AuraSense Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company which is commercializing spherical nucleic acid (SNA) constructs, has closed the second tranche of its series B financing; investors in the follow-on round include US-based pharmaceutical company AbbVie, and several angel investors.
The first tranche of the series B round was completed in December 2011; investors included New York-listed drugs company Abbott Laboratories’ corporate venturing subsidiary, Abbott Biotech Ventures, and several angel investors.
Previously, AuraSense raised $2.5m from thirty-nine investors in its initial equity round in December 2009.
Van Crocker, Vice President of Commercial Development for AuraSense Therapeutics, said: “It’s fantastic to have so many investors from the original consortium come back for this follow-on investment round. This financing shows the faith our investors have in the technology, the team and our progress to date. We look forward to taking our first SNA constructs through the preclinical development phase.”
Schiff Hardin served as deal counsel to AuraSense Therapeutics for the investment transaction.
AuraSense Therapeutics was founded by Professors Chad Mirkin and C. Shad Thaxton of Northwestern University.