Participated · Series C · Oct 2025

Veradermics is a late clinical-stage, dermatologist-founded biopharmaceutical company focused on first-in-class treatments for common dermatologic conditions. Its lead candidate, VDPHL01, is an extended-release, non-hormonal oral minoxidil tablet positioned to become the first FDA-approved oral therapy for pattern hair loss in both women and men. VDPHL01 is currently being evaluated in three Phase 3 trials after encouraging Phase 2 male data showed average hair count increases of 37.5 hairs/cm² at two months and 47.3 hairs/cm² at four months, with 90.5 % of participants reporting improved coverage and no serious adverse events. The formulation aims to sustain minoxidil exposure to follicles while avoiding cardiac risk–related concentration spikes seen in immediate-release versions. Proceeds from the recent financing will fund completion of Phase 3 registrational trials and a planned New Drug Application submission to the FDA. Beyond VDPHL01, Veradermics is building a pipeline of differentiated dermatology products that combine proven mechanisms with innovative delivery technologies to enhance efficacy, safety, and patient convenience.

Participated · Series C · Jan 2023

Apnimed is developing AD109, a first-in-class oral combination of aroxybutynin (an antimuscarinic) and atomoxetine (a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor) intended to improve oxygenation by addressing the neuromuscular root cause of OSA. AD109 is formulated as a once-daily bedtime pill and has completed two pivotal Phase 3 trials, SynAIRgy and LunAIRo. Apnimed plans to submit a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the second quarter of 2026. To support commercial readiness and a potential U.S. launch if approved, the company secured up to $150 million in a senior secured credit facility from funds managed by HealthCare Royalty Partners. The financing structure includes staged tranches tied to approval and sales milestones and a synthetic royalty on net sales. Apnimed is based in Cambridge, Mass.

Participated · Series C · Jan 2022

Founded in 2014 with operations in South San Francisco and Paris, DNA Script develops Enzymatic DNA Synthesis (EDS) as an alternative to traditional chemical DNA synthesis. The company’s first commercial product is the SYNTAX Platform/System, a benchtop enzymatic synthesis instrument that enables labs to print synthetic nucleic acids on demand. SYNTAX is positioned to let researchers iterate more rapidly by removing multi‑day waits for third‑party oligo providers. DNA Script says the platform targets genomics and molecular biology applications and aims to increase access to oligo manufacturing. The company frames SYNTAX as a step toward a new paradigm for DNA and RNA synthesis and to transform life‑sciences research. Financially, DNA Script completed a second tranche of its Series C, raising $200 million and bringing total capital raised to $315 million since founding. DNA Script is pioneering enzymatic DNA synthesis (EDS) and is commercializing the SYNTAX benchtop DNA printer to put DNA writing capabilities directly in research and clinical labs. The SYNTAX system is intended to make writing DNA as simple and straightforward as reading DNA, enabling same‑day synthesis of oligonucleotides for faster experiment iteration and diagnostic development. The company plans testing with a select group of partners, a beta program later this year, and to accept orders for the printer next year. Recent funding will accelerate development of its suite of EDS technologies, support the commercial launch of SYNTAX, and help ramp commercial and manufacturing capabilities. DNA Script is also participating in the Molecular Encoding Consortium with the Broad Institute and Harvard University to develop deployable DNA data storage and retrieval technology, a project funded by a $23 million IARPA grant. The company was founded in 2014 in Paris. DNA Script develops enzymatic DNA and RNA synthesis technology to produce rapid, affordable, high-quality synthetic nucleic acids. The company has demonstrated the ability to synthesize 200 nucleotides of DNA with high accuracy, showcased at an academic conference. Its platform combines novel biochemical processes and nucleotide chemistry intended to enable genome-scale synthesis and same-day results. DNA Script positions its technology for applications across drug discovery, diagnostics, agriculture, industrial and food technologies, and DNA data storage. The company was founded in 2014 in Paris. The Series B financing announced in this article provides additional capital to further develop its enzymatic platform and expand applications. DNA Script develops a novel enzymatic process for de novo DNA and RNA synthesis that mimics natural biochemical mechanisms. The company’s platform aims to produce long DNA constructs with higher quality, faster turnaround and reduced use of harsh chemicals compared with traditional chemical synthesis. DNA Script positions this technology to address unmet manufacturing needs in cell and gene therapy and to accelerate genomics research. The company cites potential applications across therapeutics, sustainable chemical production, improved crops and DNA data storage. DNA Script was founded in 2014 in Paris and has been described as aiming to become a global leader in biomanufacturing for cell and gene therapy. Financially, the company has raised $27M to date and was recently awarded $2.7M in non-dilutive financing from Bpifrance. DNA Script develops enzymatic DNA and RNA synthesis technology that mimics natural processes to produce de novo synthetic nucleic acids. Its biochemical approach aims to deliver faster turnaround, higher quality, and greater manufacturing flexibility than traditional chemical synthesis while minimizing the use of harsh chemicals. The company positions itself to accelerate innovation across life sciences, with applications in therapeutics, sustainable chemical production, improved crops, and DNA data storage. Management says recent breakthroughs on the platform have advanced development and the company aims to become a global leader in synthetic DNA manufacturing. The synthetic nucleic acids market exceeds $1 billion annually and DNA Script is focused on scaling to meet demand. Financially, the company has raised $24M to date, including a $13M Series A in September 2017 led by Illumina Ventures.

Participated · Equity · May 2021

Caris Life Sciences is a next-generation AI TechBio company and precision medicine pioneer that provides comprehensive molecular profiling through Whole Exome and Whole Transcriptome Sequencing. The company launched MI Cancer Seek after receiving FDA approval; it is the first and only simultaneous WES/WTS-based assay with FDA-approved CDx indications for molecular profiling of solid tumors in adult and pediatric patients. In 2024 Caris commercially launched Caris Assure, a minimally invasive, blood-based assay using a circulating Nucleic Acid Sequencing (cNAS) approach to analyze cell-free DNA and RNA as well as genomic DNA and mRNA from white blood cells to distinguish somatic tumor, incidental clonal hematopoiesis and incidental germline variants. Caris combines sequencing power, big data and AI/machine learning to build a large-scale, multimodal database and computing capability to analyze the molecular complexity of disease. The company says it will use its platform to deliver next-generation precision medicine tools for early detection, diagnosis, monitoring, therapy selection and drug development and to bring its science and technologies to more patients. Financially, Caris closed a $168 million growth capital round and has raised $1.86 billion in capital since 2018. Caris Life Sciences develops comprehensive molecular profiling that analyzes DNA (whole exome sequencing), RNA (whole transcriptome sequencing), and protein biomarkers to reveal a patient’s molecular blueprint for selecting therapies. The company applies sophisticated AI and machine learning to identify proprietary signatures that classify cancer at the molecular level and predict patient response. Caris maintains a molecular database of over 455,000 tumor profiles, including more than 350,000 profiles with matched molecular data and clinical outcomes. Founded in 2008, the company positions itself as a leading innovator in precision medicine. Caris plans to use new capital to repay outstanding debt, enhance its precision medicine platform, and for general corporate purposes. Since 2018 the company has raised approximately $1.7 billion in capital. Caris Life Sciences provides molecular profiling services that assess DNA, RNA and proteins to create a molecular blueprint that supports personalized cancer treatment decisions. The company combines its service offering, Caris Molecular Intelligence®, with its proprietary AI analytics engine, DEAN™, to analyze the whole exome, whole transcriptome and complete cancer proteome. Caris couples these molecular data with mature clinical outcomes on thousands of patients to generate insights for patients, physicians, payers and biopharmaceutical organizations. The company is headquartered in Irving, Texas and has offices in Phoenix, Denver, New York and Basel, Switzerland, providing services across the U.S., Europe, Asia and other international markets. David D. Halbert leads the company as Chairman and CEO. The business emphasizes integrating molecular science and artificial intelligence to advance precision medicine. Caris Life Sciences develops molecular profiling and analytics to guide precision oncology decisions, offering whole exome and whole transcriptome sequencing and proteome analysis. Its product suite includes MI Exome™ and MI Transcriptome™ sequencing, Caris MAI™ (Molecular Artificial Intelligence) and the DEAN™ analytics engine. Caris Pharmatech provides Just-In-Time clinical trial solutions and a network of over 200 research-ready oncology sites to speed site activation and patient enrollment. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, the company also has offices in Phoenix, Denver, New York and Basel and serves markets in the U.S., Europe, Asia and other international regions. The company will use new capital to fund continued growth in precision medicine, accelerate product development and pursue initiatives in the clinical trial and biopharmaceutical markets. Caris is led by Chairman and CEO David D. Halbert. Caris Life Sciences is an Irving, Texas-based provider of molecular science focused on precision medicine through molecular profiling of DNA, RNA and proteins. The company advances a suite of offerings including Caris Molecular Intelligence®, the ADAPT Biotargeting System™, and the DEAN™ AI analytics engine that together support its Next Generation Profiling™. Next Generation Profiling™ aims to analyze the whole exome, whole transcriptome and complete cancer proteome and couple that molecular data with mature clinical outcomes to deliver more precise treatment recommendations. Caris offers services throughout the U.S., Europe, Asia and other international markets. Led by Chairman and CEO David D. Halbert, the company plans to continue development of Next Generation Profiling™ and expand commercial, clinical and R&D laboratory capacity. In January 2018 it raised $150M in funding provided as senior secured debt and convertible notes to support development and other strategic initiatives.

Participated · Series D · Mar 2018

CommonBond is an NYC-based financial technology company that provides a complete suite of student loan solutions, including refinance loans for graduates, new loans for current students, and student loan benefits through its CommonBond for Business platform. Led by CEO and co-founder David Klein, the company has funded over $1.5B in loans and signed more than 200 CommonBond for Business partners. The company raised $50M in Series D equity financing to accelerate growth and invest further in technology. The Series D was led by Fifth Third Capital Holdings and included participation from First Republic Bank, Columbia Seligman Investments, Neuberger Berman, August Capital, Nyca Partners, and individual investors Vikram Pandit and Tom Glocer. The new capital brings total funding to over $130M. CommonBond operates an online lending platform focused on loans and refinancing for higher-education students, using proprietary algorithms to underwrite borrowers and bypass traditional banks. The company says users save about $15,000 on average per loan and that loan volumes are double year-over-year. Since going national three years ago, CommonBond has passed the half‑billion dollar mark in funds lent on its platform. Management reports the business is profitable on a per‑loan basis and projects full corporate profitability in 2018. To expand services beyond origination and refinancing, CommonBond acquired Gradible to enable employer contributions toward student loan payoffs. The company has also tailored its sales and support hiring to fit its student demographic. CommonBond is a tech-enabled consumer lender that provides funding and refinancing for student loans, combining proprietary technology, underwriting, customer service and a commitment to social good. The company completed a $150M securitization of student loan assets in April 2016. That transaction was co-led by Barclays and Goldman Sachs and received an “A” rating from DBRS. Purchasers of the assets included institutional investors such as insurance companies, banks, credit funds and asset managers. CommonBond completed a prior $100M investment-grade securitization in June 2015 and in January 2016 had raised more than $625M in total funding across equity and debt financing. The company expected to issue more securitizations and was on track to surpass $1 billion in loans funded in 2016. CommonBond operates an online student lending platform that today derives roughly 85–90% of its business from refinancing existing student loans while planning to grow its direct-loan business. The company has expanded its reach and says it is now lending to students at every graduate and undergraduate institution across the country. CommonBond reports it has not experienced a default or a 30+ day delinquency, and its prior loan securitizations received strong ratings from agencies. With new lending capacity, the company says it is on track to issue $1 billion in loans in 2016. CommonBond positions itself to offer high-credit borrowers better repayment packages within a U.S. market that has about $1.3 trillion in outstanding student debt. CommonBond is a New York–based marketplace lending platform for student loans where qualified investors purchase loans directly. Led by CEO and co‑founder David Klein, the company says it saves borrowers more than $14,000 on average over the life of a loan. CommonBond follows a one‑for‑one social model: for every degree fully funded on the platform it funds a year of education for a student in need through partner Pencils of Promise. The company is on track to originate more than $500 million in loans by the end of this year and expects to surpass $1 billion in loans funded in 2016. It raised $35m in a Series B round led by August Capital with participation from Nyca Partners and existing investors. The company intends to use the funds to grow its team and scale its operations nationwide, and August Capital partner Tripp Jones joined CommonBond’s board in conjunction with the financing.