Third Rock Ventures

Today we start. We are thrilled to announce our official launch of Merida Biosciences, with $121M in Series A financing. Merida’s mission is to improve the lives of patients living with #autoimmune and #allergic diseases through the discovery and development of a new class of precision biotherapeutics. Our platform has the potential to selectively, completely and durably eliminate the pathogenic antibodies that underpin over two dozen diseases, while inhibiting the B cells that produce them. Merida was seeded in 2022 by Third Rock Ventures while our Founder, Dario Gutierrez, Ph.D., was an Entrepreneur-in-Residence. Our Series A financing was co-led by Bain Capital Life Sciences, BVF Partners and Third Rock, and joined by GV (Google Ventures) and Perceptive Advisors Xontogeny Venture Funds (PXV Funds). Our approach, enabled by advances in protein engineering and #immunology, has the potential to address numerous autoimmune and allergic conditions that are inadequately treated today. In our initial focus of Graves’ disease, our lead candidate is designed to durably target and clear the pathogenic autoantibodies that cause this burdensome disease with exquisite precision. Hear from members of our leadership team, including President & Chief Executive Officer Adam Townsend, Founder & Chief Scientific Officer Dario Gutierrez, Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer Dodzie Sogah, Ph.D. and Chief Medical Officer Matthew Leoni, MD, MBA, in the video below to get an inside look at what differentiates Merida’s team and approach. And read our press release for more information on today’s announcement: https://lnkd.in/eBQp69QW

We are excited to announce the pricing of our IPO and listing on Nasdaq as $MAZE. This milestone is a testament to the dedication of our incredible team, the trust of our partners, and the belief in our vision to make a lasting impact for patients. This exceptional progress from the team over the past several years marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in our mission to harness the power of human genetics to transform the lives of patients. https://lnkd.in/eXTKUUkU

Did you know approximately 30,000 people in the U.S. are living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and 1 in 400 people around the world will be diagnosed with #ALS during their lifetime? Introducing Trace Neuroscience, a company built on scientific breakthroughs with a mission to expand the promise of genomic medicine for people living with neurodegenerative diseases, starting with ALS. Our initial focus is developing a novel genomic therapy that restores UNC13A protein to re-establish healthy communication between nerves and muscle cells, to improve muscle function and quality of life, slow disease progression and extend survival. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eAQJW7Qc

What a monumental day for Septerna! We rang the Nasdaq Opening Bell today in celebration of our #IPO and the start of an exciting new chapter. With our public listing as $SEPN, we’re well positioned to accelerate the development of our GPCR-targeted therapies. This achievement wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work of our talented team, the support of our broad network of partners, and the trust of our investors. Together, we’re dedicated to bringing future medicines to patients! #NASDAQ #OpeningBell #GoingPublic #Biotech #Innovation