US-based biotechnology company AnaptysBio closed an oversubscribed $40m series D round yesterday that included pharmaceutical company Novo and biotechnology real estate company BioMed Realty’s corporate venturing arm, BioMed Ventures.
BVF Partners, Cormorant Asset Management, Frazier Healthcare, HBM Healthcare Investments and Longwood Capital Partners, as well as a range of undisclosed backers, also took part in the round.
Founded in 2005, AnaptysBio is developing therapeutic antibodies to treat severe adult asthma and peanut allergies, as well as generalised pustular psoriasis – a rare disease characterised by a spread of blisters across the body.
AnaptysBio will use part of the series D funding to support Phase 2 clinical trials for its primary treatment candidates. The remaining money will enable the company to expand its antibody pipeline.
Venture capital fund Avalon Ventures supplied $3m in series A funding for AnaptysBio in 2006, before participating in a $34m Novo-led series B round the following year alongside Frazier, Alloy Ventures, Numenor Ventures and WS Investment Company.
AnaptysBio also secured $8m in equity funding in 2011, and has raised approximately $89m in debt and equity in total, according to regulatory filings.
Hamza Suria, president and CEO of AnaptysBio, said: “We are pleased to welcome such highly respected investors to our shareholder base. Their investment provides strong endorsement of the quality of our pipeline, platform and the team we have built at AnaptysBio.”