Switzerland-based gene therapy developer Anjarium Biosciences has completed a CHF55.5m ($60m) series A round that included Pfizer Ventures, the strategic investment arm of pharmaceutical firm Pfizer.
Investment firms Abingworth and Gimv co-led the round, which also featured private equity firm Omega Funds and Surveyor Capital, a subsidiary of hedge fund manager Citadel.
Anjarium is developing non-viral tissue-targeted gene therapies to treat genetic diseases. It intends to channel the funding into platform development, increasing its staff numbers and advancing its product pipeline.
Joël de Beer, Anjarium’s founder and chief scientific officer, said: “As the limitations of conventional viral-vector based gene therapies to deliver optimal patient outcomes become increasingly evident, a fully non-viral approach represents an exciting new therapeutic opportunity.
“Backed by this syndicate of leading investors, the Anjarium team is looking forward to continuing to create and deliver solutions for patients beyond what current gene therapy platforms can address, tackling more diseases, more precisely and in a more personalised way.”
