MedCitizens

StartUPDATES: New developments from healthcare startups

News from innovative healthcare startups from Specifica, Aerovate Therapeutics and more.

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Specifica has designed and created an exclusive antibody display library in collaboration with Scholar Rock. The collaborative library design will enable Scholar Rock to more easily and efficiently discover antibodies with characteristics critical to creating quality therapeutics.


Aerovate Therapeutics has closed a $72.6 million Series A funding round to support its treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension in the form of an inhaled, dry powder aerosol version of imatinib.  Sofinnova Investments led the Series A round for Aerovate, which was founded and incubated by RA Capital Management. Other new investors that took part in the round included Atlas Venture, Cormorant Asset Management, Surveyor Capital (a Citadel company) and Osage University Partners. Click here to read more.


Taysha Gene Therapies, which develops therapies for central nervous system disorders, raised $95 million in an oversubscribed Series B round. A syndicate of life science investors took part in the round led by Fidelity Management & Research Company. It included new investors:  BlackRock, GV (formerly Google Ventures), Invus, Casdin Capital, Franklin Templeton, Octagon Capital, Perceptive Advisors LLC, Sands Capital, ArrowMark Partners and Venrock Healthcare Capital Partners. Founding investors PBM Capital and Nolan Capital also took part in the Series B round. Click here to read more.


Ginger, a digital health startup that lets users chat with a mental health coach, raised $50 million in funding in a series D round. Advance Venture Partners and Bessemer Venture Partners led the funding round. Cigna’s venture arm, Kaiser Permanente Ventures, and LinkedIn Executive Chairman Jeff Weiner also took part in the round. Click here to read more.


MedCity’s next conference, INVEST Digital Health virtual, is set for September 21-25. It will spotlight healthcare startups as part of the Pitch Perfect competition across four categories: Chronic Disease Management and Value-based Care
Tech to Boost Payer/Provider Efficiency, Home Health, and Employee Benefits. To learn more and apply, click here.

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