Unity Biotechnology, a US-based developer of treatments for anti-aging diseases, raised $35m yesterday to increase a series B round featuring subsidiaries of pharmaceutical researchers WuXi PharmaTech and Mayo Clinic to $151m.
The extra funding was provided by asset management firm Invus Opportunities, philanthropic investment firm Three Lakes Partners, venture capital firm Cycad Group, Pivotal Alpha, and Com Investments, the investment vehicle for entrepreneur Craig McCaw.
WuXi Healthcare Ventures and Mayo Clinic Ventures had joined Fidelity Management and Research Company, Arch Venture Partners, Baillie Gifford, Partner Fund Management, Venrock, Bezos Expeditions, Vulcan Capital and Founders Fund for the round’s $116m first close in October 2016.
Unity is working on treatments for a range of conditions related to aging, such as kidney disease, eye diseases and atherosclerosis, a build-up of white blood cells in a patient’s arteries.
The funding will support an expansion of the company’s research into cellular senescence, a condition that means cells stop dividing, causing the body to lose a critical defence against cancer. Unity also aims to advance preclinical programs into human trials in 2018.
VC firm Arch Venture Partners launched Unity, which had previously operated under the name of Cenexys, in February 2016, revealing that WuXi PharmaTech, Mayo Clinic, Venrock and Arch itself were investors in the company.
Unity revealed the series B close at the same time as the appointment of Graham Cooper, formerly chief financial officer of biotechnology company Receptos, to its board of directors.