Osage University Partners is among the returning backers that have helped push Stanford-linked Dice Molecules’ total funding to around $200m.
Dice Molecules, a US-based biopharmaceutical spinout of Stanford University, closed a $60m series C1 round yesterday backed by spinout-focused venture capital fund Osage University Partners.
RA Capital Management and Sands Capital co-led the round, which was filled out by Janus Henderson Investors, Deep Track Capital, Logos Capital, Northpond Ventures, Eventide Asset Management, Driehaus Capital Management, Soleus Capital, New Leaf Venture Partners and Asymmetry Capital.
Founded in 2014, Dice Molecules is working on a drug discovery platform for oral therapeutics aimed at chronic diseases in immunology and other areas.
Its lead candidate is aimed at a range of autoimmune conditions, while two preclinical assets target inflammatory bowel disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, respectively. The money will support the advancement of all three candidates and a pipeline expansion.
The spinout has now secured approximately $200m in funding altogether, it said. It completed an $80m series C round in January this year backed by Osage University Partners and led by RA Capital Management.
That round also featured Sanofi Ventures and Alexandria Venture Investments, respective vehicles for pharmaceutical firm Sanofi and real estate investment trust Alexandria Real Estate Equities, as well as Eventide, New Leaf, Soleus, Driehaus, Asymmetry, Northpond, Sands Capital, Altitude Life Science Ventures and Agent Capital.
