VenBio

VenBio has closed its fourth life sciences venture fund at about $550 million.

Biotech VCs have played a crucial role in developing medicines for the disorder before selling them to big pharma, and they've realized exceptional returns while making a difference in patients' lives.

VenBio Partners LLC has closed its third life sciences venture fund at about $394 million.

Neurogastrx, Inc, a private biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapies for gastrointestinal disorders affecting the enteric nervous system, has secured $45 million in Series A financing. The lead investors were 5AM Ventures, OrbiMed Advisors and venBio Partners. In conjunction with the financing, Jim O'Mara has been appointed CEO while Klaus Veitinger, a venture partner at OrbiMed Advisors, will become chairman of the board. Also, David Allison of 5AM Ventures, Aaron Royston of venBio and Kevin Koch will be joining the board of directors.

Menlo Park, California-based Menlo Therapeutics Inc, a pharmaceutical company focused on treating chronic pruritus and chronic cough, has raised $50 million in Series C funding. VenBio led the round with participation from other investors that included Novo Holdings A/S, Rock Springs Capital, Aisling Capital, Bay City Capital, Vivo Capital, Presidio Partners, Remeditex and F-Prime Capital. In addition to the funding, Dr. Aaron Royston of VenBio will join Menlo Therapeutics' board of directors.

San Francisco-based venBio Partners announced it has raised $315 million for its second life science fund, which is anchored by investments from strategic LPs Amgen, Merck and Baxalta. The amount exceeds the $250 million target it set in March 2015, according to a regulatory filing. The firm, which also has an office in New York, typically invests in clinical-stage life science companies with a therapeutic product.

San Francisco-based venBio Partners announced it has raised $315 million for its second life science fund, which is anchored by investments from strategic LPs Amgen, Merck and Baxalta. The amount exceeds the $250 million target it set in March 2015, according to a regulatory filing. The firm, which also has an office in New York, typically invests in clinical-stage life science companies with a therapeutic product.

Neurogastrx, a developer of treatments for gastrointestinal disorders, has secured $60 million in Series B funding.

San Diego-based Metacrine, a developer of therapies for patients with liver, gastrointestinal and metabolic diseases, has raised about $85 million for its IPO after pricing its 6.54 million shares at $13 per share.

Appetite for biopharma is on the rise as investors want to back scientific advances and the recession-proof sector, and generalist VCs don’t want to miss out on potential outsized returns.

NFlection Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharma therapeutics developer, has raised $20 million in Series A financing.

Amid the covid-19 outbreak, four biotech funds closed on $3.8 billion in over a week and a half.

Durham, North Carolina-based Precision BioScience, a genome editing system provider, has raised $110 million in Series B financing. ArrowMark Partners led the round with participation from other investors that included Franklin Templeton Investments, Cowen Healthcare Investments, Brace Pharma Capital, Adage Capital Management, Cormorant Asset Management, Gilead Sciences, Vivo Capital, Alexandria Venture Investments, Ridgeback Capital, Agent Capital, Leerink Partners, venBio, F-Prime and Osage University Partners.

San Diego-based Metacrine, a developer of therapies for patients with liver, gastrointestinal and metabolic diseases, has raised $65 million in Series C financing. Venrock Healthcare Partners led the round with participation from other investors that included Franklin Templeton Investments, Deerfield Management, Arrowmark Partners, Invus, Lilly Asia Ventures, Vivo Capital, Arch Venture Partners, venBio, Polaris Partners, New Enterprise Associates and Alexandria Venture Investments.

Menlo Park, California-based Menlo Therapeutics Inc, a pharmaceutical company focused on treating chronic pruritus and chronic cough, has raised $119 million for its IPO after pricing its 7 million shares at $17 per share. The stock began trading January 25, 2018 on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol "MNLO." Jefferies LLC, Piper Jaffray & Co. and Guggenheim Securities LLC are the lead underwriters. The investors included VenBio, Novo Holdings A/S, Rock Springs Capital, Aisling Capital, Bay City Capital, Vivo Capital, Presidio Partners, Remeditex and F-Prime Capital.