BioPharma Updates, May 5th, 2025.
SciLeads’ BioPharma is updated daily, giving our clients the most current insights on biopharma organizations including Funding, Initial Public Offering, Mergers & Acquisitions, Partnerships, and more. This week’s updates are below with links to the organizations in the platform. If you don’t have BioPharma yet, start your free trial today.
Download this update:
View BioPharma updates as a PDF.
View BioPharma updates in an Excel (.XLS) format.
Funding
- Moderna (MA, USA) raised $176M in funding to expedite the creation of a pandemic influenza vaccine to combat potential bird flu infections in humans, with ongoing development and late-stage trials planned.
- EnChannel Medical (Guangzhou, China) raised $82.2M in Series B funding to accelerate product development and advance clinical registration trials in China and internationally.
- Etiome (MA, USA) raised $50M in Series A funding to advance its Temporal Biodynamics™ platform for developing preemptive medicines targeting chronic and progressive diseases.
- deepull (Barcelona, Spain) raised $50M in Series C funding to finalize clinical validation and expedite the regulatory approval process of its UllCORE diagnostic system.
- Zucara Therapeutics (Toronto, Canada) raised $25M in Series B funding to complete its Phase 2a clinical trial and develop a once-weekly version of ZT-01 for preventing hypoglycemia in people with diabetes.
- Craif (Tokyo, Japan) raised $22M in Series C funding to expand its R&D and testing services in Japan and the U.S., aiming for FDA approval and insurance reimbursement.
- Transverse Medical (CO, USA) raised $10M in Series B2 funding to support the clinical validation of its POINT-GUARD™ Cerebral Embolic Protection device for stroke prevention during TAVR procedures.
- Azalea Vision (Ghent, Belgium) raised $9M in Series A funding to support the execution of its First-in-human clinical trial and advance its smart lens platform for intelligent ocular health.
- Gestalt (WA, USA) raised $7.5M in Series A funding to expand its AI-powered digital pathology platform, PathFlow®, to enhance diagnostic accuracy and efficiency in healthcare and research organisations.
- Epicore Biosystems (MA, USA) raised $6M in Series B funding to accelerate global expansion and scale next-generation sweat-sensing technologies.
- VitriVax (CO, USA) received a $5M CEPI grant to develop the Atomic Layering Thermostable Antigen and Adjuvant (ALTA®) technology further using Rabies as a vaccine target.
- Armata Pharmaceuticals (CA, USA) raised $4.65M in non-dilutive funding to support Phase 2a study closeout activities and preparation for an end-of-phase 2 meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
- Myosin Therapeutics (FL, USA) received a $3M National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) grant to support the initiation of a Phase 1 clinical trial for MT-110 as a treatment for methamphetamine use disorder.
- Kardi AI (Olomouc, Czech Republic) raised $1.1M in funding to support international expansion and clinical validation of its AI-powered chest strap for detecting heart arrhythmias.
- Basic Genomics (Stockholm, Sweden) raised $1.1M in funding to advance RNA characterization technologies and expand product development and commercialization.
- Fusion Antibodies (Belfast, United Kingdom) received a $680K UKRI and InvestNI grant to develop a humanised therapeutic antibody to combat treatment-resistant cancers.
- Vakona (Umeå, Sweden) raised an undisclosed amount in funding to complete the process development of its innovative active substance as it moves toward the clinical phase.
- Akita Biosciences (OH, USA) received a Flu Lab grant of an undisclosed amount to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and safety of Profi Nasal Spray in U.S. healthcare workers.
- Addex Therapeutics (Geneva, Switzerland) received a Sinntaxis AB grant of an undisclosed amount to evaluate its dipraglurant for the treatment of brain injury recovery, including stroke and traumatic brain injury.
Emerging
- Avidicure (Amsterdam, Netherlands) launched with $50M in Seed funding to advance the development of its dual agonistic, multifunctional antibody platform for oncology.
- SynthioLabs (CA, USA) emerged from stealth to streamline pharmaceutical operations by using AI-driven tools to accelerate reviews, ensure compliance, and boost engagement across the product lifecycle.
- Stately Bio (CA, USA) launched with $12M in seed funding to develop the next generation of life-saving regenerative medicines with the world’s most advanced ML cell imaging platform.
- Cycuria Therapeutics (Graz, Austria) launched with a grant from FFG and AWS to advance the development of its CUR-101 protein-based targeted therapy for acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).
Post IPO Equity
- TriSalus Life Sciences (CO, USA) raised $22M through a private placement to fund working capital needs, support general corporate operations, and back initiatives to simplify its capital structure through a preferred stock exchange offer.
- CND Life Sciences (AZ, USA) raised $13.5M to expand access to its Syn-One Test®, support clinical collaborations, and advance neurodiagnostic innovations targeting synuclein-related disorders like Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies.
Post IPO Debt
- Biohaven (CT, USA) raised $250M through a senior secured note purchase agreement to support clinical trials, commercialization efforts for troriluzole, and advancement of its broader therapeutic pipeline.
Mergers and Acquisitions
- Novartis (Basel, Switzerland) to acquire Regulus Therapeutics (CA, USA) for $800M to advance the development and commercialization of farabursen for ADPKD treatment.
- Concentra Biosciences (MA, USA) to acquire Kronos Bio ( MA, USA) for $800M to advance its small molecule therapeutics for cancer and autoimmune diseases.
- Merck KGaA (Darmstadt, Germany) to acquire SpringWorks Therapeutics (CT, USA) to expand its portfolio in rare diseases and cancer treatments.
- Healthy.io (Tel Aviv, Israel) to acquire Labrador Health (Tel Aviv, Israel) to expand its portfolio of quantitative home-based kidney testing technologies.
- Jade Biosciences (MA, USA) to acquire Aerovate Therapeutics (MA, USA) to advance its portfolio of novel therapies for autoimmune diseases, with lead candidate JADE-001 expected to enter the clinic in 2025.
- AlphaRose Therapeutics (TX, USA) to acquire Alpha Anomeric (Paris, France) to integrate its novel oligonucleotide chemistry platform (abcDNA) into AlphaRose’s development programs for neurogenetic developmental diseases.
Partnerships
- Dimerix (Melbourne, Australia) and Amicus Therapeutics (NJ, USA) announced a ~$590M exclusive U.S. license agreement for DMX-200, a Phase 3 candidate for FSGS and other indications
- Prilenia (MA, USA) and Ferrer (Barcelona, Spain) announced a $540M collaboration and license agreement for the commercialization and further development of pridopidine in Europe and select markets, including the treatment of Huntington’s disease and ALS.
- Sandoz (Basel, Switzerland) and Henlius (Shanghai, China) announced a $301M global collaboration to commercialize a biosimilar of ipilimumab in major markets including the US, EU, Japan, Canada, and Australia for the treatment of multiple cancers.
- SOHM, Inc. (CA, USA) announced a $6M collaboration and license agreement with an undisclosed partner to advance the development of micro-dosed CAR-T therapies using SOHM’s proprietary ABBIE genome editing system, aiming to accelerate clinical applications in cancer treatment.
- LIfT BioSciences (London, United Kingdom) and University of Galway (Galway, Ireland), along with Hooke Bio (Shannon, Ireland), announced a collaboration to advance clinical trials for Immunomodulatory Alpha Neutrophils (IMANs), a first-in-class cell therapy designed to overcome treatment resistance in solid tumors, with trials set to begin in 2026.
- HeartcoR Solutions (IL, USA) and Wellysis (South Korea) announced partnership for exclusive rights to use the FDA-cleared S-Patch ECG wearable in global cardiac safety clinical trials, aiming to enhance remote monitoring, trial compliance, and data accuracy.
- Complete Genomics (CA, USA) and Velsera (MA, USA) announced partnership to deliver an end-to-end genetic testing solution combining DNBSEQ™ sequencing technology with Velsera’s Clinical Genomics Workspace, aiming to streamline clinical oncology workflows from sequencing to actionable insights.
- AccuStem (London, United Kingdom) and EmeritusDX (CA, USA) announced an expanded strategic partnership for the commercialization of the MSC test for lung cancer screening in the US, aiming for a 2026 clinical launch to improve lung nodule risk stratification and patient outcomes.
- NeoGenomics (FL, USA) and Ultima Genomics (CA, USA) announced a collaboration and technology agreement for the use of Ultima’s UG 100™ sequencing platform and ppmSeq™ technology to advance NeoGenomics’ oncology diagnostics, including applications in liquid biopsy and minimal residual disease (MRD).
- FYR Bio (MT, USA) and Mayo Clinic (MN, USA) announced a collaboration to advance blood-based biomarkers for Parkinson’s disease using FYR’s EV-Omics platform, aiming to improve disease tracking, patient outcomes, and clinical trial precision.
- Mainz Biomed (Mainz, Germany) and EDX Medical (Cambridge, United Kingdom) announced a technology partnership to expand access to Mainz’s molecular cancer diagnostic technology in the UK, aiming to enhance early cancer detection and personalized treatment.
- Scipher Medicine (MA, USA) and InnoSIGN (Eindhoven, Netherlands) announced a partnership to combine Scipher’s immune disease RNAseq data with InnoSIGN’s pathway analysis platform to identify biomarkers and advance precision therapies.
- SOPHiA GENETICS (Rolle, Switzerland) and AstraZeneca (Cambridge, United Kingdom) expanded their collaboration to deploy MSK-ACCESS® powered with SOPHiA DDM™ to 30 clinical institutions globally in 2025, advancing real-time liquid biopsy testing for cancer monitoring and supporting AstraZeneca’s real-world evidence initiatives.
- RoosterBio Inc. (MD, USA) and Thermo Fisher Scientific (MA, USA) announced a collaboration to accelerate the development and GMP manufacturing of hMSC and exosome therapies, enabling biopharma companies to streamline production of clinical trial materials for degenerative disease treatments.
- Curi Bio (WA, USA) and Cook MyoSite (PA, USA) announced a strategic partnership to develop 3D human tissue models for accelerating drug discovery in muscle-related diseases, obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic disorders.
- Er-Kim (Istanbul, Turkey) and Puma Biotechnology (CA, USA) signed an agreement for Er-Kim to commercialize NERLYNX® (neratinib) in select Eastern European and Central Asian countries, including Armenia, Russia, and Kazakhstan, to treat HER2-positive breast cancer.
- Addex Therapeutics (Switzerland) and Sinntaxis AB (Lund, Sweden) announced a collaboration agreement to license mGlu5 inhibitors, including Addex’s dipraglurant, for brain injury recovery.
- DCx Biotherapeutics Corporation (Vancouver, Canada) and Repare Therapeutics (Montreal, Canada) announced a multi-component deal including platform and asset licensing, facility transfer, and team integration to advance next-gen antibody drug conjugates for genetically-defined cancers
- Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (NY, USA) and Siemens Healthineers (Germany) announced partnership to license its SpeechDx dataset – launched in 2023 to develop speech-based biomarkers for early Alzheimer’s detection and monitoring.
- Haleon (Weybridge, United Kingdom) and Brightseed (CA, USA) announced partnership to leverage its AI platform Forager® for discovering plant-based bioactive compounds, accelerating the development of nature-inspired, science-backed consumer health solutions.
Registered Direct Offering (RDO)
- Alpha Tau Medical (Jerusalem, Israel) raised $36.9M through a registered direct offering to support general corporate purposes, including research and development, expanding manufacturing capabilities, and potential commercialization of its product candidates.
Closures and Layoffs
- Ono Pharmaceutical (MA, USA) is laying off 83 employees at its U.S. subsidiary effective June 30 to optimize its operations, as per a Worker Retraining Notification Act (WARN) notice.
- Spruce Biosciences (CA, USA) is laying off 55% of its workforce to prioritize the development of its tralesinidase alfa therapy for Sanfilippo syndrome type B (MPS IIIB), with layoffs effective immediately.
- Octagon Therapeutics (RI, USA) is winding down operations due to the deprioritization of a lead B cell immunomodulator program and unresolved biology questions. The closure is expected to affect around a dozen employees.
- Bloomsbury Genetic Therapies (London, United Kingdom) is closing down its operations due to difficult funding conditions despite promising clinical progress and multiple orphan drug designations.
Is there anything else you’d love to see here or have added to the platform? Please don’t hesitate to contact us with your feedback.