Blackthorn Therapeutics, a US-based developer of treatments for neurobehavioural disorders, has raised $76m in a series B round that included corporates Johnson & Johnson, Alphabet and Scripps Research Institute.
Alexandria Venture Investments, the venture capital arm of life sciences real estate manager Alexandra Real Estate Equities, also took part, as did Polaris Partners, Premier Partners, Vertex Ventures HC, Altitude Life Science Ventures, Mercy Fund, Arch Venture Partners and Biomatics Capital.
Medical research organisation Scripps Research Institute invested in Blackthorn directly, while internet and technology conglomerate Alphabet and medical group Johnson & Johnson took part in the round through subsidiaries GV and Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC.
Founded in 2016, Blackthorn has developed a cloud-based psychiatry and data platform that leverages bioinformatics, neuroinformatics and artificial intelligence technologies to create personalised treatments for brain disorders. The company recently completed a phase 1 trials for its lead candidate, BTRX-335140.
Brian Chee, managing partner at Polaris Partners, has joined BlackThorn’s board of directors along with Vertex Ventures managing director Lori Hu and Julie Sunderland, managing director of Biomatics Capital.
Blackthorn closed a $54m series A round in early 2017, after GV and Biomatics Capital added $14m to the $40m provided by investors including Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Arch Venture Partners, Mercury Fund and Altitude Life Science Ventures the previous year.
Bill Martin, president and chief operatong officer of BlackThorn, said: “We are grateful for our investors’ support to continue advancing our platform and therapeutic pipeline as we build out a world-class team at the intersection of technology and clinical neuroscience.”