COR-1004

Corsera banks $80M as RNAi heart drug enters clinicFour months after launching with $50 million in hand, Corsera Health has now secured another $80 million through a series A round and moved its experimental PCSK9-targeting siRNA into the clinic."We are entering a pivotal next phase for the company," said co-found and co-CEO John Maraganore, the former longtime chief executive of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals. "By combining AI-enabled prediction of lifetime ASCVD (atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease) risk with preventive RNAi medicines, Corsera has the potential to change the trajectory of cardiovascular disease, enabling earlier intervention and broad access to prevention at a population scale."Co-led by Forbion and Population Health Partners, the oversubscribed financing coincides with the start of a Phase I trial of COR-1004, the first of two components in Corsera's lead preventive RNAi medicine programme, the second being COR-2003. The study will evaluate safety and tolerability as well as clinical activity, including suppression of circulating PCSK9 and reductions in serum LDL cholesterol levels. Initial proof-of-concept data are expected this year.A Phase I trial for COR-2003, which is an siRNA candidate targeting angiotensinogen for blood-pressure control, is planned for mid-2026.Mediar draws $76M with fibrosis programmes in Phase IIMediar Therapeutics closed an oversubscribed $76-million series B financing, with proceeds going toward advancing its fibrosis pipeline.The fundraise, along with an Eli Lilly partnership signed last year potentially worth over $786 million, has made for a "transformative 12 months" for the company, according to CEO Rahul Ballal. "With $175 million raised through these transactions, we can advance our novel anti-fibrotics through clinical studies and potentially bring life-changing therapies to patients suffering from fibrosing diseases of the skin, lung, and kidney."The round was co-led by Amplitude Ventures and ICG, with participation from Longwood Fund, Asahi Kasei Pharma Ventures, Alexandria Real Estate Trust and existing investors.Mediar's most advanced wholly owned asset, the EphrinB2 antagonist MTX-474, is now in a Phase IIa trial in systemic sclerosis, a 24-week randomised study that will enrol around 90 patients. In lung disease, its Lilly-partnered MTX-463 antibody targeting WISP1 is currently in Phase II development in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.Rakuten raises $100M to advance photoimmunotherapy assetRakuten Medical said it raised $100 million in an oversubscribed series F, as the company accelerates development of its oncology asset ASP-1929 and looks down the road towards a US regulatory filing targeted for 2028.The round, led by international life sciences fund TaiAx, includes $70 million in new capital and the conversion of $30 million in convertible notes. Proceeds will support the Phase III trial of ASP-1929 in combination with Merck & Co.'s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) as a first-line therapy for recurrent head-and-neck cancer.ASP-1929, an anti-EGFR antibody-IR700 conjugate, is built on Rakuten's Alluminox platform, a photoimmunotherapy approach that pairs a drug with "targeted illumination" using a medical device. The therapy is already approved in Japan under the name Akalux for unresectable locally advanced or recurrent head-and-neck cancer, and the company is now leveraging Japanese regulatory data and post-market experience as it seeks approvals in additional markets.Outside Japan, Alluminox-based photoimmunotherapy remains investigational. Rakuten said it also plans to broaden development beyond head-and-neck cancer, with programmes and trials in indications including pancreatic, lung, oesophageal, gynaecologic and skin cancers.Asthma-focused Spiro bags $67M for neuromodulation programmeCalifornia-based start-up Spiro Medical has raised $67 million in a series A equity round to develop a pulmonary neuromodulation system aimed at treating severe asthma, assembling a syndicate led by Andera Partners, Omega Funds and Sherpa Healthcare Partners.Additional investors include HSG, Supernova Invest, Northern Light Venture Capital and Hero.The company said proceeds will fund construction of a purpose-built neuromodulation platform and the clinical work required for US regulatory approval.Spiro was founded by Stephen Pyles, Kurt Gehlsen, CEO Rinda Sama and G. Jay Jiang. "We believe this is a rather unique opportunity to be starting a project with issued patents and some human data which informs us about the potential for this exciting new clinical indication for neuromodulation," Sama said."We are also highly confident that we can build a world-class system given our team's experience and expertise in developing implantable neuromodulation systems," the executive added.

iStock, oknebulog The cardiovascular biotech was also named as one of BioSpace ’s top startups to watch on Wednesday. Cardiovascular disease biotech Corsera Health, which was named Wednesday as one of BioSpace ’s NextGen companies to watch , has raised $80 million in a series A while advancing its initial siRNA prospect into the clinic. Co-CEO and founder John Maraganore pitched in to the fundraising round, which was co-led by Forbion and Population Health Partners. Corsera, which emerged in September 2025, aims to extend healthspan by reducing the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). The biotech is developing an AI-enabled tool to predict lifetime ASCVD risk, which will be combined with therapies meant to be administered once to prevent the disease. Corsera’s two programs aim to use siRNA to silence the expression of PCSK9 to lower LDL-cholesterol and angiotensinogen (AGT) to reduce blood pressure. The lead program is COR-1004, an siRNA therapy that reduces levels of the PCSK9 protein. In addition to the fundraising, Corsera also announced that COR-1004 has moved into a Phase I clinical trial with dosing underway. This initial test will examine the safety and tolerability of the injectable drug with secondary goals measuring clinical activity. Specifically, Corsera will be watching to see if the therapy can knock down levels of plasma PCSK9 and serum LDL-C. These initial proof-of-concept data are expected this year. Besides COR-1004, Corsera is also planning to initiate a Phase I test for COR-2003, which targets AGT. Along with Maraganore, former CEO of Alnylam, Corsera was founded by Clive Meanwell, another biotech legend who cofounded and led Metsera as CEO. NextGen BioSpace ’s NextGen Class of 2026 Attracts Big Bucks From Tight Wallets From biotech veterans to embattled modalities to a new wave of RNAi therapeutics, BioSpace ’s NextGen Class of 2026 emerged during a tough fundraising environment in 2025. Check out the 15 battle-tested companies that caught our eye. January 7, 2026 · 2 min read · Annalee Armstrong NextGen: Class of 2026 The top life sciences startups to watch this year See the rest of the list