US-based gene editing technology developer eGenesis yesterday closed a $100m series B round that featured Leaps by Bayer, an investment vehicle for pharmaceuticals and chemicals producer Bayer.
Fresenius Medical Care Ventures, the investment arm of kidney dialysis clinic operator Fresenius Medical Care, led the round, which also included Wellington Partners, Arch Venture Partners, Biomatics Capital, Alta Partners, Khosla Ventures and unnamed, existing investors.
Leaps by Bayer supplied $50m in funding.
Spun out of Harvard University in 2015, eGenesis is using gene editing technologies to enable xenotransplantation, whereby organs are transplanted from an animal into a human patient. It is initially focused on kidneys, but is also exploring islet cell, liver, heart and lung transplants.
The technology advances research by co-founders George Church, professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School, and chief scientific officer Luhan Yang, who earned her PhD in human biology and translational medicine at the same school.
The series B funding will allow eGenesis to accelerate its kidney xenotransplant program into the clinic, and further advance its other programs.
Jürgen Eckhardt, head of Leaps by Bayer, and Lucio Iannone, director of venture investments, human, at the investment unit, will join the eGenesis board of directors.
Eckhardt said: “We believe eGenesis is poised to revolutionise the entire organ transplantation market. This could save lives in a way that was previously not thought possible just a few years ago.”
Arch Venture Partners and Biomatics Capital co-led a $38m series A round in 2017 that included healthcare services provider Heritage Provider Network and life sciences property developer Alexandria Real Estate Equities’ investment arm Alexandria Venture Investments.
Khosla Ventures, Alta Partners, Berggruen Holdings North America, Uprising and Fan Ventures also took part in the series A round, which followed $2m in convertible notes in 2016.
