• Cytospire Therapeutics

  Participated · 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.

• Hoba Therapeutics

  Led · Series A · Dec 2023

  Hoba Therapeutics is a Copenhagen-based biotech focused on developing restorative therapeutic proteins for chronic neuropathic pain and hearing loss. The company is advancing HB-086, a non-opioid compound that targets the peripheral nervous system to reverse neuropathic pain, as its lead program. A second candidate, HB-097, is being developed for sensorineural hearing loss and preclinical data show both preventive and regenerative effects on nerve cells. Hoba intends to use the new funding to advance HB-086 through late preclinical development and to the completion of Phase 1 clinical studies in patients with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). The company was founded in 2016 by Novo Holdings and Borean Innovation and is led by CEO Torsten M. Madsen. Prior support includes an Accelerator grant from the European Innovation Council (2021) and a Grand Solution grant from Innovation Fund Denmark (2018).

• Heartseed

  Participated · Series D · May 2023

  Heartseed develops HS-001, an allogeneic iPSC-derived, highly purified ventricular cardiomyocyte spheroid therapy intended to remuscularize the myocardium and promote neovascularization. The company completed first human dosing of HS-001 in December 2022 and reports initial safety and early signs of efficacy. Heartseed plans to use new funds to complete its Phase 1/2 LAPiS study in Japan and to build an organization for product launch. It is also examining less invasive delivery, such as transendocardial catheter injection, for global development by Novo Nordisk. Since its founding in 2015, Heartseed has raised a total of 10.2 billion JPY (approx. $74 million). The LAPiS study is a 52-week, open-label, dose-escalation Phase 1/2 trial in patients with advanced ischemic heart failure with primary safety assessment at 26 weeks and secondary endpoints including LVEF and myocardial wall motion. Heartseed raised 4 billion yen (approx. $37M) in a Series C financing. The company will use the funds to accelerate initiation of a global clinical trial of HS-001 for heart failure, confirm proof of concept in the Phase 1/2 LAPiS study in Japan, and examine less invasive administration such as transendocardial injection via catheter. HS-001 is an allogeneic iPSC-derived, highly purified ventricular cardiomyocyte spheroid designed to improve retention rate and viability by forming micro-tissue-like spheroids. The spheroids are transplanted using a special administration needle (SEEDPLANTER®) and guide adapter developed for safe and efficient delivery into the myocardial layer. The round brought Heartseed’s total financial backing to 8.2 billion yen (approx. $75M) since its foundation in 2015. The company is led by co-founder and CEO Professor Keiichi Fukuda and is based in Tokyo, Japan. Heartseed is a Tokyo-based biotechnology company originating from Keio University that is developing HS-001, an allogeneic iPSC-derived cardiomyocyte spheroid therapy for severe heart failure. The company is preparing to initiate clinical trials for HS-001 and is arranging clinical-trial supply logistics. In advance of the trial, Heartseed will outsource manufacturing to Nikon CeLL innovation Co., Ltd. and is discussing transport of the cardiomyocyte spheroids with MEDIPAL. MEDIPAL and its wholly owned subsidiary SPLine will collaborate with Heartseed on logistics and will begin research on transport solutions for the therapy. MEDIPAL will also acquire an equity stake in Heartseed as part of the capital and business alliance. MEDIPAL brings a distribution system compliant with Japanese GDP guidelines and an ultra-low temperature transport system used for regenerative medicine products. Heartseed develops iPSC-derived ventricular-specific cardiomyocytes as a regenerative medicine approach for heart failure. Its lead program, HS-001, is intended to engraft in patients' hearts long-term and is positioned as a potential curative therapy for severe HFrEF. The company says it has solved key technical challenges including ventricular-specific cardiomyocyte differentiation, purification, large-scale manufacturing and efficient cell delivery. Heartseed planned to initiate a Phase 1/2 clinical trial for HS-001 in late 2020 and is supporting an investigator-initiated trial for dilated cardiomyopathy expected in the first half of 2020. Financially, Heartseed announced a ¥2.8 billion (approx. $26M) Series B and reports total financial backing of ¥3.8 billion (approx. $35M).

• DiscGenics

  Participated · Series C · Aug 2020

  DiscGenics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in Salt Lake City, Utah, developing regenerative, cell-based therapies to alleviate pain and restore function in patients with degenerative diseases of the spine. Its lead product candidate is Injectable Discogenic Cell Therapy (IDCT), an allogeneic, homologous, injectable cell therapy using biomedically engineered progenitor cells derived from intervertebral disc tissue. IDCT is being developed as a non-surgical, potentially regenerative treatment for patients with mild to moderate degenerative disc disease. The company will use the new capital to support ongoing clinical trials of IDCT for lumbar degenerative disc disease, to fund future commercialization activities in the U.S. and Japan, and to scale up and scale out its allogeneic cell manufacturing facility in Salt Lake City. DiscGenics is led by CEO and Chairman Flagg Flanagan. The company recently added two new board members: Colin Lee Novick and neurosurgeon Najeeb Thomas, M.D. DiscGenics is a clinical-stage regenerative medicine company based in Salt Lake City, Utah, focused on therapies for degenerative diseases of the spine. Its lead product candidate, IDCT, is a homologous, allogeneic, injectable cell therapy aimed at treating patients with mild to moderate degenerative disc disease. The company closed a $14M Series B that brings total funding to $21.7M. Proceeds will support clinical development of IDCT in the U.S. and Japan, ramp translation of its cell therapy manufacturing process for Phase III clinical and commercial production, and fund ongoing operations. The round was jointly led by the company’s Board of Directors, existing long-term investors and new investment partner and observer Mitsubishi UFJ Capital Co. Ltd. DiscGenics is led by CEO and Chairman Flagg Flanagan.

No current team members are available.