While the number of venture capital financings are continuing the upward trend begun in 2018, amounts raised are down from last year, aside from series B rounds that have brought in 28% more in funds of $5.49 billion.
For biopharma, 2019 can be described as a terrific year – with a few asterisks. The financial markets were flourishing, with venture capital dollars, in particular, flowing to the sector, while dealmaking reached historic proportions. Meanwhile, scientific breakthroughs led the way as cell and gene therapies gained ground, the first signs of success emerged with new technologies like CRISPR and the long-awaited promise of genomics found its way to the front lines of health care.
BEIJING – Gene therapy startup Hui-Gene Therapeutics Ltd. Co., of Shanghai, said it secured more than ¥100 million (US$14 million) in a series A financing round to develop a safer gene therapy to treat genetic diseases caused by single-base mutations.
HONG KONG – South Korean med-tech venture Recens Medical Inc. has secured ₩7 billion (US$6 million) in series B funding. Lb Investment Inc., Kb Securities Co. Ltd., Bnk Securities Co. Ltd., Hyundai Venture Investment Corp. and Lighthouse Combined Investment Co. Ltd. participated in the investment.
Rarecyte Inc., a Seattle-based company making products for tissue and cell analysis, reported picking up $22 million in a series F financing round led by Healthquest Capital.