Israeli microbiome company BiomX Ltd., which develops customized phage therapies, has announced the closing of a $32 million series B financing round. The round was led by existing investors OrbiMed, Johnson & Johnson Innovation - JJDC, Inc., Takeda Ventures, Inc., 8VC, MiraeAsset, Seventure Partners’ Health for Life Capital I, SBI Japan-Israel Innovation Fund and additional European investors. The round also included new investors led by RM Global Partners (RMGP) BioPharma Investment Fund, with participation from Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical Corp., Handok, Inc., KB Investment Co., Ltd. and Consensus Business Group. Yaron Breski, Managing Director at RM Global Partners, and Eric de la Fortelle Venture Partner at Seventure Partners, join BiomX’s board.
The funds will be used primarily to advance the company’s leading drug candidates for the treatment of acne and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) to the clinical stage.
BiomX CEO Jonathan Solomon said, “We greatly appreciate the continued support of our existing investors as well as their guidance and assistance and are excited to welcome the new group of investors, led by RM Global Partners. The new funding will enable us to transition BiomX to a clinical stage company as our lead programs in acne and IBD, both novel phage therapeutics targeting harmful bacteria in the microbiome, enter the clinic. The acne program is expected to begin clinical trials by year-end, followed by our IBD program next year. In addition, we will continue to drive our liver disease and colorectal cancer programs forward by identifying key bacteria driving these diseases and developing unique phage cocktails against them.” “Both phage therapeutics and the microbiome are receiving increased attention and enthusiasm, and BiomX is at the forefront of both fields,” said Rob Woodman, Senior Partner at Takeda Ventures. “We are very excited to continue our support and involvement as BiomX brings its breakthrough science and research into the clinic.”
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on February 20, 2019
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