biotech

Major backing for US biotech

26th April 2017

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is investing in a pioneering biotech firm developing drugs to fight life-threatening infections.

Arsanis, headquartered in America, has raised $45 million in a new funding drive, led by the Gates Foundation. The money will be used to advance drugs that can combat the growing threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Rene Russo, the biotech’s chief executive officer hailed the “caliber of investors attracted to Arsanis” as evidence of the faith there in its work to develop “therapies to prevent and treat serious infectious diseases and mitigate the growing global health threat of antimicrobial resistance”.

“Arsanis is poised to make a significant mark on the way serious infections are prevented and treated, particularly in light of the challenges faced globally as more infectious diseases are resistant to available treatments,” said Carl Gordon, founding partner and co-head of global private equity, OrbiMed. “The Arsanis leadership team has the deep expertise needed to succeed, and we are proud to partner with our new investors to support the company’s efforts as it advances promising monoclonal antibodies through clinical development for S. aureus pneumonia and other life-threatening infections.”

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