Biotech Funding Roundup: Liver Disease Detection, Mental Health Innovation & Kidney Disease Therapeutics
This week saw significant investment across the biotech landscape, with companies tackling critical challenges in liver disease, mental health, and genetic kidney disorders. Here’s a breakdown of the latest funding rounds and what they mean for the future of healthcare.
Early Detection of Liver Disease Gets a Boost
Owkin, a federated learning platform, is leveraging AI too improve liver disease diagnosis. They’ve partnered with Genentech to develop a predictive model using real-world data and tissue-level biological insights.
This collaboration aims to identify patients at risk before symptoms appear, possibly revolutionizing liver disease management.Learn more about this initiative here.
Amae Health Secures $25M to Reimagine Mental Healthcare
amae Health,a public benefit corporation,is tackling the immense challenge of severe mental illness. They recently closed a $25 million pre-empted Series B funding round led by Altos Ventures, with participation from existing investors.
This funding will fuel expansion of Amae clinics nationwide, further development of their AI-powered care platform, and crucial research into schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and treatment-resistant depression. Amae’s approach combines compassionate in-person care with AI to personalize treatment plans.
As CEO Stas Sokolin explains, traditional models haven’t delivered sufficient progress. Amae is aiming for a paradigm shift. Read the full press release here.
Helex Raises $3.5M to Target Genetic Kidney Diseases
Helex is pioneering a new class of targeted medicines for genetic kidney diseases. They’ve secured an oversubscribed $3.5 million seed round,led by pi Ventures,with participation from Bluehill Capital,SOSV,and a global syndicate. This brings their total funding to over $6 million.
Helex is focused on developing programmable, non-viral lipid nanoparticle therapeutics that deliver treatment directly to kidney cells. Their lead program targets Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD), a debilitating inherited disorder affecting millions worldwide.
The goal? A single-dose therapy that could halt or significantly slow disease progression, offering hope to patients currently facing dialysis or kidney transplant. Explore Helex’s work further here.
Key Takeaways for You:
* AI is transforming diagnostics: Companies like Owkin are demonstrating the power of AI in early disease detection.
* Mental health innovation is gaining momentum: amae Health’s funding signals a growing investment in novel approaches to treating severe mental illness.
* Gene therapy offers hope for rare diseases: Helex’s work highlights the potential of gene editing to address previously untreatable genetic conditions.
Image: J Studios, Getty Images
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