Sekar Kathiresan is building Verve Therapeutics Inc. around the concept of a one-and-done treatment for cardiovascular disease because only half of patients are disciplined enough to take a statin every day. “That’s a huge issue for durable cholesterol lowering after a heart attack,” Verve’s CEO and co-founder told BioWorld.
LONDON – A remodeled Rexgenero Ltd. has launched as an integrated cell and gene therapy specialist, following integration of a French biotech acquired last year and a commitment from the company’s two shareholders to invest £40 million (US$54 million).
From nearly every angle, med-tech financings in 2020 are at a four-year high, raising the industry a whopping $59.7 billion, a 47% increase over the prior year. The records were set despite the deadly SARS-CoV-2 virus that shut down global economies throughout 10 months of the most disruptive year in a lifetime. The pandemic highlighted a widespread need for med-tech technologies, such as diagnostics, for which the industry delivered hundreds of options. Likewise, ventilators, personal protective equipment, telemedicine capabilities and wearables were in high demand.
Lantern Pharma Inc., a Dallas-based cancer medicines developer using a machine learning platform to accelerate its work, is raising $60 million through a public offering priced at $14 per share (NASDAQ:LTRN).
Liquid biopsy startup Delfi Diagnostics Inc. scooped up $100 million in a series A round led by Orbimed Advisors LLC. The company will use the funds to grow its team of cancer researchers and machine learning experts and to validate its next-generation blood-based testing technology in prospective clinical trials. Existing investors Menlo Ventures, Samsara Biocapital, Illumina Ventures, Av8 Ventures also participated in the round, along with new investors Foresite Capital, Northpond Ventures, Cowen Healthcare Investments and Rock Springs Capital.