Participated · Series C · Apr 2025

Atsena Therapeutics is a Durham, NC–based clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on reversing or preventing blindness from inherited retinal diseases. Its lead program, ATSN-201, is being advanced in an ongoing Phase I/II trial for X-linked retinoschisis (XLRS). The company raised $150M in a Series C financing to advance ATSN-201. Atsena’s ATSN-101 completed a Phase 1/2 trial with positive results and is being advanced toward a global pivotal trial under an exclusive strategic collaboration with Nippon Shinyaku Co., Ltd. Leadership includes CEO Patrick Ritschel, and in conjunction with the financing Norbert Riedel, PhD, will join the Board of Directors. Atsena Therapeutics is a clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on developing novel treatments for inherited retinal diseases, including GUCY2D-associated Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA1). Its lead program is an ongoing Phase I/II clinical trial for LCA1 that is currently enrolling patients in the second dosing cohort. The company’s pipeline includes two preclinical programs in inherited retinal diseases and is powered by an adeno-associated virus (AAV) technology platform tailored to address challenges in retinal gene therapy. Atsena intends to use the new funding to advance the Phase I/II trial, complete manufacturing development for Phase 3, and progress preclinical programs toward the clinic. It also plans to expand its team to support R&D and further develop its AAV platform. The company was founded by Dr. Shannon Boye and Sanford Boye and is led by CEO Patrick Ritschel.

Led · Series B · Jun 2022

Nacuity Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in Fort Worth, Texas, developing treatments for retinitis pigmentosa, cataracts and other ocular diseases caused by oxidative stress. Its lead programs include NPI-001 (oral tablets) in a Phase 1/2 SLO-RP study for retinitis pigmentosa associated with Usher syndrome and NPI-002 (a proprietary sustained-release antioxidant intravitreal implant) in a Phase 1/2 trial enrolling vitrectomy patients in Australia. The company has three differentiated clinical programs ongoing in retinitis pigmentosa, cataracts and cystinosis that it positions as potential first-of-a-kind therapies. Nacuity expects interim results from the SLO-RP study for NPI-001 in the second quarter of 2023 and expects results from the NPI-002 study in the second quarter of 2023. The company’s lead technology is based on studies from Dr. Peter Campochiaro’s laboratory at the Wilmer Eye Institute implicating oxidative stress in a broad set of ocular conditions. Proceeds from the financing will be used to advance the clinical trials through proof of concept and for general operations.

Participated · Series A · May 2021

Vedere Bio II develops next-generation ocular gene therapies using a proprietary, mutation-agnostic optogenetics platform and intravitreally delivered AAV capsids to add or restore light-sensing function downstream of photoreceptors. Its approach targets inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) and geographic atrophy (GA) and is designed to work regardless of the underlying genetic cause or disease stage. The company intends its therapies to enable patients to see stationary and moving objects in bright and dim settings without requiring an external vision-enhancing device. Technology origins include work from UC Berkeley and collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania, and the company was founded by the leadership and research team behind the former Vedere Bio (acquired by Novartis in September 2020). Vedere is headquartered at LabCentral in Cambridge, MA and is funded by a syndicate of life science investors. The Series A financing will support advancement of the platform and therapeutic programs, including the lead program toward IND filing, as well as hiring and research investment.

Participated · Series A · Nov 2020

Stargazer Pharmaceuticals is a Boston-based biopharmaceutical company launched in 2018 that focuses on developing novel treatments for rare eye diseases, with an initial focus on Stargardt Disease. Its lead program is STG-001, a proprietary compound being developed specifically to treat Stargardt Disease. The company is collaborating with the Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB), which participated in the financing via its Retinal Degeneration Fund. Stargardt Disease is a genetic orphan disease that leads to legal blindness and affects approximately 1 in 8,000 to 1 in 10,000 individuals; there are currently no approved therapies. Stargazer plans to use the recently raised capital to advance development of STG-001. The company completed a $57 million Series A to support these development efforts.

Participated · Equity · Oct 2020

SparingVision is a French biotech that develops genetic, innovative therapies in ophthalmology for the treatment of blinding inherited retinal diseases. Its lead programs are SPVN06 and SPVN20, which follow a mutation-agnostic approach aimed at treating retinitis pigmentosa (RP). The company intends to use new funding to advance these lead treatments, support first-in-human studies and bring lead assets to clinical validation. SparingVision has pursued a build-up strategy, including acquiring GAMUT Therapeutics and signing a strategic collaboration with Intellia Therapeutics. The company is led by Stéphane Boissel, President and Chief Executive Officer. The article references its first round of financing in 2020. SparingVision is focused on developing mutation-agnostic AAV gene therapies for ocular diseases, with a lead candidate targeting retinitis pigmentosa. Its lead candidate, SPVN06, combines a neurotrophic factor and an oxidative-stress–reducing enzyme in a single AAV construct intended to slow or stop photoreceptor degeneration across genetic forms of RP. The company notes there is currently no approved treatment for RP independent of genetic background and that RP affects nearly two million people worldwide. Proceeds from a €44.5 million financing will primarily fund GMP activities, including manufacture of a first clinical batch, IND/CTA regulatory work, and a planned first-in-man study scheduled to start in 2021. SparingVision is a spin-off of the Paris Vision Institute and plans to expand its management team and commence operations in the US. The press release also announced the appointment of Stéphane Boissel as Chief Executive Officer. SparingVision is a biotechnology company focused on discovery and development of innovative therapies for blinding inherited retinal diseases, particularly retinitis pigmentosa. Its lead program, SPVN06, is a gene-independent drug candidate intended to treat multiple genetic forms of the disease. The company is producing clinical batches and preparing to initiate first clinical trials in Europe and the United States in 2020. SparingVision completed the PHENOROD retrospective natural history study (NCT03975543) with results to be published, and plans the PHENOROD 2 prospective study to begin in Fall 2019. The company is a spin-off of the Paris Vision Institute and has received €15.5 million in prior investment from Bpifrance, the Foundation Fighting Blindness (US) and the Voir & Entendre Foundation. It recently secured €2.5 million in non-dilutive funding from the European EIC Accelerator to accelerate clinical and regulatory development while preparing for new fundraising.