Participated · Seed · Sep 2021

Fauna Bio is an Emeryville, Calif.-based biotechnology company that leverages animal genomics to improve human health. Its core product is the Convergence drug-discovery platform, which applies comparative and functional genomics and initially uses gene expression data from hibernating mammals. The platform has identified two compounds and four novel genetic targets undergoing evaluation for heart disease and related disorders, and seven targets aimed at reducing fibrosis relevant to NASH and cardiovascular disease. Fauna Bio collaborates with Novo Nordisk on a target discovery program for obesity and is advancing its internal pipeline toward clinical testing. The company says it will use the $9M Seed financing to expand Convergence and accelerate discovery of new therapeutic targets across a broad range of indications. Leadership includes CEO Ashley Zehnder, DVM, Ph.D., and recent hire Bryan Burkey, Ph.D., as Head of Therapeutics Discovery. Fauna Bio operates a drug-discovery platform that leverages the science of hibernation to identify adaptation-inspired therapeutic targets. Its first platform version focuses on hibernating mammals to uncover mechanisms relevant to human disease. The company highlights applicability to Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, osteoporosis, obesity/diabetes and traumatic injury. Fauna Bio is co-founded by Dr. Ashley Zehnder (CEO), Dr. Linda Goodman and Dr. Katharine Grabek and is based in Berkeley, Calif. The startup raised seed funding to expand and further develop its discovery platform to find new therapeutic targets for human diseases.