Participated · Series C · Jan 2026

Beacon Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotech focused on harnessing gene therapy for severe retinal disorders, notably X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP) and geographic atrophy. Its lead asset, laru-zova, is in pivotal trials and aims to become a best-in-class treatment for XLRP, with top-line data expected in the second half of 2026. The company estimates that about 14% of the 100,000 U.S. retinitis pigmentosa patients have the X-linked form, underscoring a significant unmet need. Newly raised capital will finance completion of laru-zova’s development and build the commercial infrastructure required for launch. Beacon is also advancing additional pipeline programs for geographic atrophy, an inherited cone-rod dystrophy, and another undisclosed ocular indication. Backed by a syndicate of leading life-science investors, the company remains pre-revenue and relies on venture funding to progress its portfolio.

Participated · Series B · Oct 2024

Purespring Therapeutics develops adeno-associated viral (AAV) gene therapies that directly target the podocyte, a specialised cell implicated in approximately 60% of renal diseases. Its pipeline is led by PS-002 for IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and includes programmes for complement-mediated kidney diseases, a nephrotic syndrome programme, and an undisclosed glomerular kidney disease programme. The company plans to use the new funding to support the pipeline and to initiate a Phase I/II clinical trial for IgAN. Purespring will present its IgAN data publicly for the first time at the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Kidney Week on October 26 in San Diego. The company is led by CEO Julian Hanak and was founded with backing from Syncona, which remains a founding investor and board participant. The financing is intended to broaden Purespring’s financial scale to advance clinical development and programme execution.

Led · Series B · Jun 2024

iOnctura is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on precision oral small molecules that target neglected and hard-to-treat cancers. Its lead program, roginolisib, is an allosteric modulator of PI3Kδ and has progressed into mid-stage clinical development. A second candidate, cambritaxestat, is an autotaxin inhibitor also in clinical development for oncology. The company intends to use recent financing to accelerate development of roginolisib for uveal melanoma and other indications. iOnctura plans to commence trials in additional cancer indications, including non-small cell lung cancer and primary myelofibrosis, later in 2024. The company is led by CEO Catherine Pickering and maintains a wholly owned Swiss subsidiary, iOnctura SA, in Geneva. iOnctura is a clinical-stage biotechnology company advancing selective cancer therapies that target proteins involved in proliferation, immune evasion, and drug resistance. The company is developing IOA-289, a drug candidate aimed at fibrotic tumours characterized by high connective tissue formation, including pancreatic cancer. IOA-289's mechanism seeks to inhibit 'bad' connective tissue cells that support tumors while preserving 'good' connective tissue cells that oppose them. iOnctura positions its multi-pathway targeting approach as offering significant clinical benefits over traditional single-pathway strategies. The company was recently awarded funding from KWF Kankerbestrijding (Dutch Cancer Society) to further develop IOA-289. No operating metrics or financial amounts were disclosed in the announcement. iOnctura BV is a clinical-stage biotech based in Amsterdam developing selective cancer therapies that target pathways involved in cellular proliferation, immune escape, and drug resistance. Its pipeline includes IOA-244, a highly selective allosteric PI3Kδ inhibitor, and IOA-289, a highly selective, non-competitive autotaxin (ATX) inhibitor. The company has progressed both candidates into mid-stage clinical development. On 8 December 2022 iOnctura announced the first patient was dosed in a Phase Ib trial of IOA-289 in metastatic pancreatic cancer. Led by CEO Catherine Pickering, iOnctura intends to use the new funds to advance the clinical program for IOA-289. The financing was provided to support continued clinical development of its oncology candidates. iOnctura is a spin-out from Merck with a pipeline of carefully selected assets licensed from Merck and Cancer Research UK. The company aims to uncover the key to unlock difficult-to-treat tumors burdened by stroma and immune-mediated resistance. iOnctura has demonstrated innovation through pioneering scientific research and collaborations with world-renowned partners, and is exploring new mechanisms of action. In a notable development, FIF granted iOnctura a growth loan of CHF 400,000. That CHF 400,000 award is the largest amount FIF has granted to date and the first time FIF issued a growth loan. The funding was announced as part of FIF’s program to foster innovation aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. iOnctura develops differentiated, next-generation molecules that harness both immune-mediated and direct anti-tumour activity to improve clinical efficacy and safety in oncology. Its lead program, IOA-244, entered the clinic in Q1 2020. A second program is a novel autotaxin (ATX) inhibitor now at IND stage for patients with solid tumours complicated by cancer-associated fibrosis. The company intends to accelerate development of its dual immune- and tumour-targeting therapies using the newly raised funds. iOnctura was founded in June 2017 as a spin-out from Merck and was seed funded by M Ventures. The company is led by CEO Catherine Pickering and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

Led · Equity · Jun 2024

Yellowstone Biosciences is a therapeutic biotechnology company spun out of the University of Oxford that develops soluble bispecific T‑cell receptor (TCR)‑based T‑cell engagers targeting HLA Class II‑presented peptides. The company leverages a proprietary biobank of over 10,000 samples from more than 3,000 AML patients, collected over two decades in Prof. Paresh Vyas’s laboratory, to identify frequently expressed peptide antigens. Its lead programme is focused on AML and aims to create highly selective TCR‑based therapies that can kill tumour cells while sparing healthy cells. Yellowstone plans to broaden its pipeline into other common cancers that express HLA‑II, including ovarian, non‑small cell lung, colorectal, prostate, breast, renal cancers and melanoma. Syncona committed £16.5 million to support the company’s operational build, progression of the lead AML programme, and exploration of pipeline expansion. The company is headquartered in Oxford, UK, and is led by co‑founder and CSO Prof. Paresh Vyas alongside CFO Julian Hirst and Executive Chair Neil Johnston.

Led · Series A · Apr 2023

Mosaic Therapeutics combines advanced computational methods with large‑scale experimental approaches to identify and develop targeted oncology therapies for biomarker‑stratified populations. The company applies research from co‑founder Dr Mathew Garnett’s Translational Cancer Genomics Laboratory and maintains a bespoke relationship with the Wellcome Sanger Institute, giving it access to deep scientific expertise and biological assets. Mosaic’s lead programmes are being advanced through preclinical development toward IND‑enabling studies. The Series A financing will support progression of the pipeline and recruitment across senior leadership, experimental biology, and computational teams. The company was co‑founded by Dr Mathew Garnett, Professor Emile Voest, and Dr Adrian Ibrahim, and recently appointed Brian Gladsden as CEO. Mosaic positions its platform to discover therapies for molecularly defined patients in cancer indications with high unmet need.