is headquartered in Bozeman, Montana.

SQZ Biotech

Series B in 2016
SQZ Biotech is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing innovative cell therapies for cancer, infectious diseases, and other serious health conditions. Utilizing its proprietary CellSqueeze technology, the company can deliver a variety of materials into diverse patient cell types, enabling the engineering of therapies that address a wide range of clinical challenges. SQZ Biotech aims to create well-tolerated and effective cell therapies that enhance patient experiences compared to traditional approaches. With its commitment to internal research and strategic partnerships, SQZ is working to advance a new generation of cell therapies through both immune activation and immune suppression methods, showcasing its potential to transform treatment options for patients.

MSI Methylation Sciences

Venture Round in 2016
MSI Methylation Sciences, Inc. is a biotechnology company founded in 2007 and based in West Vancouver, Canada. The company focuses on developing oral and small molecule therapies for the adjunctive treatment of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Their primary product, Strada, is an orally administered therapy designed to alleviate the symptoms of depression in patients suffering from this condition. Additionally, MSI Methylation Sciences develops S-Adenosyl Methionine, a prescription drug utilized as a dietary supplement, which leverages the capabilities of ademetionine, a naturally occurring molecule integral to the one-carbon cycle in the body. Through its innovative approaches, the company aims to enhance treatment options for individuals facing MDD.

Sitka Biopharma

Seed Round in 2016
Sitka Biopharma Inc. is a preclinical biotechnology company based in Vancouver, Canada, founded in 2013. The company specializes in developing a novel nanoparticle platform technology aimed at enhancing drug absorption in challenging-to-penetrate tissues. Its lead candidate, STK-01, targets the absorption issues associated with intravesical chemotherapy for bladder cancer, addressing the limitations of current therapies that often face significant uptake and tolerability challenges. Sitka Biopharma's technology is designed to deliver a higher concentration of the chemotherapeutic agent docetaxel directly into the bladder wall, thereby improving treatment outcomes. The platform is also being explored for future applications in intraperitoneal delivery for ovarian cancer, showcasing its versatility in treating localized diseases where local administration is feasible yet currently ineffective.
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