Versant Ventures related stories
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Kinestral lands over $100 mln Series DKinestral Technologies Inc, a developer and manufacturer of Halio, an advanced smart-tinting glass product for buildings and homes, has raised over $100 million in Series D funding. SK Holdings led the round with participation from 5AM Ventures, Alexandria Real Estate, Capricorn Investment Group and Versant Ventures.
- Black Diamond Therapeutics nabs $85 mln Series B
Black Diamond Therapeutics Inc, a biotechnology company developing next-generation precision medicines for cancer, has closed $85 million in Series B financing. New Enterprise Associates and RA Capital Management led the round with participation from NexTech Invest, The Invus Group, Perceptive Advisors and Versant Ventures.
- Pandion Therapeutics lands funding
Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Pandion Therapeutics, a biotech company focused on treating autoimmune and inflammatory disease, has secured an undisclosed amount of funding. The investor was JDRF T1D Fund.
- Versant Ventures wraps up two funds at $700 mln
Versant Ventures has closed its seventh biotech fund at a hard cap of $600 million. Also, the healthcare investment firm closed its Canadian companion fund at $100 million. Versant Ventures Fund VII will focus on 20 or more biotech companies in the U.S., Canada and Europe while the Canadian fund, Versant Voyageurs I, will focus on five to eight startups in Canada.
Silicon Valley’s Versant raises $134 mln to help fill Canada’s biotech VC gapVersant Ventures has secured about $134 million (US$100 million) in commitments for a new fund earmarked to finance Canada’s biotech startups. In a news release, the Silicon Valley venture capital firm said Versant Voyageurs I will invest in five to eight companies in tandem with its primary life-sciences funds. Versant said the Canadian sidecar fund aims to address a shortage of risk capital and other resources available to local life-sciences companies. Managing Director Brad Bolzon, who will oversee the fund, said while Canada has “top-tier scientific infrastructure”, its VC and startup ecosystem has “not grown at the same pace.”
- Black Diamond to set up shop in Toronto with $20 mln round
Black Diamond Therapeutics, a Stony Brook, New York-based cancer precision medicine platform, has emerged from stealth with a $20 million Series A financing. The round was backed by life sciences venture capital firm Versant Ventures. The company will use a share of the proceeds to set up operations in Toronto, giving it access to the city’s pool of computing talent. Black Diamond, the first startup launched out of Versant’s Swiss discovery engine, is developing precision medicines directed against allosteric mutant oncogenes.
Black Diamond to set up shop in Toronto with $20 mln roundBlack Diamond Therapeutics, a Stony Brook, New York-based cancer precision medicine platform, has emerged from stealth with a US$20 million Series A financing. The round was backed by U.S. life sciences venture capital firm Versant Ventures. The company will use a share of the proceeds to set up operations in Toronto, giving it access to the city’s pool of computing talent. Black Diamond, the first startup launched out of Versant's Swiss discovery engine, is developing precision medicines directed against allosteric mutant oncogenes.
- Akero Therapeutics locks in $70 mln Series B
Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Akero Therapeutics Inc, a biotechnology company focused on treating non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and other serious metabolic diseases, has raised $70 million in Series B funding. Janus Henderson Investors led the round with participation from Redmile Group, Boxer Capital of Tavistock Group, Cormorant Asset Management, BVF Partners, Rock Springs Capital, LifeSci Venture Partners, Apple Tree Partners, Atlas Venture, venBio Partners and Versant Ventures.
- Aprea Therapeutics picks up Series C funding
Boston and Stockholm-based Aprea Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel anticancer therapies targeting the p53 tumor suppressor protein, has secured 50 million euros in Series C financing. Redmile Group led the round with participation from Rock Springs Capital, 5AM Ventures, Versant Ventures, HealthCap, Sectoral Asset Management and Karolinska Development AB.
- VC-backed BlueRock Therapeutics names chief legal and administrative officer
Cambridge, Massachusetts-based BlueRock Therapeutics LP, a cell therapy company, has named Dr. Min Wang as chief legal and administrative officer. Previously, she worked at Agios Pharmaceuticals where she was vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary. BlueRock is backed by Bayer AG and Versant Ventures.