Iaso Ventures

🌱 Introducing PIKASO: Translating Microbiology into Actionable Chemistry 🌱 At Pragma Bio, we are pushing the boundaries of small molecule discovery with our platform, PIKASO = Pragma Insights, Knowledge, And Scientific Outcomes. Inspired by Picasso’s journey of simplifying complexity, we have developed a revolutionary approach that distills the complexity of microbial biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) into a streamlined engine for discovering bioactive molecules. 🔍 How does it work? ---------------------- 1️⃣ Core Foundation – We mine biologically and clinically relevant BGCs from nature, focusing on microbial ecosystems to identify potent small molecules. 2️⃣ Leverage Evolution – These molecules, honed by evolution, offer us a significant head start in drug discovery. 3️⃣ Artistry in Science – Using our integrated platform, we optimize and refine these natural products for maximal therapeutic potential. Our unique approach, inspired by Picasso’s art, strips away the complexity to focus on the core elements, enabling us to accelerate drug discovery for human and animal health, as well as provide crop solutions, and support development of strain-based products . 💊 🎨 Like Picasso with the bull, we turn complexity into clarity, with each discovery building on the last. 🕸 🎯🔬 #biotech #Innovation #BGC #SyntheticBiology #SynBio #AI #AIML #SmallMolecules #microbiology #emr #ehr #Microbiome #DrugDiscovery #TechBio

Very proud of the EpiWatch team and the clinical study sites supporting this study! Huge thanks to all of you. https://lnkd.in/eMx25cBu

Interested in meeting top academic and biopharma R&D leaders and learning about groundbreaking research and transformative technologies with significant commercial potential? BioCentury Inc.’s Grand Rounds is for you. Join our Founding Investors 5AM Ventures, ARCH Venture Partners, Iaso Ventures, Lightspeed, MPM BioImpact, Sofinnova Partners, SV Health Investors along with our Insights Partner McKinsey & Company and help shape the roadmap for translating today’s innovation into tomorrow’s products. Drop me a note if you’re interested in receiving the event prospectus.

Exciting news! Biotech startup CatenaBio raises $2.35 million in seed extension round The UC-Berkeley spinout adds American Cancer Society and top biotech VCs to its backers    Today CatenaBio, a groundbreaking biotech spun out of the labs of Jennifer Doudna and Matt Francis at UC Berkeley, announced a successful close of its seed extension round with a raise of $2.35M.    The seed round was backed by existing investors California Innovation Fund, Civilization Ventures, and Pioneer Fund, and brought in new investors LongeVC, Freeflow Ventures, Caffeinated Capital, and the BrightEdge - American Cancer Society  reflecting increasing confidence in Catena’s disruptive approach, early pipeline, and world-class team.   “We’re thrilled to have such an incredible group of investors recognize Catena’s groundbreaking potential to transform the conjugate therapy market,” says CEO Marco Lobba, Ph.D. “The additional funds will enable accelerated buildup of our exciting pipeline of Multi-Payload Conjugates.”   Catena specializes in creating never-before-possible therapeutic structures by enabling multiple kinds of payloads of any size and complexity. Catena’s initial focus areas include first-in-class ‘multi payload conjugates’ called MPCs™. With the seed extension, Catena plans to accelerate development of its lead asset while launching scale-up activities with leading CROs and continuing efforts in support of its existing BD partnerships with Biotech and Pharma collaborators.    “CatenaBio is rapidly escalating the effectiveness and usefulness of antibody-drug conjugates. ADCs are one of the most dynamic fields when it comes to fighting age-related diseases and are being actively explored across multiple vectors, including for oncology treatments,” said Sergey Jakimov, founding partner at LongeVC. “With this funding, CatenaBio is well-positioned to continue their work and rapidly bring the next generation of highly targeted, potent, multi-payload therapeutics to market.”   According to Prof. Marc Lippman, MD, at the Georgetown University Department of Oncology and Internal Medicine “Catena’s approach to MPCs offers one of the most exciting potential improvements in treating solid tumors. Combination therapies have been a standard in Oncology for decades, and Catena's solution allows for the unique production of targeted combination therapies beyond anything in the clinic today. I’m excited to see these therapies advance to benefit patients as quickly as possible.”   Catena’s extended runway with the seed extension sets the perfect stage for generating additional compelling data in support of a Series A later this year.