Our News

Switch Therapeutics Launches with $52 Million to Advance First-of-its-Kind RNAi Technology

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – March 14, 2023 – Switch Therapeutics, a preclinical stage biotechnology company pioneering a new way to use RNA science to treat diseases, today announced its launch following $52 million of financing. The Company’s Series A was co-led by Insight Partners and UCB Ventures, with additional funding from existing investors, including Upfront Ventures and BOLD Capital Partners and new investors Eli Lilly and Company, Ono Venture Investment, Digitalis Ventures, Dolby Family Ventures, Free Flow Ventures, PhiFund Ventures and others.

ExeVir Bio and VIB Announce Data on a New Therapy for Prevention and Treatment for COVID-19

Ghent, Belgium, 13 March 2023: ExeVir Bio, a biotech company developing robust single domain antibody therapies for broad protection against infectious diseases, and its scientific founders at Belgium’s VIB, Flanders’ leading life sciences institute, today announced the publication of a pre-print paper by De Cae et al., entitled “Ultrapotent SARS coronavirus-neutralizing single-domain antibodies that bind a conserved membrane proximal epitope of the spike”.

Code Biotherapeutics Names Alex S. Tracy, PhD, as Chief Technical Officer

Greater Philadelphia, Pa., November 14, 2022 – Code Biotherapeutics, Inc. (Code Bio), a biotechnology company pioneering the targeted delivery of precision genetic medicines, today announces the appointment of Alex Tracy, PhD, as Chief Technical Officer.

Walden Biosciences Appoints Peter Guest Linde, M.D. as Chief Medical Officer

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 11, 2022 – Walden Biosciences, Inc. (Walden), a private, venture-backed biotechnology company focused on transforming the treatment of kidney disease, today announced that the Company has appointed Peter Guest Linde, M.D., F.A.S.N., as its first Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Linde, a nephrologist with more than a decade of experience treating patients, joins Walden with more than thirty years of experience in research, clinical development, and corporate leadership. Dr. Linde will serve on Walden Biosciences Senior Leadership Team and will report to the Chief Executive Officer.

Code Biotherapeutics Names David Anderson, PhD, as Chief Scientific Officer

Greater Philadelphia, Pa., September 28, 2022 — Code Biotherapeutics, Inc., (Code Bio), a biotechnology company pioneering targeted non-viral delivery of genetic medicines, today announces the appointment of David Anderson, PhD, as Chief Scientific Officer.  

Neurona Therapeutics Announces Initial Subject Dosed in First Clinical Trial of Regenerative Human Cell Therapy, NRTX-1001, in Adults with Drug-Resistant Focal Epilepsy

June 29, 2022 – Neurona Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotherapeutics company advancing regenerative cell therapies for the treatment of neurological disorders, today announced the first patient dosed in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of its lead program, NRTX-1001, in a first-in-human epilepsy study. An estimated three million Americans have epilepsy, and 25 to 35 percent live with ongoing seizures despite dozens of approved drugs on the market, which means that there is a huge unmet medical need in this community. NRTX-1001 is a regenerative neural cell therapy delivered as a single dose and designed to provide long-term secretion of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a key inhibitory neurotransmitter, to repair hyper-excitable neural networks associated with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE), the most common form of focal epilepsy in adults. 

Code Biotherapeutics Raises Upsized and Oversubscribed $75 Million in Series A Financing to Develop Therapies for Debilitating Genetic Diseases

Greater Philadelphia, Pa., June 7, 2022 — Code Biotherapeutics, Inc., (Code Bio), a biotechnology company pioneering targeted non-viral delivery of genetic medicines, today announced its upsized and oversubscribed Series A financing of $75 million to advance programs to treat and cure rare and prevalent genetic diseases. Northpond Ventures led the financing round with participation from Amgen Ventures, Hatteras Venture Partners and UCB Ventures alongside existing investors New Enterprise Associates, 4BIO Capital, CureDuchenne Ventures, the JDRF T1D Fund, UPMC Enterprises, and Takeda Ventures. The funding enables the company to advance its two lead programs in DMD and T1D toward IND-enabling studies, expand its pipeline and platform applications, and expand its manufacturing and operations.

AbbVie Acquires Syndesi Therapeutics, Strengthening Neuroscience Portfolio

AbbVie, 01 March 2022: AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) today announced it has completed the acquisition of Syndesi Therapeutics SA, which will help to expand AbbVie’s neuroscience portfolio. This acquisition gives AbbVie access to Syndesi’s portfolio of novel modulators of the synaptic vesicle protein 2A (SV2A), including its lead molecule SDI-118. The mechanism is currently being evaluated for the potential treatment of cognitive impairment and other symptoms associated with a range of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and major depressive disorder.

SpliceBio Raises EUR 50M in Oversubscribed Series A financing to Advance Protein Splicing Platform and Expand Gene Therapy Pipeline

SpliceBio, 16 February 2022: SpliceBio, a biotechnology company exploiting protein splicing to develop next generation gene therapies, today announced the completion of an oversubscribed €50 million series A financing. The financing was co-led by UCB Ventures and existing shareholder Ysios Capital and joined by new investors New Enterprise Associates (NEA), Gilde Healthcare, Novartis Venture Fund, and existing shareholder Asabys Partners. The Company was seeded in 2020 by Ysios Capital and Asabys Partners.

EsoBiotec

15 December 2021: EsoBiotec is a biotechnology company developing an in vivo engineering platform to produce cancer fighting cells inside the patient’s body.

Walden: targeting podocytes as linchpin for kidney function

Walden, 29 October 2021: targeting podocytes as linchpin for kidney function.

Syndesi Therapeutics announces commencement of dosing in clinical trial of SDI-118 in elderly subjects with cognitive impairment

Syndesi, 21 October 2021: Syndesi Therapeutics announces commencement of dosing in clinical trial of SDI-118 in elderly subjects with cognitive impairment.

ExeVir Announces First Patient Enrolled in Phase 1b/2 Clinical Study evaluating XVR011 as antiviral treatment of patients hospitalised for COVID-19

Belgium, 1 September 2021: ExeVir, which is developing single domain antibody therapies providing broad protection against viral infections, today announces that the first patient has been treated in a Phase 1b/2 global clinical study of XVR011, its potent COVID-19 neutralizing antibody.

ExeVir announces first subjects dosed in Phase I clinical study of potent COVID-19 neutralizing antibody

Belgium, 18 August 2021: ExeVir, which is developing single domain antibody therapies providing broad protection against viral infections, today announces that the first subjects have been dosed in a Phase I clinical study of XVR011, its llama-derived antibody for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19.

ExeVir’s CRO hunt for Phase II/III COVID-19 subQ antibody trial to start midyear, also USD 50– 100m Series B raise

13 Jul 2021. ExeVir Bio will open its doors to CRO pitches mid-year for a Phase II/III trial investigating its
subcutaneously administered neutralizing antibody XVR011 in outpatient COVID-19 patients, CEO
Torsten Mummenbrauer said. Decisions will be made in 2H21 for a 2Q22 trial start, he added.

Neurona Therapeutics Presents Preclinical Data from Lead Cell Therapy Program, Demonstrating Significant Seizure Suppression in Model of Focal Epilepsy

18 Jun 2021. Neurona is a cell therapy company focused on the development of breakthrough treatments for neurological disorders

ExeVir’s CRO hunt for Phase II/III COVID-19 subQ antibody trial to start midyear, also USD 50– 100m Series B raise

22 Apr 2021. ExeVir Bio will open its doors to CRO pitches mid-year for a Phase II/III trial investigating its
subcutaneously administered neutralizing antibody XVR011 in outpatient COVID-19 patients, CEO
Torsten Mummenbrauer said. Decisions will be made in 2H21 for a 2Q22 trial start, he added.

Neurona Therapeutics Presents Preclinical Data from Lead Cell Therapy Program, Demonstrating Significant Seizure Suppression in Model of Focal Epilepsy

19 Apr 2021. Neurona is a cell therapy company focused on the development of breakthrough treatments for neurological disorders

StrideBio Announces Closing of $81.5M Series B Financing

Research Triangle Park, N.C., Mar. 16, 2021 – StrideBio, Inc., a leading developer of novel engineered adeno-associated virus (AAV) based gene therapies, today announced the closing of an oversubscribed Series B funding round, which raised $81.5 million.

ExeVir Announces Close of US$50 million / EUR42 million Series A Financing

Belgium, March 16th, 2021: ExeVir, which is developing single domain antibody therapies providing broad protection against viral infections, today announces that it has closed its Series A financing raising a total of EUR 42 million / US$50 million. The financing was led by Fund+ with VIB, UCB Ventures, SFPI-FPIM, V-Bio Ventures and new investors SRIW, Noshaq, Vives IUF, SambrInvest, as well as several Belgian family offices.

UCB Ventures and AXA Venture Partners: seeking innovation in digital health

18 Feb 2021. In this interview, UCB Ventures Partner, Delphine Hajaji, connects with François Robinet, Founding and Managing Partner at AXA Venture Partners, to tell us more about why both organizations decided to collaborate. In particular, why AXA Venture Partners chose to open their Fund to other investors and why UCB Ventures became one of their first external investor.

Syndesi Therapeutics announces positive results from two additional Phase I studies of its novel SV2A modulator SDI-118, providing strong support for the initiation of further clinical trials in cognitive impairment

27 January 2021. Syndesi Therapeutics SA, a clinical stage biotechnology company developing novel modulators of the synaptic vesicle protein SV2A for the treatment of cognitive impairment, announces results from two Phase I studies of its lead compound SDI-118, supporting further development of this promising molecule.

Locanabio Announces $100 Million Series B Financing to Advance Portfolio of Novel RNATargeted Gene Therapies for Neurodegenerative, Neuromuscular and Retinal Diseases

14 Dec 2020. Locanabio, Inc., an RNA-targeting gene therapy company focused on developing life-changing therapies for patients with severe neurodegenerative, neuromuscular and retinal diseases, today announced a $100 million Series B financing. The financing was led by Vida Ventures with participation from new investors including RA Capital Management, Invus, Acuta Capital Partners and an investment fund associated with SVB Leerink and prior Locanabio investors ARCH Venture Partners, Temasek, Lightstone Ventures, UCB Ventures and GV.

Walden seeking to develop breakthrough medicines to reverse kidney disease progression.

06 Oct 2020. Walden Biosciences, Inc. (Walden), a biotechnology company focused on transforming the treatment of kidney disease, today announced its launch with a $51 million Series A financing led by ARCH Venture Partners and UCB Ventures. Walden is seeking to develop breakthrough medicines that reverse the progression of both rare and common forms of kidney disease and restore renal function.

ExeVir Bio to Accelerate Development of New Treatment Conferring Broad Protection Against Covid-19

28 Jul 2020. ExeVir Bio announces today a first closing of a EUR23 million Series A financing led by Fund+, with the participation of VIB, UCB Ventures, the Belgian Federal Government via SFPI-FPIM, V-Bio Ventures and several Belgian family offices.

Syndesi Therapeutics announces the expansion of its management team with the appointment of Torsten Madsen, MD, PhD as Chief Medical Officer.

19 Dec 2019. Syndesi Therapeutics SA, a clinical stage biotechnology company developing novel modulators of the synaptic vesicle protein SV2A for the treatment of cognitive impairment, today announced Torsten Madsen MD, PhD has joined its management team as Chief Medical Officer.

Locana Expands Leadership Team with Appointment of former Casebia CEO as Chief Executive Officer

10 Dec 2019. Locana, Inc., a leading RNA-targeting gene therapy company, today announced the appointment of James Burns, Ph.D., as chief executive officer, as a key step in expanding the experienced leadership team and as part of a planned transition of the company's director and recent CEO, Jeffrey M. Ostrove, Ph.D., to continue service as director.

Sarepta and StrideBio Announce Multi-target Collaboration to Advance Novel Gene Therapies

14 Nov 2019. Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc., the leader in precision genetic medicine for rare diseases, and StrideBio, Inc., a leading developer of novel adeno-associated viral (AAV) based gene therapies, today announced the signing of a collaboration and license agreement to develop in vivo AAV-based therapies for up to eight central nervous system (CNS) and neuromuscular targets.

Locana appoints Kathie Bishop, Ph.D., as Chief Scientific Officer

04 Sep 2019. Locana, a leading RNA-targeting gene therapy company, today announced the appointment of Kathie M. Bishop, Ph.D. as chief scientific officer. Dr. Bishop is a neuroscientist and drug development leader with 20 years of pharmaceutical industry experience covering a broad spectrum of therapeutic areas.

Ally secured seed finance from ARCH Venture Partners, Alta Partners and UCB Ventures to advance its novel gene therapy platform.

31 July 2019. Ally secured seed finance from ARCH Venture Partners, Alta Partners and UCB Ventures to advance its novel gene therapy platform. 

Locana Raises $55 Million Series A Financing to Advance Portfolio of RNA-targeting Gene Therapies

22 May 2019. Locana, Inc., a leading RNA-targeting gene therapy company, announced today the close of a $55 million Series A financing led by ARCH Venture Partners with participation from Temasek and Lightstone Ventures, all existing investors. New investors include UCB Ventures and GV (formerly Google Ventures).

Rinri Therapeutics secures £1.4 million seed funding to advance its novel regenerative cell therapy to treat sensorineural hearing loss

20 May 2019. Rinri Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing a novel cell- based therapy to restore hearing, announced today that it successfully secured £1.4 million in seed funding. The financing, which was co-led by Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund and UCB Ventures and joined by BioCity, will support the ongoing growth of the company.

Syndesi Therapeutics announces initiation of Phase I study of novel SV2A modulator in development for treatment of cognitive impairment

08 May 2019. Syndesi Therapeutics SA, a biotechnology company developing novel modulators of the synaptic vesicle protein SV2A for the treatment of cognitive impairment, today announced that its lead molecule, SDI-118, has entered into Phase I clinical development.

StrideBio and Takeda Sign Collaboration and License Agreement to Advance Novel Gene Therapies for Neurological Diseases

28 March 2019. Multi-target deal will utilize StrideBio's platform to identify unique AAV capsids for delivery of gene therapies targeting neurological diseases, including Friedreich's Ataxia.

Syndesi Therapeutics awarded non-dilutive funding of up to €3.2M for development of its lead program, SDI-118, aimed at treating cognitive impairment

20 March 2019. Developing novel SV2A modulators for cognitive impairment, today announced it has been granted up to EUR 3.2 M in non-dilutive funding from the Walloon Region.

UCB Ventures Appoints Alicia Irurzun-Lafitte as Partner

06 March 2019. UCB Ventures, the corporate venture arm of UCB Pharma, today announced that Alicia Irurzun-Lafitte will join UCB Ventures as Partner in Boston. Alicia brings 10 years of deal making experience, spanning business development transactions to early stage investments in biotech.

CRISPR Therapeutics and StrideBio Expand Exclusive Development and Option Agreement

19 February 2019. CRISPR Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company focused on creating transformative gene-based medicines for serious diseases, and StrideBio, Inc., a leading developer of novel adeno-associated viral (AAV)-based gene therapies, today announced that …

StrideBio Appoints Sapan Shah, Ph.D. as Chief Executive Officer

03 January 2019. StrideBio, Inc., a leading developer of novel adeno-associated viral (AAV) based gene therapies, announced today that the Board of Directors has appointed Sapan Shah, Ph.D. as Chief Executive Officer and a member of the company's board.

Read the interview with Erica Whittaker in BioCentury

22 June 2018. Description: UCB Ventures' recent investment in Durham, N.C.-based gene therapy play StrideBio Inc. marks the next phase in how the strategic investor plans to deploy its €150 million ($174 million) fund.

UCB Ventures makes its first direct investment

13 June 2018. UCB Ventures announces its first direct investment in the oversubscribed $15.7 million Series A Financing Round for StrideBio, Inc., …

UCB and investor syndicate led by Novo Seeds launch Syndesi Therapeutics to develop novel therapeutics for cognitive disorders

01 February 2018. We have recently announced the creation of Syndesi Therapeutic to further develop the research …