Novartis Venture Fund, the $750m corporate venturing division of pharmaceutical firm Novartis, has led a €32m ($41.8m) series A round into France-based biopharmaceutical GenSight Biologics.
There was also involvement from venture capital firms Abingworth, Versant Ventures and Index Ventures.
The new funds will be used to develop a gene replacement therapy for Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) and an optogenetic therapy for retinitis pigmentosa (RP).