Tag: Novartis Venture Fund

Company News: Merus Secures €31 Million in Series B Round Extension

– Investment brings Series B to a total of €47.6 million

– Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation joins as new investor; receives board seat

Merus B.V., a biopharmaceutical company focusing on innovative human antibody therapeutics, today announced a €31 million (US$42 million) extension to its Series B financing round, bringing the total round to €47.6 million (US$65 million). Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation (JJDC) joined as a new investor along with existing investors Novartis Venture Fund, Pfizer Venture Investments, Bay City Capital, LSP (Life Sciences Partners), and Aglaia Oncology Fund. A representative of JJDC will join Merus’ Board of Directors. Merus will use the new funds to broaden its portfolio of pre-clinical programs for the treatment of cancer patients and to bring its lead programs into phase I clinical testing.

The investment of JJDC in Merus B.V. was announced at the launch of the Johnson & Johnson Innovation Centre in London today.

Earlier this year, Merus presented encouraging research and preclinical data of MCLA-117, a product candidate to treat acute myeloid leukemia, a disease with very poor long-term prognosis. MCLA-117 is based on Merus’ proprietary Biclonics™ ENGAGE platform and is currently in development.

Company News: Anergis Receives Swiss Life Sciences Prize

Prestigious annual award under the patronage of the Swiss Biotech Association and BioValley Basel

Sponsored by BB Biotech Ventures, Novartis Venture Fund and Venture Incubator

Anergis, a company focusing on proprietary allergy vaccines, today announced it has been awarded the Swiss Life Sciences Prize 2013. The prize, which has been granted for the tenth time in 2013, is under the patronage of the Swiss Biotech Association and BioValley Basel. Sponsors of the Swiss Life Sciences Prize are BB Biotech Ventures, Novartis Venture Fund and Venture Incubator. Jury members are Dr. Philippe Dro (CEO, GlycoVaxyn AG), Dr. Reinhard Glück (Former President, Swiss Biotech Association), Dr. Franz Saladin (Director, Chamber of Commerce of Basel), Dr. Dieter Scholer (Member, University Council, University of Basel), Dr. Matthias Staehelin (Head Life Sciences, VISCHER) and Jürg Zürcher (EMEIA Biotechnology Leader, Ernst & Young).