Perceive Biotherapeutics, Inc.

The investment supports the clinical development of two novel programs, both with the aim of being protective against vision loss. RALEIGH, N.C. , Jan. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the RD Fund (Retinal Degeneration Fund) – the venture arm of the Foundation Fighting Blindness aimed at rapidly driving research toward preventions, treatments, and cures for the spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases – announces an equity investment in Perceive Biotherapeutics (Perceive Bio), a biotechnology company developing novel treatments, leading with a gene therapy candidate for dry age-related macular degeneration (dry AMD) including the advanced form, geographic atrophy (GA). AMD is the leading cause of blindness in people 55 and older, affecting more than 150 million people worldwide and 10 million people in the US. Perceive Bio has raised $78 million for its Series B financing led by Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc. (JJDC), joining existing Series A investor Deerfield Management and new investors Braidwell LP and Catalio Capital Management, LP, in addition to the RD Fund. The company's emerging gene therapy which relates to risk alleles for dry AMD and GA, targets regulation of the complement system, a part of the innate immune system. The treatment will be delivered by a one-time intravitreal injection and is designed to work for many years. Perceive Bio is also developing novel therapies in neuroprotection, with applications in glaucoma and retinitis pigmentosa. "We are very encouraged by Perceive Bio's innovative strategies that include a rigorous genetic basis for addressing dry AMD and geographic atrophy," says Rusty Kelley, PhD, managing director at the RD Fund. "The company's well supported hypotheses, coupled with top-tier investors, visionary leadership, and outstanding retinal disease and therapeutic development experience, create a strong investment thesis – one that we believe is well poised to return clinically and financially." About the RD Fund The RD Fund (Retinal Degeneration Fund) is the venture arm of the Foundation Fighting Blindness, and a leading investor in the retinal disease space. It was established in 2018 to serve the Foundation's mission to rapidly drive research toward preventions, treatments, and cures for the entire spectrum of blinding retinal diseases including: retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, and Usher syndrome. The RD Fund focuses on mission-related investments in companies with projects nearing clinical testing. Visit RDFund.org for more information. About the Foundation Fighting Blindness Established in 1971, the Foundation Fighting Blindness is the world's leading private funding source for retinal degenerative disease research. The Foundation has raised more than $891 million toward its mission of accelerating research for preventing, treating, and curing blindness caused by the entire spectrum of blinding retinal diseases including: retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, and Usher syndrome. Visit FightingBlindness.org for more information. About Perceive Biotherapeutics Perceive Biotherapeutics is advancing a deep and diversified pipeline of targets and treatment modalities in multiple therapeutic verticals, with lead pipeline programs in ophthalmology. Perceive was founded on compelling research elucidating two novel protective biologies for treating retinal blindness, developed from foundational collaborations in genetic science and target validation. For more information, please visit . Media Contact: Chris Adams 410-423-0585 [email protected] SOURCE Foundation Fighting Blindness

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Perceive Biotherapeutics, a biotech company pioneering novel technologies and therapeutics in ophthalmology, today announced the closing of a $78M Series B funding round led by Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc.(JJDC), joining existing Series A investor Deerfield Management and new investors Braidwell LP, the Retinal Degeneration Fund, and Catalio Capital Management, LP. Perceive Biotherapeutics is focused on the discovery and development of transformative gene therapies and other therapeutics for ocular diseases with high unmet need. By leveraging deep genetic understandings, Perceive Bio researchers have elucidated key protective biological targets. These targets uniquely position the Company to accelerate the development of best-in-class therapies for programs that address over 50% of currently untreatable retinal blindness. Perceive Bio is advancing therapeutic programs in geographic atrophy / age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and additional undisclosed disease areas. "We are pleased to have the strong support of this syndicate to build on the company's success to date and provide the resources for Perceive Bio to meaningfully advance its pipeline to key inflection points," said Cameron Wheeler, Partner, Deerfield Management. "Perceive Bio's has a unique understanding of the key targets that protect retinal cells. This understanding supports a deep pipeline of differentiated assets with the potential to prevent blindness in millions of patients for whom effective therapies are not yet available." "Each member of our team has contributed deeply to advancing the science of retinal blindness and has contributed to bringing forward the programs into development and clinical trials. This fundraising not only provides capital but allows us to welcome additional expertise to Perceive Bio, joining our original partner Deerfield who supported the critical early stages of our development," said K. Angela Macfarlane, CEO of Perceive Biotherapeutics. Perceive Bio is a resident of JLABS @ San Diego, part of Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JLABS, a global life science incubator network, providing startups with access to capital-efficient lab space, equipment, and resources, including expertise, community, and entrepreneurial programs. About Perceive Biotherapeutics Perceive Biotherapeutics is advancing a deep and diversified pipeline of targets and treatment modalities in multiple therapeutic verticals, with lead pipeline programs in ophthalmology. Perceive was founded on compelling research elucidating two novel protective biologies for treating retinal blindness, developed from foundational collaborations in genetic science and target validation. The Company is backed by Deerfield Management, Braidwell LP, Retinal Degeneration Fund, the venture arm of the Foundation Fighting Blindness, Catalio Capital Management, LP and others. For more information, please visit www.perceivebio.com Media Contact For Perceive Bio: Anne Rubin, President, (info@perceivebio.com) SOURCE Perceive Biotherapeutics, Inc.

We're kicking off 2023 with a new Fierce Biotech Fundraising Tracker to keep the pulse on biotech financing. We've launched a new Fierce Biotech Fundraising Tracker for 2023 to track all the venture capital flowing into the industry. While biotech VC investments in 2022 failed to live up to 2021's banner year, the second half still saw a steady stream of fundraises over $30 million. Now, the industry enters the new year with bated breath, wondering what this year could bring after the swing from high to low. Like last year's tracker, we will continue to include any fundraising rounds north of $30 million. We'll still profile exciting new companies and larger rounds in-depth, but we’re hoping to focus more coverage on clinical trial results, special reports and enterprise stories to give readers insights they can't find elsewhere.  January Jan. 5—Ensoma CEO: Emile Nuwaysir, Ph.D. Series: B Amount: $85 million Investors: Co-led by Arix Bioscience and 5AM Ventures, plus F-Prime Capital, Cormorant Asset Management, Viking Global Investors, Takeda Ventures, Inc., SymBiosis, Alexandria Venture Investments, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Qatar Investment Authority, Catalio Capital Management, Solasta Ventures and Mirae Asset. Genomic medicines biotech Ensoma has snagged $85 million in a series B, while also sealing an acquisition deal for CRISPR engineering company Twelve Bio. Ensoma plans to use the funds to advance its Engenious in vivo engineered cell therapy platform as well as accelerate its pipeline. The acquisition will expand the Engenious platform and boost Ensoma's ability to develop the next generation of genome editors for new medicines that address rare and prevalent disease. Twelve Bio was seeded by Arix Bioscience. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed. Release   Jan. 5—HighTide Therapeutics  CEO: Liping Liu, Ph.D.  Series: C/C+  Amount: $107 million  Investors: TCM Healthcare Fund of Guangdong, Yuexiu Fund and Yuthai Fund  A strong $107 million financing has swept in for Shenzhen, China-based HighTide Therapeutics, which is pursuing novel multifunctional therapies for metabolic and digestive diseases. The clinical-stage biopharma will use the funds for multiple global development programs, including mid- and late-stage clinical trials. HighTide’s lead asset is HTD1801, under development for complex metabolic and digestive diseases. The treatment is currently being investigated in phase 2 trials for type 2 diabetes, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis. The company raised a $60 million series B+ round at the end of 2020. Release   Jan. 5—Metagenomi  CEO: Brian C. Thomas   Series: B extension Amount: $100 million Investors: Novo Holdings A/S, Catalio Capital Management, SymBiosis and other unnamed investors The $100 million extension round brings Metagenomi's series B total to a hefty $275 million and comes on the heels of partnerships with Big Pharma Moderna and Ionis Pharmaceuticals. The gene editing company plans to use the new money to advance its lead therapeutic programs through preclinical development and into clinical proof-of-concept studies. The California-based biotech also intends to nominate additional therapeutic targets to its genetic medicines pipeline. Release   Jan. 5—Perceive Biotherapeutics CEO: K. Angela Macfarlane Series: B Amount: $78 million  Investors: Johnson & Johnson Innovation, Deerfield Management, Braidwell, the Retinal Degeneration Fund and Catalio Capital Management The San Francisco biotech has received a large vote of confidence from Big Pharma J&J's venture arm, which led the series B financing round. The company is focused on developing gene therapies and other treatments for eye diseases with high unmet need. The biotech has identified protective biological targets that they believe they can use to develop therapies for addressing over half of currently untreatable retinal blindness. The new money will go toward advancing programs in geographic atrophy/age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma and other undisclosed disease areas. Release   Jan. 4—Belharra Therapeutics CEO: Jeff Jonke Series: A Amount: $50 million Investors: Versant Ventures Belharra emerged from stealth with a total of $130 million in capital thanks to a $50 million series A plus a multi-year collaboration with Genentech. Belharra’s tech boasts a “library” of photoaffinity-based chemical probes, which are commonly used in drug discovery, to explore protein-ligand interactions in the cell. The company is helmed by Jeff Jonker, who previously held upper leadership roles at Ambys Medicines and NGM Biopharmaceuticals. Release   Jan. 3—Apnimed CEO: Larry Miller, M.D. Series: C extension Amount: $79.75 million Investors: Alpha Wave Ventures, Sectoral Asset Management, Columbia-Seligman Investments, Tao Capital Partners and other unnamed investors.  The Massachusetts-based biotech aiming to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and related disorders has raised an oversubscribed $79.75 million round that extends its series C financing to a total of $142.25 million. The money will go toward the planned phase 3 trials for Apnimed’s lead candidate, dubbed AD109, that could be the first oral treatment for OSA if approved. The clinical trials are expected to start enrollment in the second quarter of 2023 pending discussions with the FDA. Release