Aurion Biotech, a Seattle, WA, Boston, MA- and Tokyo, Japan-based clinical-stage biotech company, raised $120M in funding.
The round was led by Deerfield Management, with participation from Petrichor Healthcare Capital Management, Flying L Partners, Falcon Vision, KKR, Alcon, and Visionary Ventures. Andrew ElBardissi, M.D. and partner at Deerfield Management, and Patrick Lally, partner at Petrichor, will join Aurion Biotech’s board of directors.
The company intends to use the funds to advance its cell therapy program for corneal edema secondary to endothelial dysfunction, which affects approximately 16 million people in the US, Europe and Japan. Funds will be disbursed based on the achievement of key clinical and operational milestones.
Aurion Biotech is a clinical-stage biotech company whose first candidate is for the treatment of corneal edema secondary to endothelial dysfunction. Healthy cells from a donor cornea are cultured in a novel, multi-step, proprietary and patented process. Cells manufactured from a single donor can treat more than 100 recipient eyes. In clinical trials in Japan, patients have experienced significant and durable improvements in key measures of corneal health: visual acuity, corneal endothelial cell density and central corneal thickness.
The company acquired the technology in 2020. Aurion Biotech is currently preparing to submit a J-NDA for market approval in Japan, and an IND to initiate clinical trials in the US.
FinSMEs
16/04/2022