• Translate Bio

  Participated · Series B · Jul 2015

  RaNA Therapeutics is developing a new class of medicines that target RNA to selectively upregulate protein expression in cells. The company’s proprietary platforms focus on epigenetic gene upregulation and messenger RNA (mRNA) stabilization. RaNA is advancing programs directed at spinal muscular atrophy and Friedreich's ataxia and plans IND-enabling studies and lead optimization for priority programs. Proceeds from its recent financing will be used to expand chemistry and oligonucleotide synthesis capabilities and support preclinical development. The company anticipates having up to two novel therapies in the clinic in 2017. RaNA highlights its foundational patents, technology, and experienced leadership as assets to rapidly advance a pipeline across rare genetic, inflammatory, oncologic, metabolic, and neurodegenerative indications. RaNA Therapeutics is developing a platform to selectively activate target genes by modulating long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that interact with the PRC2 epigenetic repressor complex. The company’s lead approach is designed to block PRC2 binding to specific lncRNA regions, thereby inducing expression of associated target genes. RaNA’s technology was licensed exclusively from Massachusetts General Hospital and is based on discoveries from Scientific Founder Jeannie T. Lee, MD, PhD. The firm was co-founded by Atlas Venture, Arthur Krieg, and Dr. Lee and was seed-funded by Atlas Venture the prior year. RaNA intends to use its recent financing to accelerate R&D across multiple disease areas, expand its intellectual property estate in lncRNA, and grow the core team. The company also announced board additions from investors as it advances preclinical development of its programs.

• Covercress

  Participated · Series A · May 2015

  CoverCress develops a winter oilseed crop derived from field pennycress, branded CoverCress, intended to be planted after corn harvest and harvested before soybean planting. The crop is designed to enable three full-season crops in two seasons while delivering cover-crop environmental benefits such as soil carbon sequestration and reduced erosion. CoverCress's seed produces a low-carbon-intensity oil for renewable diesel, biodiesel and sustainable aviation fuel as well as a meal or whole-grain feed ingredient for livestock. Scientists have used plant breeding and advanced gene-editing tools to increase yield, accelerate maturity, and improve oil and meal quality. The company says the seed can provide a cash profit margin to farmers, and it markets the product as a regenerative, revenue-generating cover crop. CoverCress raised $8 million in partner funding to complete final crop development and scale up toward a planned commercial planting in fall 2022. CoverCress develops a new winter oilseed crop (CoverCress) derived from pennycress using plant breeding and genome‑editing tools. The crop is planted at corn harvest in fall and harvested immediately before soybean planting, offering farmers an additional cash crop while serving as a cover crop that builds soil health and holds nutrients over winter. Its grain contains oil and protein similar to canola and has a very low carbon intensity, attracting interest from bio/renewable diesel producers and firms seeking non‑GM protein meal. The company has grown to a team of over 20 and maintains partnerships with Illinois State University, the University of Minnesota, Western Illinois University, and participates in the USDA iprefer grant program. CoverCress plans a commercial launch in fall 2021 and aims to scale to millions of acres across the southern Midwest; the recent funding is intended to build the value chain to support that launch. Mike DeCamp joined as COO to focus on building the value chain for commercialization. CoverCress develops a gene-edited pennycress, branded Covercress, intended as a winter oilseed cash crop that also provides soil cover between corn harvest and soybean planting. The company uses conventional breeding, mutant-population screening with partner universities, and CRISPR to improve yield, maturity, oil content and composition. Its seed oil and press-cake meal are positioned as similar to canola, with higher-value oil and high protein for dairy and swine feed. CoverCress conducts research across three facilities in St. Louis’ 39 North district and has partnerships with the University of Minnesota and Illinois State. Management plans a first commercial crush and commercial launch in 2021 and is expanding its R&D team and field-farmer support headcount. The company says the business is more time- than capital-intensive and has secured runway of at least one year with this raise to complete its fifth field trial. Arvegenix is an ag biotech company engineering genetically improved field pennycress as an oil crop. The company completed a $2.4 million venture financing. The round included a long list of investors, with several agtech-focused backers among them. Named investors include agtech accelerator The Yield Lab, Cultivian Capital, and Monsanto Growth Ventures. Other participants were Michael Roth, the St. Louis County Port Authority, Prelude Ventures, Prolog Ventures, Missouri Technology Corporation, BioGenerator, and St. Louis Arch Angels. The raise was reported in an Agtech Funding Sheet covering Latin American startups, ag marketplaces, bio-inputs, sensors and more. Arvegenix is focused on improving pennycress, a wild mustard-family plant, as an oil-producing crop that can be grown in winter between corn and soybean seasons. The company aims to harvest oil-rich seeds and repurpose the leftover seed meal as livestock feed. Pennycress offers soil protection during winter, requires relatively low pesticide, fertilizer, and water inputs, and has attracted USDA support for biofuel research. Arvegenix plans to expand R&D to increase yields, conduct regulatory feeding studies on press-cake, and develop growing and crushing operations. The company launched in 2013 and is based in St. Louis. It has previously received investments from Helix Fund and Missouri Technology Corporation.

• Sapphire Energy

  Participated · Series C · Apr 2012

  Based in San Diego, California, Sapphire Energy develops algae-based green crude oil. The company operates an R&D facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and is building the first Integrated Algal BioRefinery (IABR) in Columbus, New Mexico. Its Green Crude Farm, also known as the IABR, is a commercial demonstration-scale algae-to-energy facility that integrates cultivation, production and extraction of ready-to-refine Green Crude. Sapphire has announced partnerships and deals with Earthrise Nutritionals, The Linde Group and Monsanto. Leadership is headed by CEO Jason Pyle and president and chairman Cynthia J. Warner. The company has raised more than $300M to date and intends to use the latest capital to directly support its on-schedule commercial demonstration in Luna County, New Mexico.

• PacBio

  Participated · Equity · Aug 2009

  Pacific Biosciences of California Inc is a company that develops gene sequencing technologies. The company announced that SoftBank Group Corp will invest $900 million. The Reuters report on the deal was written by Dania Nadeem and edited by Shinjini Ganguli. The article describes the transaction as SoftBank's latest healthcare investment. The piece does not disclose any operating metrics, valuation, deal terms, or other financial details. Pacific Biosciences develops SMRT (Single Molecule Real Time) DNA sequencing that monitors natural DNA synthesis by observing a single DNA polymerase in real time. Its approach relies on detecting a single DNA polymerase working in a continuous, processive manner. The company is working to apply the platform toward clinical diagnostics through a strategic collaboration with Gen‑Probe. That collaboration will explore co-development of integrated clinical diagnostics systems and begins with an exclusive period of up to 30 months, aiming for a longer-term preferred business relationship to improve diagnosis of human diseases. The two companies may also buy certain products from each other on preferential terms. Financially, Pacific Biosciences received a $50M strategic investment from Gen‑Probe as part of a larger Series F private round and had previously received more than $1.9M in NIH grants in September 2009. Pacific Biosciences develops a technology platform for real-time detection of biological events at single-molecule resolution, including its single molecule real time (SMRT) DNA sequencing technology. The company received grants totaling more than $1.9 million from the National Institutes of Health through the National Human Genome Research Institute. $1,190,022 was awarded over two years to support development of a direct DNA methylation detection method. An additional $714,406 was provided toward an existing NIH grant to support continued development and performance enhancements of SMRT sequencing. The funds are part of the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 Research and Research Infrastructure “Grand Opportunities” grants program. NHGRI indicated the awards will stimulate research ranging from understanding genome function to improvements in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of human illness. Pacific Biosciences is a Menlo Park, Calif., company working to advance DNA sequencing technology and develop a real-time sequencing system. The company plans to use $68 million in new financing to prepare that system for commercial launch in 2010. Over the last year Pacific has raised a total of $188 million. Management says the technology could enable faster, in-office sequencing that shifts care toward preventive and personalized medicine and is focusing on how inheritance and environmental factors affect genetic health. The company faces competition from lower-cost entrants and other genomics firms—examples cited include Helicos, Illumina, 23andMe and Navigenics—which heightens pressure to produce innovation beyond current capabilities. Pacific BioSciences is developing a system that captures individual DNA molecules in tiny holes on a chip and uses enzyme-driven chemistry plus optical imaging to identify each DNA letter. The platform seeks to provide an in‑depth, base-by-base view of a person’s genome, aiming to map an individual’s entire genome in minutes and for under $1,000. The company says it expects to be ready to commercialize the technology by 2010. Pacific Bio faces competitors pursuing low-cost sequencing, including Complete Genomics and BioNanomatrix. The approach is intended to enable applications such as preventive medicine, large-scale data mining for new cures, and broader medical research. The company has attracted substantial venture backing over multiple rounds, reflecting investor confidence in the technology’s potential.

No current team members are available.