Vesalius Biocapital

The Luxembourg-headquartered specialist life sciences venture capital firm closes third fund.

Luxembourg-based Vesalius Biocapital, a life sciences venture firm, has closed its third fund at 120 million euros. The fund's investors includes the European Investment Fund. Vesalius Biocapital III targets later-stage European life science companies in drug development, medtech, diagnostics and digital health.

Vesalius Biocapital said May 18 that a first close of its third fund has secured more than 65 million euros ($72.3 million) in commitment. Vesalius Biocapital III has a 150 million euro ($167 million) target. Vesalius Biocapital III will focus on later-stage European companies in drug development, medtech, diagnostics and eHealth / mHealth.

Toronto medical device startup Exact Imaging has secured $21.5 million in a Series C financing. The round was co-led by Canadian venture capital firm Lumira Capital and Luxembourg's Vesalius Biocapital with participation from new investors, including PMV, and existing investors, including iGan Partners. With the financing, Lumira's Peter van der Velden, PMV’s Dr. Alexandra Tolia and Vesalius' Dr. Gaston Matthyssens will join the board. Founded in 2013 by Sam Ifergan and Randy AuCoin, Exact develops micro-ultrasound technology that enables real-time imaging and biopsy guidance for the prostate. It plans to use the funds raised to commercialize its new ExactVu system.

Berlin, Germany-based Omeicos Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company focused on preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases, has secured 6.2 million euros in Series A funding. The investors included Vesalius Biocapital, VC Fonds Technologie Berlin, Hightech Gruenderfonds and KfW Group.

Belgium-based Promethera Biosciences, a biotech firm that focuses on treating liver diseases, has closed its Series C round at $31.4 million. The investors included SFPI-FPIM, Vesalius Biocapital, Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund and SMS Investments.

Medical device company TROD Medical NV/SA said Thursday that it has closed 4.75 million euros in Series B financing. Vesalius Biocapital and Capricorn Venture Partners co-led the round. Other investors included Gemma Frisius Fund, the spin-off fund of the University of Leuven and the Flemish investment firm PMV. As part of the financing, TROD Medical has relocated its headquarters to Leuven, Belgium. Also, TROD Medical has named Frank Bulens of Capricorn Venture Partners and Stéphane Verdood of Vesalius BioCapital to the company's board of directors.

Forbion Capital Partners has led an 18 million euro ($25.3 million) Series A round for Belgium-based Amakem NV. Crédit Agricole Private Equity, Vesalius BioCapital, as well as the existing investors LRM, PMV and Life Sciences Research Partners also contributed to the round. Amakem will use the money to expand its ophthalmology drug development portfolio, the company said.

Scenic Biotech BV, a developer of disease modifying therapeutics for rare genetic disorders and other devastating illnesses, has raised $31 million in Series A financing.

Toronto-based Exact Imaging, a maker of micro-ultrasound systems enabling real-time imaging and biopsy guidance for the prostate, has raised C$5.1 million in financing.

Canada’s top 10 first-quarter venture-capital financings drew close to $400 million from investors. While that’s down 19 percent from the $490 million raised by the top 10 deals a year earlier, it far exceeds the first-quarter results of other recent years. The estimate is based on PE Hub Canada’s list of the largest financings announced from January through March, supplemented by Thomson Reuters data. The list is headed by PointClickCare, which accounted for 2017’s first deal sized above $100 million, Visier, Inocucor Technologies and Fusion Pharma.

Promethera Biosciences SA, a Belgian cell therapy and regenerative medicine company targeting liver diseases, has raised $11 million in funding. The investors included Vesalius Biocapital, SRIW, Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund, SMS Investments, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital Co. Ltd. and Cell Innovation Partners LP.

Euroscreen said Friday it raised 16 million euros (US$17.8 million) in a series B funding round. SFPI-FPIM and Fund+ co-led the round. Existing shareholders including Vesalius Biocapital II Partners, SRIW SA, BNP Paribas Fortis Private Equity, as well as new comer as Capricorn Health-Tech Fund NV also participated. Euroscreen, a drug development company, is backed by Vesalius Biocapital, SFPI-FPIM, SRIW, Fund+ and BNP Paribas Fortis Private Equity.

Apitope said Tuesday it raised 12 million euros (US$13.5 million) in Series B financing led by new investor Wales Life Sciences Fund. Current investors Vesalius Biocapital, LRM, PMV and Wyvern also participated in the round. Cardiff, England-based Apitope is a drug discovery and development company.

Voluntis has completed a $29 million Series D financing round. The round was co-led by Bpifrance Large Venture and international venture capital firm Innovation Capital. Voluntis existing Series C investors, CapDecisif Management, CM-CIC Capital Innovation and Sham, also participated in the round.