Finance, Grants, Deals

Wilson Therapeutics AB, a one-product company created by a Swedish venture capital company, has raised $40 million in a Series B round led by an international syndicate of venture funds.

AAVLife SA, a French start-up company that is using an adeno-associated virus vector to deliver a new gene therapy, has raised $12 million in a series A equity placement led by Versant Ventures Management LLC of Menlo Park, California.

Spinifex Pharmaceuticals Pty, an Australian developer of chronic pain treatments, has raised US $45 million in a Series C financing round from venture capitalists led by Novo A/S of Denmark and the new investor, Canaan Partners of Menlo Park in California.

Edinburgh-based NuCana BioMed Ltd has raised $57 million in a Series B financing round to support the development of cancer medicines that are chemically adapted nucleoside analogues, reportedly with an enhanced ability to trigger cancer cell death.

Newron Pharmaceuticals SpA, which has candidate products for pain and diseases of the central nervous system, has raised CHF 18.6 million (€15.2 million) in a share placement with institutional investors.

InDex Pharmaceuticals AB of Sweden has secured a licensing agreement with Almirall SA of Spain giving that company European marketing rights for its lead drug candidate for ulcerative colitis Kappaproct. The agreement comes ahead of the release of top-line data from a Phase 3 study of the therapy in patients experiencing a severe stage of the disease.

Evotec AG has signed a partnership agreement with the Debiopharm Group of Switzerland to discover and develop novel compounds for the treatment of multiple forms of solid tumours and leukaemias which have defined genetic alterations.

Genomic Vision SA, a French company focused on DNA analysis and genetic testing in cancer and inherited disorders, has raised €23 million with an initial public offering on the regulated market of the Euronext exchange in Paris. The shares start trading on 7 April.

Transgene SA, a developer of oncolytic virus therapies and an indirect subsidiary of the Institut Mérieux Group, has raised €65.5 million in a two-part share offering enabling it to carry forward an ambitious clinical trial programme for its portfolio of immunotherapies.

Nanobiotix SA, which produces nanoparticles designed to increase the efficacy of radiotherapy, has increased its capital with a €28.1 million offering on the NYSE Euronext Paris exchange. Proceeds will be used to advance its lead cancer agent – a medical device.