hC Bioscience engineers therapeutic tRNAs aimed at restoring protein function in diseases caused by nonsense mutations and premature termination codons (PTCs). Its lead platform is directed at precision protein editing to address genetically defined conditions, including oncology and inherited genetic diseases. The company says a single tRNA therapy could potentially treat many diseases regardless of the specific gene or mutation location. hC Bio plans to advance lead drug candidates by delivering tRNA both locally and systemically and to broaden its pipeline using the new financing. The company announced a $16 million extension to its Series A, bringing total Series A proceeds to $40 million, which it says will extend runway. hC Bioscience is based in Cambridge, Mass. hC Bioscience is a Cambridge, Mass.-based drug discovery company developing first-in-class tRNA-based therapeutics to correct protein dysfunction in genetically defined diseases. Its lead platform, PTCX ("Patch"), employs engineered tRNAs to suppress premature termination codons (PTCs) and restore full-length protein production, addressing nonsense mutations responsible for roughly 10–15% of human disease. A second platform, SWTX ("Switch"), is being developed to correct disease-causing missense mutations. The company emphasizes restoring protein function without editing genes and aims for single tRNA therapies that could treat many diseases regardless of the gene or mutation location. hC Bio was founded by Leslie J. Williams and Professor Christopher Ahern and has assembled a scientific advisory board including Nobel laureate Craig Mello; David Altreuter, Ph.D., was appointed CTO concurrent with the Series A close. The company closed a $24 million Series A to advance its pipeline and scientific program while pursuing partnerships with pharma and selected internal targets.

Total raised

$40M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Series A

Latest activity

Nov 2022