Hot Investor Mandate: Corporate Venture Arm of Global Corporation Invests Up to $20M in All Life Science Sectors, Focusing on Areas of Major Unmet Medical Need

20 May

A corporate venture arm of a corporation headquartered in Asia with offices in the US is mandated to invest in venture stage companies across several sectors including the Life Sciences. The firm started investing in the Life Sciences in 2012 and has made 20 investments thus far. The firm can allocate up to USD 20 million depending on the stage of the company. The firm can invest globally and is actively seeking new investment opportunities. 
 
In the Life Sciences, the firm is interested in therapeutics, medical devices, diagnostics, and digital health. The firm seeks technologies that are differentiated and address a major unmet medical need. The firm is agnostic to the stage of development and therefore will consider therapeutics in pre-clinical and devices/technology in concept stage. The firm focuses on products that have a clear and fast path to market. Historically, the firm invested in drug discovery, diagnostics for tumors, and devices for COPD and POAG. 
 
The firm is looking for companies with experienced management teams. The firm is willing to both lead and act as a member of a syndicate. 

If you are interested in more information about this investor and other investors tracked by LSN, please email salescore@lifesciencenation.com. 

Hot Investor Mandate: Europe-Based VC Looks for Medical Devices, Diagnostics, and Digital Health Investment Opportunities from Seed to Series B

20 May

A venture capital firm headquartered in Western Europe is focused on enabling technology within life sciences and healthcare. firm will make initial investments ranging from at a minimum of 1M euro, and will make follow-on investments in total adding up to 5M-7M euro. The firm will invest in Seed-Series B companies. The firm will be launching their new fund in 2025. The firm aims to be a meaningful investor, looking to lead deals, but will also co-lead and can syndicate in certain cases. The firm will generally invest within Western Europe. 
 
The firm will invest in diagnostics, medical devices, and digital health. The firm is not open to investing in therapeutics. The firm is not interested in invasive devices and will not invest in Class 3 and some Class 2 devices. The firm will look at companies with IND approval and in early-clinical stages. 
 
The firm does not have any specific team requirements. The firm considers themselves active, hands-on investors and will typically require a board seat. 

If you are interested in more information about this investor and other investors tracked by LSN, please email salescore@lifesciencenation.com. 

Global Family Office BioForum at RESI Boston – Where Active Investors Connect, Collaborate, and Co-Invest

13 May

June 16, 2025 | Westin Copley Place | RESI Boston June

By Claire Jeong, Chief Conference Officer, Vice President of Investor Research, Asia BD, LSN

Life Science Nation (LSN) is pleased to announce the formal program for the Global Family Office BioForum (GFOB) and invites qualified family office investors to participate in this exclusive gathering.

Held during the Redefining Every-Stage Investments (RESI) Conference on Monday, June 16, at the Westin Copley Place in Boston, GFOB provides a private, curated environment for family offices to:

  • Exchange strategies across asset classes and investment themes
  • Share deal flow insights and emerging biotech opportunities
  • Explore co-investment partnerships in early-stage therapeutics and healthcare innovation

In addition to the private luncheon and networking session, GFOB will feature a Family Office Investors Panel open to all RESI attendees. The panel will spotlight perspectives from seasoned family office investors who are actively deploying capital in the life sciences and healthcare sectors.

GFOB Luncheon Program
Monday, June 16 | Westin Copley Place, Boston
12 PM Welcome / Opening Remarks
– Dennis Ford, Founder & CEO, Life Science Nation
12:05 PM Opening Discussion
– Chris Garabedian, Founder & CEO, Xontogeny | Portfolio Manager, Perceptive Xontogeny Venture Fund
– Rick Berenson, Executive Committee Member, Mass Medical Angels (MA2)
12:30 PM Private Networking Luncheon
Family Office Investors Panel (Open to All RESI Attendees)
1 PM – Michael Langer, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, T.Rx Capital
– Ethan Berg, Managing Partner, G4 Investments, LLC
– John Parker, Founder Springhood Ventures
– John Abeles, General Partner, Northlea Partners
– John Leader, Principal, Green Park & Golf (GPG) Ventures

Confirmed Family Office and FO-Backed Venture Participants at RESI Boston June 2025
Meet these investors through partnering or attend the Family Office BioForum:

AAA-Family-Office BERNINA-BioInvest G4-Investments
Junson-Capital LAFANA Northlea-Partners
Springhood-Impact-Ventures Tiny-Orange-Capital T.Rx-Capital
If you are a Family Office and would like to attend the Family Office BioForum Luncheon
RSVP for GFOB Here

Only active family office investors will be accepted.

Register for RESI Boston June 2025
Secure your ticket and access over 400 investors across family offices, venture capital, pharma, and strategic partners.

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Case Study: Brisbane’s Accelerator Model That’s Raising Capital and Elevating MedTech 

13 May

Over the past decade, Brisbane has transformed into one of Asia-Pacific’s most dynamic centers for MedTech innovation and commercialization. This remarkable evolution is the result of a deliberate strategy led by the Brisbane Economic Development Agency (BEDA), which has positioned the city as a launchpad for global health technologies through sustained investment, visionary leadership, and a collaborative approach that unites government, academia, and industry.

BEDA: Orchestrating Growth and Global Connections 
BEDA’s mission to drive sustainable economic growth by fostering innovation and attracting investment is at the heart of Brisbane’s MedTech ascent. BEDA’s holistic approach aligns the city’s world-class research institutions, hospitals, and universities with a vibrant start-up culture and robust infrastructure. The result is an integrated ecosystem that supports MedTech startups from ideation to international expansion.

Brisbane’s strategic location in Queensland—the world’s 12th-largest economy—provides seamless access to a $90 trillion innovation corridor. With 17 Free Trade Agreements and globally competitive business incentives, the city offers MedTech companies a cost-effective base for scaling into Asian and global markets. The city also boasts the largest healthcare precinct in the Southern Hemisphere and a health sector projected to grow by 36% by 2031, supported by more than 140 innovation hubs and a steady pipeline of skilled graduates from the University of Queensland and other leading institutions.

The BEDA-LSN Partnership: Bridging Brisbane and the World 
One facet of BEDA’s strategy is its partnership with Life Science Nation (LSN), a Boston-based commercialization platform renowned for connecting life science companies with global investors and licensing partners. Over three years, BEDA and LSN have launched a bespoke global accelerator program that provides Brisbane startups access to LSN’s proprietary investor database, entrepreneurial education, and participation in RESI Global Partnering Events.

This collaboration has established an actual two-way innovation bridge. Through the accelerator, Brisbane companies embark on 12- to 18-month global roadshows, pitching their technologies to international capital investors and licensing partners at premier events like J.P. Morgan Healthcare Week in San Francisco, where LSN has been hosting its RESI JPM partnering event for the past 13 years. In return, global capital, strategic partners, and Pharma seeking licensing deals flow back into Brisbane, amplifying its reputation and strengthening its local ecosystem.

Tangible Impact: Success Stories and Economic Growth 
The impact of the BEDA/LSN global accelerator is evident in the success of its alumni. Within just 24 months, 90% of participating companies have collectively raised over $110 million, with many securing new partnerships, investments, or clients within a year of graduation. Brisbane startups have also consistently earned global recognition on the RESI Innovation Challenge stage, winning top honors in LSN’s Innovator’s Pitch Challenge (IPC) across multiple years. Podium finishes include:

  • Field Orthopaedics – Gold, RESI JPM 2023
  • Max Kelsen – Silver, RESI JPM 2023
  • Clinials – Silver, RESI BIO Boston 2023
  • Convergence Medical – Silver, RESI JPM 2024
  • Gelomics – Bronze, RESI JPM 2024
  • Kimaritec – Gold, RESI JPM 2025

Notably, Convergence Medical, a Brisbane-based company, developed a world-first arthroscopic surgical robot, securing a $5 million investment from U.S.-based Avicella Capital due to meeting up at LSN’s RESI JP Morgan event in 2024 and closing the deal a year later at RESI JPM in 2025. Convergence was also accepted into the FDA Breakthrough Devices Program thanks to connections made through the accelerator. Other alumni, including Microbio and De Motu Cordis, have achieved regulatory milestones and expanded into new markets.

BEDA’s efforts have also attracted significant international players. Stryker, a U.S. MedTech giant, opened its first R&D lab in Brisbane’s Herston Health Precinct, citing the city’s collaborative ecosystem and access to top scientific talent as key reasons for their investment.

A Blueprint for the Future 
Brisbane’s MedTech success is not an overnight phenomenon. It is the product of sustained investment, strategic partnerships, and a commitment to collaboration. As the city prepares to host the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics, billions of dollars in new health infrastructure projects are underway, further enhancing Brisbane’s global profile and capacity for innovation.

For MedTech pioneers, Brisbane now offers more than just a supportive environment—it provides a proven pathway to global markets. Through the combined efforts of BEDA, LSN, and an engaged network of local and international partners, Brisbane has become a beacon for health innovation, investment, and opportunity in the Asia-Pacific and beyond.

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Mark Your Calendar: June 15 Event Helps Global Startups Land in the Boston Life Science Ecosystem 

13 May

Free Pre-RESI Event | Sunday, June 15, 2025 | CIC Boston 

By Max Braht, Director of Business Development, LSN

Max-Braht-HeadshotFor international life science companies looking to expand into the US, there is no better launch point than Boston – home to the world’s most concentrated life science cluster. As a lead-in to RESI Boston 2025, Life Science Nation (LSN) is hosting a free pre-conference event to help global early-stage companies gain a foothold in this vibrant and competitive market.

Landing Your Company in the Boston Life Science Ecosystem is a half-day forum designed for startups seeking to understand the practical and strategic steps required to establish a US presence. This exclusive event brings together experts across legal, regulatory, funding, investor relations, and real estate sectors to share insights on how international innovators can successfully navigate relocation to the US.

Attendees will benefit from the expertise of confirmed event sponsors who work hands-on with early-stage companies entering the US market. Polsinelli, a nationally recognized law firm, will outline the legal, regulatory, and corporate structure considerations involved in setting up operations in the US. Eva Garland Consulting will speak to strategies for securing non-dilutive funding and leveraging government grant programs to support early R&D. Back Bay Life Science Advisors will offer investor-side insights on how international companies can position themselves to de-risk their opportunity and connect with the right capital sources. Real estate advisory firm Savills will address the strategic importance of site selection, covering what companies need to know about facilities, cost structures, and scaling potential in a competitive market. Digital product development firm Medtech Ahead by BeneStudios will discuss how thoughtful tech infrastructure and design can support investor readiness and commercialization goals. LSN will open the session with a presentation on the early-stage investor landscape and how to make meaningful connections during partnering events like RESI.

Whether you’re preparing for a US launch or are already in-market and looking to scale, this event offers a unique opportunity to gather actionable knowledge and connect with local resources. The session is free for RESI Boston attendees and other international companies in town that week. Space is limited, and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Event Details: 
Date: Sunday, June 15, 2025
Time: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Location: CIC Boston – Meridian Room, 5th Floor, 50 Milk Street, Boston, MA
Cost: Free

The Needle Issue #3

13 May
Juan-Carlos-Lopez
Juan Carlos Lopez		 Andy-Marshall
Andy Marshall

A growing stable of biopharma companies are developing biparatopic antibodies, which hit the same target via two non-overlapping epitopes. Compared with monospecific mAbs, such antibodies display enhanced binding through increased avidity, slower target dissociation, improved internalization, and greater specificity against drug target families where members share significant structural similarity. Now in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, a group at the Broad led by William Sellers describes biparatopic mAbs that inhibit fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 fusions, which are found in a variety of cancers, including intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas (ICCs).

Sellers and his team showed that their mAbs inhibit signaling through FGFR2 fusions and inhibit ICC proliferation. They generated a panel of 15 biparatopic antibodies from 6 parental human antibodies and systematically tested them for their anti-proliferative activity on cells expressing FGFR2 fusions. Two showed greater potency than the parental antibodies, both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, these biparatopic antibodies potentiated the action of FGFR2 inhibitors on cancer cells, and their inhibitory effect persisted, even against FGFR2 fusions with mutations that drive drug resistance. Mechanistically, the biparatopic antibodies promoted internalization and lysosomal degradation of FGFR2 fusions.

Sellers is also a scientific founder of Cambridge, Mass-based RedRidge Bio, which was funded in March via an undisclosed Series A venture round. Another recent startup, Attovia, took its first VHH biparatopic nanobody program against IL-31 into the clinic earlier this year and is collaborating with SciNeuro Pharmaceuticals on a neurology target.

The FGFR2 fusion work follows in the footsteps of studies by Regeneron demonstrating that biparatopic antibodies are effective inhibitors of oncogenic fusions of other receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). In that work, Regeneron researchers targeted fusions of another FGFR family member, FGFR3. In theory, the approach should be generalizable to any cancer arising from RTK fusions.

Biparatopic antibodies can work either in cis (binding the same target twice) or trans (binding two different molecules of the same target; e.g., to facilitate receptor clustering). Although they have been in clinical testing since 2011, it took until 2022 for the first biparatopic product to reach the market. Nanjing, China-based Legend Biotech (now J&J) got FDA approval for a T-cell therapy against refractory multiple myeloma featuring a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) based on two single-domain antibodies targeting two different epitopes on B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA). Last November, FDA also gave the green light to Jazz Pharmaceuticals and Zymeworks’s zanidatamab, a biparatopic mAb that binds HER2 in trans and is indicated for patients with HER2-positive biliary tract cancer.

Similar to the antibody drug conjugate (ADC) space, a commercial stampede is currently underway in China to develop biparatopic mAbs against HER2, with at least 4 companies (Xuanzhu Biopharm, Alphamab Oncology, Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical and Beijing Mabworks) with products in clinical development. Given that big pharma has yet to make major announcements around biparatopic mAbs—notwithstanding AstraZeneca’s/Medimmune’s discontinued effort to develop MEDI4276, an anti HER2 ADC based on a biparatopic scaffold— the recent co-development partnership deal between Pierre Fabre Laboratorie and RedRidge Bio likely augurs more deal activity around this antibody modality in the near future.

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Hot Investor Mandate: Healthcare-Focused VC Fund Seeks Early-Stage Medical Device and Digital Health Technologies in the US

13 May

An early-stage MedTech venture capital fund prioritizes opportunities in interventional cardiology, structural heart, peripheral vascular, electrophysiology, and related fields. Check size range from $500k – $2M, typically in early-stage Seed and Series A financings. The investment team includes successful serial medical device entrepreneurs and investors, and is supported by a world-class advisory team including cardiovascular KOLs. 
 
The firm has recently launched a new healthcare fund in collaboration with a digital health-focused VC, resulting in the firm’s focus shifting more to Healthcare IT and Digital Health, with a specific focus on how healthcare delivery has changed during the COVID 19 pandemic. Examples of the subsectors of interest are: remote care, Healthcare IT for hospital efficiency, and response infrastructure systems. The firm is opportunistic in terms of indication. 
 
The firm looks for management teams with domain experience, and is comfortable with working with incomplete or scientific founding teams. The firm prefers to take a board seat into companies following investment.

If you are interested in more information about this investor and other investors tracked by LSN, please email salescore@lifesciencenation.com. 

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