Participated · Seed · Apr 2026

Acurion develops the OncoGaze™ platform, an AI-powered image analysis system that detects clinically actionable cancer biomarkers from routine pathology slides. The technology is positioned to extract biomarker insights without requiring additional tissue or specialized molecular testing. Acurion builds on foundational research from co-founder and CSO Ludmil Alexandrov, Ph.D., and has published in leading oncology and scientific journals while expanding clinical collaborations. The company says it is moving from validation toward deployment and is focusing on clinical and regulatory milestones. Acurion closed an oversubscribed $4.3 million seed round to fund clinical validation, platform development, regulatory preparation, and commercialization. The company expects to announce further clinical collaborations and regulatory progress in the coming months.

Participated · Series C · May 2020

CalciMedica is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on discovery and development of small-molecule CRAC channel inhibitors to treat severe acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. Its lead product, Auxora, has data from a Phase 2a acute pancreatitis trial and a Phase 2 COVID-19 pneumonia trial suggesting prevention of organ tissue damage and rapid restoration of organ function. Auxora is currently being evaluated in a blinded, placebo-controlled trial in severe and critical COVID-19 pneumonia (up to 400 patients planned; over 200 randomized to date) and a Phase 2b trial in acute pancreatitis is set to start enrolling in the coming weeks. The company plans to use proceeds from the Series D financing to advance clinical development across Auxora and its broader CRAC inhibitor portfolio. CalciMedica is privately held and headquartered in San Diego, California, and the announced financing will be completed in multiple private closings. The financing also included board augmentation with Zafi Avnur, Ph.D., of Quark Venture joining the board, indicating investor operational involvement. CalciMedica is a La Jolla, California-based clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on discovery and development of drugs that target calcium release-activated calcium (CRAC) channels for treatment of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. The company is advancing Auxora (formerly CM4620-IE), a potent and selective small-molecule CRAC channel inhibitor that prevents CRAC channel overactivation. CRAC channels control the entry of calcium into immune and other cell types, and CalciMedica says modulating this pathway can reduce detrimental calcium signaling in inflammatory conditions. The company intends to use the new funding to advance ongoing clinical trials evaluating Auxora in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia requiring oxygen therapy and to accelerate commercial manufacturing for the drug. CalciMedica is led by CEO Rachel Leheny, Ph.D. In May 2020 the company raised $15M in a Series C financing led by Valence Life Sciences with participation from Bering Capital, Mesa Verde Venture Partners and existing investor Sanderling Ventures. CalciMedica is developing selective CRAC channel inhibitors intended to treat inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Over the past year the company reported significant progress identifying and characterizing CRAC channel inhibitors with attractive pharmaceutical properties. Management states these candidates have the potential to become safe and effective drugs for inflammatory and autoimmune indications. Financially, CalciMedica closed the second tranche of a $12M Series C financing and has raised a total of $19M in equity funding to date. Prior financings include a seed round from SR One in December 2006 and a Series B in August 2007. The Series C round included participation from BiogenIdec New Ventures, Sanderling Ventures and SR One. CalciMedica is a San Diego-based biotechnology company focused on autoimmune and inflammatory disease. The reporting states the company raised $1.53 million in its first funding round. The funding was provided by S.R. One, according to a regulatory filing cited by PE Hub. The articles do not disclose specific product candidates, pipeline details, or operating metrics such as revenue or user numbers. No future plans or use of proceeds were detailed in the coverage. The public reporting is limited to the amount raised, the investor, and the regulatory filing citation.

Participated · Seed · Jun 2019

NeuraLace Medical is a San Diego–based medical device startup founded in 2016 by Shiv Shukla that is developing Axon Therapy, a magnetic-field device intended to stimulate damaged nerves and relieve chronic pain. The device is designed to "trick" the brain by stimulating the nerve causing pain, offering a non-opioid treatment option. After seven years of work the company received a notice of allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. NeuraLace is pursuing FDA 510(k) clearance and Shukla anticipated approval could come as soon as Q2 2020. The company raised $3.85 million in seed funding and plans to use roughly $1.1 million for hardware and software development, with the remainder allocated to its FDA application, clinical studies, and building units for commercial launch. With the new funding NeuraLace intends to add five contract software engineers and a full-time senior sales leader, and previous investors have doubled down. NeuraLace Medical develops non-opioid pain reduction treatments focused on chronic nerve pain. Its first commercial product, Axon Therapy, uses targeted pulsed magnetic fields to stimulate and reactivate damaged nerves to manage pain. The company intends to secure FDA 510(k) approval and to launch Axon Therapy using the funds. Once approved, Axon Therapy devices will be manufactured by D&K Engineering in San Diego. The company is led by founder and CEO Shiv Shukla. It raised $2M in funding to support regulatory clearance and product launch.

Participated · Series B · May 2019

Paradigm Diagnostics develops the Paradigm Cancer Diagnostic (PCDx), which uses proprietary sequencing, bioinformatics and technology to identify evidence-based treatment options that may improve a cancer patient’s progression-free survival. The company delivers comprehensive next-generation sequencing results, including mutational load, from a single slide and returns results in 3–5 business days. Led by co-founder, chairman and CEO David Mallery, Paradigm emphasizes rapid, clinically actionable genomic reporting. The recently announced financing will support rapid commercialization of the PCDx test. The article does not disclose revenue or user metrics. The company is based in Phoenix, AZ. Paradigm Diagnostics is a Phoenix, AZ-based developer of cancer diagnostic tests. It has developed PCDx, a clinical-grade NGS-based test designed to identify genomic and proteomic alterations in tumor DNA, RNA and protein to inform personalized cancer treatment. PCDx interrogates the most relevant genomic targets at over 5,000x average depth of coverage and reports 72 therapeutic associations, with results typically delivered in 4-5 business days. The company intends to use the funds from the Series B first close to build out its commercial team and establish research collaborations. The company is led by David Mallery, President and CEO.

Participated · Series B · Jan 2019

Immusoft is advancing a novel engineered B cell therapy platform that programs patients' B cells to continuously produce therapeutic proteins. Its lead program, ISP-001, delivers alpha-L-iduronidase (IDUA) for MPS I and is being prepared for human clinical trials. The company plans to use recent funding to support a Phase I study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of ISP-001 in MPS I patients. Immusoft has received FDA Orphan Drug Designation and Rare Pediatric Disease Designation for ISP-001. The company previously received a $4M CIRM grant in November 2021 to support ISP-002 (iduronate sulfatase) for MPS II. Immusoft has also entered a research collaboration and license option agreement with Takeda to explore delivery of protein therapeutics across the blood-brain barrier for neurometabolic disorders. Immusoft develops a hybrid cell/gene therapy platform called Immune System Programming (ISP™) that uses a non-viral Sleeping Beauty transposon to reprogram autologous B cells to produce therapeutic proteins. Its lead candidate, ISP-001 (iduronicrin genleukocel-T), is designed to express and deliver alpha-L-iduronidase (IDUA) to treat Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I). ISP-001 has received orphan drug and rare pediatric disease designations from the FDA. The company plans to use recent financing to advance ISP-001 through Phase I/II clinical development and to support additional pipeline candidates that leverage the ISP approach. Immusoft also received a $3.5 million SBIR grant to support development of sustained protein delivery across the blood–brain barrier. The platform aims to create long‑lived, B‑cell “miniature drug factories” capable of continuous secretion of gene‑encoded proteins to potentially replace chronic recombinant enzyme replacement therapy. Immusoft develops an Immune System Programming (ISP) platform that uses an ex vivo, non-viral system to genetically modify B cells so they produce gene-encoded biologics. The company intends for reprogrammed B cells to act as long-lived, in‑patient drug factories and is targeting MPS I as its first clinical application. Immusoft is advancing its pipeline toward human testing and is working to complete a Phase I/II clinical trial in MPS-I. Financially, Immusoft has closed a $3M initial tranche of a Series B financing to support those clinical plans, with the full Series B still underway. Leadership changes accompany the financing: Sean Ainsworth (affiliated with 600 Mile Challenge Fund) will assume the roles of CEO and Chairman, founder Matthew Scholz moves to Chief Technology Officer and remains on the board, and Anthony Sun joined the board. The company was founded in 2009 and has worked with major medical and research partners, receiving early support from investors and grantors including Peter Thiel via FF Science, Tim Draper, Technium Partners, Breakout Labs, and the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Immusoft is a Seattle-based gene therapy company founded in 2009 by Matthew Scholz. It developed Immune System Programming (ISP™) technology that reprograms patient B cells to produce gene-encoded medicines (biologics). The company intends to use recently raised funds to submit an Investigational New Drug (IND) application and to expand business operations. Immusoft closed on $2.74M of a planned $3M funding round that was oversubscribed and expected to close soon. The round was led by Founders Fund’s FF Science and Technium Partners. Immusoft is a Seattle, WA-based biotechnology company developing technology to program the human immune system by modifying DNA in immune cells. The company commercializes Immune System Programming (ISP™), designed to re-program human immune cells to produce therapeutics in the body. ISP technology aims to enable in vivo production of therapeutics to treat a range of diseases and to enhance human health and longevity. Potential therapeutic applications cited include HIV, enzyme replacement, autoimmune disorders, neurodegenerative disorders, infectious diseases, and maintenance therapy for cancers. Core components of ISP were developed in the Baltimore Lab at the California Institute of Technology and are exclusively licensed by Immusoft. Financially, the company was awarded an up to $350K grant from the Thiel Foundation’s Breakout Labs.