The Venture Codex

Led · Series A · May 2026

Cytospire Therapeutics develops differentiated multispecific engager antibodies that bind and activate both tissue/tumour and blood-resident gamma delta T cells to direct innate and adaptive effector immune responses. Its core technology aims to enable safer and more efficacious targeting of validated antigens that are intractable to CD3 T cell engagers due to toxicity. The company's lead programme, CYT X300, is in IND-enabling preclinical studies while the firm is advancing GMP manufacturing for the asset. Cytospire plans to use its newly raised Series A proceeds to progress this pipeline work. The company is led by CEO Natalie Mount. Recent corporate developments include strengthening the board with appointments from participating investors following the financing.

Participated · Series B · Apr 2026

Ray Therapeutics is a Berkeley, California–based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing optogenetic gene therapies to restore vision in patients with severe retinal degenerations. Its lead program, RTx-015, is an optogenetic gene therapy delivered as a single intravitreal injection and is being evaluated in patients with retinitis pigmentosa. The company’s second clinical-stage program, RTx-021, targets retinal bipolar cells and is designed for macular diseases such as Stargardt disease and geographic atrophy (GA AMD). RayTx’s approach delivers a bioengineered, highly light-sensitive protein to targeted retinal cells with the aim of improving visual function regardless of underlying genetic mutation. The company recently received Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation from the U.S. FDA for RTx-015, and it plans to use recent financing to advance late-stage clinical development and commercial readiness.

Led · Series A · Jul 2025

Actithera applies medicinal chemistry and radiochemistry to develop next-generation radioligand therapies (RLTs) using a proprietary three-pillar discovery platform. The platform combines rational drug design, first-in-class covalent targeting strategies, and two additional proprietary approaches to optimize tumor residence time while ensuring rapid systemic clearance. Its work on fibroblast activation protein (FAP) produced a FAP-directed RLT development candidate with an optimal pharmacokinetic profile and tumor specificity. The company plans to advance its lead FAP asset into clinical development across multiple indications and to expand its preclinical pipeline. Actithera was founded in 2021 and is headquartered in Oslo, Norway and Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Led · Series A · Nov 2023

ViaNautis is a Cambridge, UK–based nanomedicine company spun out of UCL in 2018 under CEO Dr Francesca Crawford. The company has developed PolyNaut®, a versatile nano‑engineered polymer technology designed for targeted intracellular delivery, described as creating a ‘bionic nanoparticle.’ PolyNaut® can be formulated to encapsulate a wide array of payloads from small molecules to genetic materials, including sizes exceeding current viral and non‑viral delivery standards. The platform enhances therapeutic efficacy through direct delivery to the cell cytoplasm, aided by the company’s GOTO® intracellular shuttling technology. ViaNautis intends to use new funding to accelerate product development, expand its scientific and management teams, and establish laboratory facilities. The business recently completed a $25M Series A financing to support these plans.

Participated · Series A · May 2023

Ascend offers CMC services including process development, clinical GMP manufacturing, analytics and regulatory support for advanced modality biotech companies, with an initial technical focus on high‑quality AAV vectors. The company assembled a cross‑functional team of approximately 120 experts by acquiring and merging experienced teams across three countries and two continents. Its technology base uses a split two‑plasmid transfection system for AAV manufacture and a broad suite of assays. Ascend’s operations are headquartered in the UK, with GMP production in Potters Bar (North London), platform research in the San Francisco Bay Area, and process development and analytics in Munich. The business launched alongside a $132.5M Series A, which has enabled the acquisition of CMC capabilities and technologies from Freeline Therapeutics and provides operational runway to build the company. Management says it will continue to refine and flex its model to meet market needs and is presenting capabilities at industry meetings such as ASGCT.