Participated · Series A · Jun 2026

Syntax Bio develops a CRISPR-based Cellgorithm™ platform intended to program and accelerate stem cell differentiation to enable scalable cell therapies. The company is advancing a pancreatic beta cell therapy candidate for type 1 diabetes and plans to fund preclinical proof-of-concept studies with proceeds from its expanded Series A. Syntax Bio has publicly reported a collaboration with Mayo Clinic, received a grant from Breakthrough T1D, and published peer-reviewed research in Science Advances describing its technology. Financially, the company expanded its Series A to $14.4 million, bringing total funding to over $25 million. Leadership changes accompanying the financing include a CEO who joined in 2025 and new executive, board, and scientific advisory appointments to support translational development and commercialization. The company positions its platform as a way to replace slow, labor-intensive differentiation processes with a programmable approach to generate functional cells at scale.

Participated · Series A · Jul 2025

Syntis Bio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing oral therapies that harness the small intestine’s biology via its SYNT™ (SYNthetic Tissue-lining) platform. The SYNT platform delivers a transient polydopamine polymer coating in the small intestine to control nutrient uptake, sustain gut-restricted enzymes, and increase oral drug absorption for up to 24 hours. The company’s lead program, SYNT-101, is being developed as a once-daily pill for obesity and has shown preclinical weight-loss and muscle-preservation data as well as early human evidence of nutrient redirection, satiety-hormone modulation, and favorable safety. Syntis is also advancing SYNT-202, a first-in-class oral enzyme therapy for the rare pediatric disorder homocystinuria, and plans Phase 1 studies for both programs. Data from over 100 preclinical pig studies conducted by MIT and Syntis indicate SYNT can block glucose, improve enzyme activity, and increase oral drug bioavailability. The company is headquartered in Boston, MA. Syntis Bio is advancing a portfolio of oral therapies engineered to exploit the small intestine’s biology for metabolic control, digestion and drug absorption. Its lead program, SYNT-101, is a once-daily pill that transiently blocks nutrient absorption in the duodenum to mimic gastric bypass; a formulation is in human trials with a full data readout expected by the end of 2024 and plans to use those data to support an IND filing with the FDA in 2025. The company’s SYNT™ (SYNthetic Tissue-lining) platform delivers a transient polydopamine coating to the duodenum that persists up to 24 hours and, in more than 100 preclinical pig studies, has demonstrated up to 70% glucose blocking, 20x improved enzyme activity, and 4–10x increased oral drug bioavailability. In April 2024 Syntis acquired engineered enzyme programs from Codexis and is developing SYNT-202 for homocystinuria and SYNT-203 for maple syrup urine disease; both completed non-human primate studies and an IND for one candidate is anticipated in 2025. The company is also developing next-generation formulations and discovery-stage programs targeting pancreatic insufficiency and peptic ulcers. Syntis is headquartered in Boston and has raised $15.5 million to date from life-sciences and strategic investors.

Participated · Series A · Apr 2025

Grove Biopharma pioneers a proprietary Bionic Biologics platform that integrates precision polymer chemistry, medicinal and peptide chemistry, AI/ML‑driven computational chemistry, and protein engineering to design fully synthetic, cell‑penetrant molecules. The platform is intended to engage large intracellular targets and disrupt or degrade protein‑protein interactions that traditional modalities cannot reach. Grove’s pipeline initially focuses on oncology and neurodegenerative diseases, leveraging cell permeability to access intracellular disease pathways. The company’s lead effort targets androgen receptor signaling for castrate‑resistant prostate cancer and has shown in vivo proof‑of‑concept while advancing toward an IND submission. Grove originated as a spinout from Northwestern University and is based in Chicago, embedded in the city’s emerging life‑sciences ecosystem. Proceeds from the recent financing will be used to further develop the platform and drive lead oncology programs toward the clinic. Grove Biopharm is a Northwestern University and UC San Diego spinout developing a novel class of 'protein-like polymers' to make drugs targeting Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis and other difficult-to-treat conditions. The company raised $4 million in a seed round led by Portal Innovations. Other investors in the round include Morningstar founder Joe Mansueto, Michael Polsky's family office Skydeck Capital, and Walder Ventures. As part of the investment, Portal's John Flavin will join Grove Biopharma’s board. Grove was co-founded by Nathan Giannesch, CEO Geoff Duyk, and president and COO Paul Bertin. Portal Innovations is based in Fulton Labs in Chicago's Fulton Market, and Grove joins a growing Chicago biotech cluster that includes Jaguar Gene Therapy, Evozyne and CiRC Biosciences. Flavin called the platform a "revolutionary innovation" at the interface of materials engineering, biology, chemistry, and data science.

Participated · Seed · Nov 2024

CrossBridge Bio pioneers dual-payload ADCs that combine a branched tripeptide EGCit linker with synergistic topoisomerase-1 inhibitor and ATR inhibitor payloads, aiming to deliver deeper, more durable antitumor responses while minimizing toxicity. Its lead candidate, CBB-120, targets TROP-2 and has shown potent, durable activity in preclinical models, including tumors resistant to existing ADC therapies. The program garnered significant scientific interest as the most-attended non-plenary session at the 2025 World ADC Conference. The company plans to complete IND-enabling studies and file an Investigational New Drug (IND) application in 2026, moving CBB-120 into first-in-human trials. A recently awarded $15 million grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) will fund GLP toxicology studies, manufacturing scale-up, and analytical development to reach that milestone. Beyond CBB-120, CrossBridge Bio intends to leverage its proprietary platform for additional dual-payload ADC programs that address cancers with limited treatment options. The $15 million non-dilutive grant represents its current disclosed funding and underscores external validation of its scientific approach.

Participated · Series A · Feb 2023

Dimension Inx is a Chicago-based biomaterials platform that designs, develops, and manufactures therapeutic products. The company works with biotech and medical device partners to solve materials problems and also internally develops products for applications ranging from bone regeneration to fertility preservation. Its lead product, CMFlex™, is a 3D-printed regenerative product that recently received U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance—the company's first such clearance. Dimension Inx intends to use its new funding to advance development of its therapeutics focused on functional organ restoration and to expand manufacturing capabilities. In the near term the company will use proceeds to support the commercial launch of CMFlex™. The company is led by CEO Caralynn Nowinski Collens. Dimension Inx develops regenerative medical implants and biofabrication systems to repair tissues and organs. Its core offering is a 3D-Painting Materials Design and Manufacturing System that the company says provides the versatility, manufacturability, and affordability necessary for widespread adoption of tissue-engineered regenerative medical products. The firm is described as an emerging leader in biofabrication in medicine. Dimension Inx is based in Chicago, IL. The company closed a $3.175M Series Seed financing led by KdT Ventures, with participation from Better Ventures and Revolution's Rise of the Rest Seed Fund.