Capsida Biotherapeutics Inc., a gene therapy startup focused on advanced capsid engineering to generate tissue-selective vectors, emerged from stealth with $50 million in series A funding and another $90 million in cash from a strategic collaboration and option agreement in neurodegenerative disease with Abbvie Inc.
Cross-border startup Adcentrx Therapeutics Inc., with operations in San Diego and soon in Shanghai, secured $50 million in a series A financing round led by CBC Group to establish its presence in the antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) space.
The significant risks and high costs associated with neurological R&D has tended to keep companies and investors on the sidelines over the past few years. However, thanks to research progress and the development of new technologies, business development and investing in the space is heating up once again.
HONG KONG – South Korea’s securities exchange operator, Korea Exchange Inc., has relaxed the procedure for tech companies, including biopharma firms, to list on its KOSDAQ board. Under the simplified listing standard, which came into effect on April 26, companies with a market capitalization of ₩500 billion (US$449.26 million) and above will now need to submit only one assessment, with a result of “A” or higher, from a professional evaluation agency.
Genome editing startup Edigene Inc. closed a ¥400 million (US$62 million) series B+ round to expand its operation to more cities and advance its lead product ET-01 into clinical trials. The financing follows the $67 million series B that closed in October 2020.
HONG KONG – Pharmcadd Co. Ltd., a developer of an artificial intelligence (AI) and physics-based drug discovery platform, bagged ₩17.3 billion (US$15.5 million) in its series B funding. This brings the total funds raised since its establishment to $22 million.