Participated · Series C · May 2023

Boundless Bio is a clinical‑stage, next‑generation precision oncology company focused on developing therapeutics directed against extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) found in oncogene‑amplified cancers. Its lead program, BBI-355, is an orally available, potent, and selective CHK1 inhibitor identified via the company’s Spyglass research platform and designed to be synthetically lethal to ecDNA‑bearing cancer cells. BBI-355 is being evaluated in the ongoing Phase 1/2 POTENTIATE trial (NCT05827614) as a single agent and in combination with select therapies to determine safety, maximum tolerated dose, and recommended Phase 2 dose. The company is also advancing a preclinical pipeline of differentiated ecDNA‑directed therapy candidates. Boundless Bio is developing a proprietary ecDNA diagnostic clinical trial assay called ECHO (ecDNA Harboring Oncogenes) in partnership with SOPHiA GENETICS to support patient selection and development. The company will use new capital to fund clinical development, preclinical programs, and diagnostic assay advancement. Boundless Bio is a next-generation precision oncology company developing therapeutics directed against extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) in aggressive cancers. Its Spyglass™ platform combines proprietary ecDNA-driven and pair-matched tumor models with imaging and molecular analytical tools to interrogate ecDNA biology and discover targets that are synthetically lethal in ecDNA-driven tumors. From Spyglass, the company has discovered and validated three ecDNA-essential targets and has initiated drug discovery programs against each. Boundless is also developing the ECHO™ companion diagnostic to identify patients with ecDNA-driven tumors. The company plans to advance multiple ecDNA-directed therapeutic programs into the clinic and expand its pipeline of novel cancer therapies targeting ecDNA. Headquartered in San Diego and launched in 2019, Boundless says it will use the proceeds of its Series B to fund these clinical and pipeline activities. Boundless Bio is focused on interrogating and targeting extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) to create a new class of cancer medicines for tumors with high copy-number, focal gene amplifications. The company has developed technology to identify and characterize ecDNA-driven tumors and is using those tools to discover and validate novel cancer targets. Its initial programs are directed at high copy-number, focal gene amplification solid tumors, where ecDNA are believed to be primary drivers of growth, resistance, and recurrence. Leadership includes CEO Zachary Hornby and Chairman Jonathan Lim, and the scientific founders feature Paul Mischel and other academic leaders in cancer genomics and computational biology. Boundless Bio intends to exploit ecDNA’s unique vulnerabilities to develop targeted, proprietary therapies that counteract ecDNA-driven treatment evasion. The company completed a $46.4 million Series A financing to advance these efforts.

Participated · Equity · Jan 2022

Maze Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that uses human genetics and its Compass platform to develop novel small-molecule precision medicines for renal, cardiovascular and related metabolic diseases. Its pipeline is led by two wholly owned lead programs, MZE829 (an oral APOL1 inhibitor) and MZE782 (an oral SCL6A19 inhibitor). MZE829 is being evaluated for APOL1 kidney disease, including focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), with a Phase 2 trial expected to begin by Q1 2025. MZE782 is in a Phase 1 healthy volunteer trial with plans to evaluate it for chronic kidney disease (CKD) and phenylketonuria (PKU); Phase 1 data are expected in the second half of 2025. The company announced an oversubscribed $115 million Series D financing (which included conversion of issued convertible notes previously purchased by existing investors) to support advancement of these clinical programs and future pipeline work. Maze is based in South San Francisco, Calif., and intends to use the financing to optimize its upcoming Phase 2 trial and further explore the potential of both lead programs. Maze Therapeutics applies advanced data science, human genetics and functional genomics via its Maze Compass platform to discover small-molecule and biologic therapies for genetically defined disorders. The company has generated nine programs and two joint ventures since its 2019 launch and is advancing programs across rare and common genetically defined diseases. Its most advanced programs include MZE001 for Pompe disease, an APOL1 program for chronic kidney disease, and an ATXN2 program for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). MZE001 is expected to enter the clinic in the first half of 2022 as the company transitions to clinical-stage development. Maze intends to use its platform and the recent financing to expand variant functionalization and accelerate end-to-end computational chemistry–informed drug discovery. The company is based in South San Francisco. Maze Therapeutics was launched to translate human genetic insights—specifically genetic modifiers—into novel therapeutics. The company aims to expand understanding of natural disease protection provided by genetic modifiers by combining global studies of human genetic variation with large-scale gene perturbation experiments. Maze plans to use those integrated insights to create medicines built around protective modifier genes to treat multiple diseases. The company announced an initial investment commitment of $191 million to support its launch and R&D activities. Maze has assembled a team of prominent scientific founders and senior leaders to drive discovery and drug development.

Participated · Series B · Dec 2021

OncoMyx has built an immunotherapy platform that uses myxoma, a natural oncolytic virus, to deliver multiple cancer-killing payloads in a single therapeutic. The myxoma platform is engineerable as a large dsDNA poxvirus, inherently immuno-interactive, not pathogenic to humans, and amenable to IV and repeat dosing. Its multi-armed myxoma virus expresses different antitumor immunomodulatory proteins to modulate the tumor microenvironment and stimulate anti-tumor immunity. The company has generated preclinical safety and efficacy data across a broad range of models and plans to advance its lead candidate into clinical trials next year to assess IV dosing safety and efficacy. OncoMyx’s platform was developed from research in Dr. Grant McFadden’s lab and was exclusively licensed from Arizona State University. The company emphasizes combination potential with checkpoint inhibitors and chemotherapies and has assembled an experienced immuno-oncology team to advance its pipeline. OncoMyx Therapeutics develops oncolytic immunotherapies using a proprietary myxoma virus (MYXV) platform. The MYXV platform was spun out from Arizona State University and is supported by over 30 peer-reviewed publications by ASU Professor Grant McFadden and collaborators. Preclinical studies in mice and testing on cancer patient samples from the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale have shown encouraging immune responses against tumors. The company positions its MYXV approach as non-human-pathogen, inherently immuno-stimulatory, easily multi-armed, and amenable to systemic delivery to complement immune checkpoint blockade. OncoMyx plans to use its recent financing to advance development of its lead oncolytic virus therapeutic program for the treatment of various cancers. The company has assembled a team of OV experts including founder/CEO Steve Potts and research advisor Grant McFadden.

Participated · Series B · Apr 2020

Erasca is a San Diego–based precision oncology company founded in 2018 that advances multiple targeted cancer programs. The company pursues in-house drug discovery to develop precision therapies directed at undisclosed targets and expands its pipeline via academic and biopharmaceutical collaborations. Erasca has assembled a portfolio of potentially first‑in‑class and best‑in‑class assets aimed at significant unmet medical needs across multiple cancer types. The company will use the new financing to fund clinical development of multiple oncology programs, continue corporate development efforts, and further advance its in‑house discovery pipeline. Erasca has raised $300 million in total capital to date, including a Series B that has been extended to $236 million. Investors named in the announcement include ARCH Venture Partners, City Hill Ventures, Cormorant Asset Management, and new participants Partner Fund Management and OrbiMed. Erasca is focused on developing targeted therapies that shut down key cancer pathways. The company advances multiple in-house drug discovery programs directed at undisclosed targets and pursues in-licensing and collaborations to expand its pipeline. Management says it has assembled a proven team and world-class collaborators and has made substantial progress since commencing operations just 18 months ago. Erasca will use financing proceeds to support clinical development of multiple oncology programs and to further advance its discovery pipeline. Financially, the company has raised more than $260 million to date, including the newly announced round. Its stated mission is to "erase cancer" and it targets both potentially first-in-class and best-in-class assets to address unmet needs in oncology. Erasca is developing oncology therapeutics using computational and biological approaches to target core drivers of cancer. The company operates multiple discovery programs for undisclosed biological targets and pursues pipeline expansion through academic and biopharmaceutical collaborations. Its proprietary OPRA (Oncology Pattern Recognition Algorithm) AI platform leverages machine learning and large-scale datasets to elucidate tumor biology and prioritize therapeutic strategies, including single-agent and combination approaches. Erasca plans to use new funds to potentially in-license investigational compounds and accelerate OPRA’s buildout to drive discovery and development of next-generation oncology drugs. Financially, the company completed a Series A extension that brought total Series A proceeds to $64M. Erasca, founded in 2018 and based in San Diego, is focused on advancing scientific approaches to erase cancer by developing a new generation of oncology drugs. The company has multiple discovery programs underway targeting biological drivers of cancer, though the specific targets are undisclosed. Erasca intends to use its financing proceeds to advance drug development and move programs into human clinical studies. It anticipates disclosing more about those programs as it progresses into clinical trials. The company is also pursuing pipeline expansion through academic and biopharmaceutical collaborations. Leadership includes founder Jonathan E. Lim, M.D., with Gary Yeung, CFA, as Chief Business Officer and Robert Shoemaker, Ph.D., as Vice President of Biology.

Led · Series C · Jan 2018

Bonti is a clinical-stage biotechnology company based in Newport Beach, California focused on developing EB-001, an investigational botulinum neurotoxin serotype E (BoNT/E) with a fast onset and short duration of effect. EB-001 is being developed for targeted therapeutic and aesthetic indications, including post-surgical and non-surgical musculoskeletal pain. The candidate has a rapid onset (within 24 hours) and a shorter duration (about 3–4 weeks) versus marketed BoNT/A products, a profile the company believes suits several clinical uses. Bonti is conducting Phase 2 pain studies (LANTERN-1 ongoing and LANTERN-2 planned) and preparing for an End of Phase 2 FDA meeting. The company announced the appointment of David Ramsay as Chief Financial Officer, effective February 2018. Financially, the Series C brings cumulative investment in Bonti to over $36 million. Bonti is a clinical-stage biotechnology company based in Newport Beach, California, focused on developing EB-001, a botulinum neurotoxin serotype E (BoNT/E) with a differentiated clinical profile. EB-001 has a faster onset of action (about 24 hours) and a shorter duration (about four weeks) compared with marketed BoNT/A products, and is being pursued for both aesthetic and non-surgical and post-surgical therapeutic uses. The company plans to complete a Phase 2 clinical study in the aesthetic indication and to initiate a Phase 2 study for a long-acting, non-opioid musculoskeletal therapeutic in the second half of 2017, with interim data targeted by year-end. Management says proceeds will also propel the company past regulatory steps and enable broader sharing of clinical findings with healthcare professionals. Financially, Bonti has completed a Series A and Series B, bringing cumulative investment to over $20 million to date. The team includes neurotoxin experts with prior experience at Allergan and is positioning EB-001 for multi-billion dollar addressable markets.