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. 

Hot Investor Mandate: Multi-Family Office Venture Fund Invests in Medical Technology and Life Science Tools Companies, With Focus on West Coast USA

13 May

A multi-family venture fund based in the US is an active investor in the medical device sector, and is interested in opportunities in the western United States. Initial investments are typically about $150,000 with the potential for follow-on investments totaling $1 million and may be structured as equity or as debt. The firm offers support and expertise to portfolio companies but does not seek a board seat. 
 
The firm is interested in medical technology and lab equipment, including electro-mechanical medical devices, active implantable devices, and surgical instruments. The firm invests only in companies that have already developed a prototype of their product,  filed a patent application and have animal data. 
 
The firm seeks to invest in strong management teams with prior experience in the medical device industry. The firm prefers to make investments with the potential to exit within 3-4 years. 

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

Hot Investor Mandate: Impact Fund Invests in USA & Europe-Based Life Science Companies With Strong Interests in Therapeutics, Drug Delivery, CNS, and Oncology

13 May

A Europe-based impact fund is investing from an evergreen fund. The firm is focused on investing in pre-clinical companies in pre-seed and seed rounds. The firm particularly likes companies with an IP component – patent or patent pending. The typical check size is 100K-500K euros, and the firm is looking to make 7-10 investments within the next year. The firm typically acts as a syndicate, not usually leading rounds. The firm will invest globally, with a particular focus on the USA and Europe. 
 
The firm invests in two main verticals – human preservation and planet health. Within life sciences, the firm invests primarily in therapeutics and biopharma, and will invest in diagnostics, medical devices, and digital health. The firm likes to look at companies offering a unique factor, such as specialized biopharma or drug delivery mechanism. The firm has a particular focus on CNS, oncology, and alternative cell therapies. 
 
The firm has no specific team requirements. 

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

Hot Investor Mandate: Healthcare VC Firm Invests in Global Oncology, Immunology, Chronic Disease Therapeutics Innovations from Series A and Beyond

13 May

 A healthcare venture capital firm established in 2019 with offices in US and China focuses on early- and growth-stage biotech and medtech companies. Initial check sizes range from USD $3-5M for Series A and B, and USD $10M+ for Series C and beyond. Currently, the firm has 3 funds under management, exceeding USD $600M AUM. The current fund is focused on U.S. companies. The firm can act as a lead or co-investor. 
 
The firm is especially interested in biotherapeutic innovations and would like to see positive data that has come out of clinical trials. The firm is open to all indications but has a high interest in oncology, immunology, and chronic disease. 
 
The firm likes to see experienced management teams, especially those with founders that have had previous success. The firm may take a board or observer seat on a case-by-case basis. 

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

Early Bird & Innovator’s Pitch Challenge Deadlines This Week for RESI Boston June 

6 May

Don’t miss your chance to pitch to investor panels and save—submit your application and register today 

By Max Braht, Director of Business Development, LSN

Max-Braht-Headshot

This week brings two important deadlines for life science companies looking to engage with investors at RESI Boston June, taking place Monday, June 16 at the Westin Copley Place (minutes from BIO), followed by three days of virtual partnering on June 17–18 and 23.

  1. Final Day to Apply for the Innovator’s Pitch Challenge – tomorrow, Wednesday, May 7

The Innovator’s Pitch Challenge (IPC) is a unique opportunity for startups to pitch in front of a panel of well-aligned investors who are actively sourcing deals. This is not just about winning a pitch—it’s about starting real conversations that can lead to partnerships and investment.

IPC participants receive:

  • A spot in a live, interactive pitch session with modality-specific investors
  • A full conference pass including partnering, panels and workshops
  • A table in the Exhibition Hall to showcase your technology throughout the in-person day
  • A chance to win complimentary RESI registration for a future conference

At RESI Boston last year, 56 companies pitched in the IPC, making it a central platform for startups to raise visibility and build investor relationships. If you’re a biotech, medtech, digital health, AI, R&D services or diagnostics founder, don’t miss this opportunity to get in front of aligned investors.
  1. Early Bird Registration Ends – Friday, May 9

RESI Boston June is Life Science Nation’s flagship partnering event, connecting entrepreneurs with a global network of investors across venture capital, pharma, family offices, angels, and strategic firms.

What’s included with registration:

  • One-on-one partnering across four days (June 16 in-person, June 17–18 and 23 virtual)
  • Access to all content: Investor Panels on topics including early-stage therapeutics, digital health, diagnostics, medical devices, family offices, and AI in healthcare, watching the Innovator’s Pitch Challenge, sessions, and Fundraising Workshops from industry experts
  • Networking opportunities designed to support relationship-building at all stages of fundraising
  • Two investor-laden receptions, the evenings of June 15th and 16th

Early bird rates expire Friday, May 9, offering the best value for fundraising companies to participate in one of the leading global partnering events focused on life science innovation.

Register for RESI Boston June

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