Participated · Series B · Aug 2023

Astrocyte Pharmaceuticals is a privately held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in Groton, Conn., focused on developing novel cerebroprotective therapeutics. Its lead candidate, AST-004, has shown efficacy across diverse small and large animal brain injury models and is being evaluated for a broad array of acute brain injuries including stroke and traumatic brain injury. Astrocyte is currently conducting Phase 1B clinical safety studies of AST-004 and is preparing for Phase 2 efficacy studies in 2024. The company is also assessing AST-004 in preclinical models of Alzheimer's disease to explore potential benefits in chronic neurodegenerative conditions. The announced financing will be used to accelerate clinical development of AST-004 and further preclinical assessment in Alzheimer's disease. Astrocyte positions its approach as a potential way to reduce astrocyte-induced excess inflammation and provide neuroprotection in combination and precision medicine strategies. Astrocyte Pharmaceuticals is advancing novel neuroprotective therapeutics intended to reduce brain injury from stroke, traumatic brain injury, concussion and other neurodegenerative conditions. Its lead therapeutic is based on technology licensed from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. The company completed a Series A financing that raised $6 million. Proceeds from the round will be used to advance the lead program into Phase 1 human trials. Astrocyte describes itself as focused on addressing an unmet need for drugs that limit neurodegenerative brain injury. No operating metrics were disclosed in the article. Astrocyte Pharmaceuticals is a privately held drug development company focused on small‑molecule neuroprotective therapeutics for stroke, traumatic brain injury/concussion, and neurodegenerative disorders. The company is committed to proving the neuroprotective benefits of enhancing astrocyte function and advancing related therapeutic agents. Its lead program is AST‑004, which the company and investors cite as having promising preclinical efficacy and a novel mechanism of action. Astrocyte completed a Pre‑A financing that raised over $2.3M to support its development plans. The company intends to use proceeds to advance its first program into clinical studies. The press release also notes research support from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NIH) and the Department of Defense under specific award numbers.

Participated · Series B · Oct 2022

FEMSelect develops EnPlace®, a minimally invasive, meshless system for pelvic floor ligament fixation cleared by the FDA to manage symptomatic uterine prolapse. The technology enables a procedure in under 30 minutes, and clinical studies report women can return to normal activities within a few days. FEMSelect has partnered with LiNA Medical USA and has spent the past year educating physicians on the technology. The company obtained a CMS procedure code earlier this year, enabling healthcare facilities to receive reimbursement for the procedure. EnPlace is currently available in more than 25 US states. FEMSelect plans to use the Series B proceeds to support growth and market penetration of EnPlace, primarily in the US; the company is led by Co-CEOs Debbie Garner and Renee Selman. POP Medical Solutions Ltd. develops NeuGuide, a minimally-invasive, meshless and dissectionless surgical system to treat pelvic organ prolapse (POP). NeuGuide combines a Nitinol-based anchor, surgical sutures and an innovative attachment method and has received FDA clearance. The device was tested in a 15-patient trial in Israel and is currently being used by US physicians in a post-marketing study. POP plans to use new funding to complete the post-marketing study, obtain European CE Mark certification, transfer the product to mass production, and build a US commercial organization for an early 2019 launch. CEO Deborah Garner leads the company and MABA founder Bernie Rudnick will join POP's board as part of the financing.

Participated · Series B · Nov 2021

New View Surgical develops the VisionPort™ System, a disposable surgical imaging and access device that combines multiple imaging and access functions into a single instrument for minimally invasive laparoscopic procedures. The VisionPort is designed to reduce the need for a separate camera port and camera holder and can eliminate the need for a separate team member to manage a laparoscope. The system is intended for a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures within the thoracic and abdominal cavities and is adaptable to a variety of surgical environments. The company says the device can lower capital and recurring equipment costs and make minimally invasive surgery more accessible in emerging markets. To fund commercialization and a limited market release, New View closed a $12.1M Series B-1 equity financing. The company expects to launch the VisionPort in the US before the end of 2022. New View Surgical is an emerging medical device company commercializing the VisionPort™ System, a novel imaging and access platform that combines multiple imaging and access devices into one disposable unit. The VisionPort System simplifies laparoscopic procedures by reducing the need for a separate camera port and camera holder and enables multiple simultaneous views of the operative field. The device is intended for a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures within the thoracic and abdominal cavities and is adaptable to a variety of surgical environments. In emerging markets the system is designed to reduce the capital-intensive equipment currently required for minimally invasive surgery, increasing accessibility. The company received FDA clearance for the VisionPort System in June and has initiated steps for initial market release. New View Surgical recently closed a $9M Series B to fund that market release and has expanded its board as it commercializes the platform. New View Surgical is an emerging medical device company developing proprietary imaging and access technologies for minimally invasive surgery. Its initial product, the VisionPort System, is a novel surgical imaging and access system that aims to simplify laparoscopic procedures by reducing the need for a separate camera port and camera holder and by allowing multiple simultaneous views of the operative field. The VisionPort combines multiple imaging and access devices into a single, easy-to-use disposable device that the company says will deliver clinical and economic advantages. New View will use the $2.5 million Series A to complete development of the VisionPort System, expand its intellectual property portfolio, and submit a 510(k) filing with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The company says the device can reduce capital equipment needs in emerging markets, increase access to minimally invasive techniques, and improve operating room efficiency for surgeons and hospitals.

Led · Equity · Feb 2015

Cerus Endovascular is developing the Contour neurovascular system, an intra-saccular flow diverter and flow disruptor designed to target the neck of intracranial aneurysms to reduce rupture risk. Contour is a pre-shaped fine mesh braid with shape-memory properties that is delivered via an endovascular micro-catheter and can be repositioned for accurate placement. After deployment it conforms to the aneurysm wall and seals the neck opening, promoting healing and lowering hemorrhagic stroke risk. Cerus began a prospective, 30-patient, single-arm, multi-center pre-market safety trial in Europe in November 2018. Financially, the company has raised $8.3 million since January 2017, including $5.9 million in its latest round begun in January 2018, and recently exceeded a $5.0 million target by about $900,000. The company is based in Oxford, U.K., and also has offices in Fremont, California. Cerus Endovascular develops interventional neuroradiology devices and delivery systems, including an aneurysm occlusive device referenced in the articles as Nexsys (also described as e-clipse). The company was founded in 2011 and is based in Oxford, United Kingdom. Its core product is intended as an alternative to surgical clipping, metal coils, and liquid embolics for neurovascular aneurysm treatment. Recent financing is aimed at advancing its device into clinical trials, securing a CE mark, and initiating marketing and revenue generation. Financially, several members of Mid-Atlantic Bio Angels have invested across three rounds, with their total investment now nearly $4.4M. The new funding is expected to support those near-term regulatory and commercial milestones. Cerus Endovascular has developed a minimally invasive implantable medical device intended to treat intracranial aneurysms. The company is based in Oxford, England. Its technology is described as addressing unmet clinical needs in interventional neuroradiology, cardiovascular, urology and gastroenterology markets. Cerus plans to use new funding to initiate product development and to support more in-depth clinical trials aimed at achieving CE marking approval. The company received a $500,000 investment from Mid Atlantic Bio Angels to help advance development and trials. CEO Todd Derbin said the investment will allow further development of the technology.

Led · Equity · Oct 2013

Immunomic Therapeutics, Inc. announced it received $77,728,230 in funding as part of a closed transaction. The funding round included participation from Sonid Inc., HLB GLOBAL Co., Ltd., HLB Co., Ltd., and three additional investors (six investors in total). The company closed the transaction and amended the terms on January 14, 2021. On that same day Immunomic received a third tranche of $16,428,230, bringing the total funding in the transaction to $77,728,230. The reports do not disclose the financing instrument or the intended use of proceeds. No operating metrics or other financial details were provided in the articles. Immunomic Therapeutics is a privately-held, clinical-stage biotechnology company developing nucleic acid immunotherapies through its proprietary UNITE (UNiversal Intracellular Targeted Expression) platform. UNITE fuses pathogenic antigens with lysosomal-associated membrane protein to promote immune processing and is being used in DNA and RNA vaccines to elicit antibodies, cytokine responses, and immunological memory. The company has built a pipeline with six oncology programs and two allergy programs, and is actively evaluating ITI-1000 in a Phase II trial for glioblastoma multiforme (ATTAC-II) in collaboration with the University of Florida and Duke University. ITI-1001 is a cell-free GBM approach that completed a successful pre-IND meeting and expects to file an IND by the end of 2020. ITI also has a significant allergy partnership with Astellas Pharma, academic collaborations with Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Institute, Johns Hopkins, and Duke, and has initiated an infectious-disease vaccine program for COVID-19. Headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, the company plans to use financing proceeds to accelerate trials, expand its team and infrastructure, and broaden UNITE applications. Immunomic Therapeutics develops treatments targeting common allergies including pollen, food and animal allergens. The company says its scientific platform is validated by three commercial partnerships — two with Astellas Pharma and one with Geron/Asterias. Initial license payments received exceed $300 million, and pending milestone payments exceed $55 million, reflecting material partnership value. Immunomic has been funded entirely by angel investors and family offices, totaling just under $20 million in private equity and dividend reinvestment; in December 2015 it paid over $90 million as a cash dividend to investors. The company is led by founder and CEO William Hearl and is described in the filing as an 11-year-old business based in Rockville. It is pursuing additional capital while continuing to commercialize and partner its technology. Immunomic Therapeutics is a clinical-stage vaccine platform company developing vaccines based on its patented Lysosomal Associated Membrane Protein (LAMP) technology. The LAMP technology is intended to increase the effectiveness of the immune response to nucleic acid vaccines while simplifying vaccine design and delivery. The company is led by CEO Dr. Bill Hearl and is based in Hershey, PA, with lab facilities in Rockville, MD. It raised $3M in funding as reported in October 2013. The company intends to use the capital to fund more in-depth clinical trials aimed at progressing toward a product acquisition. No operating metrics were disclosed in the article.