In Canada, Bayer and Versant Ventures launched BlueRock Therapeutics with a $225 million investment to develop curative therapies based on the latest stem cell technology. BlueRock Therapeutics plans to develop best-in-class induced pluripotent stem cell therapies to cure a range of diseases using an industry-leading platform. Their platform is enabled by strategic partnerships with a number of leading academic and industry collaborators in the U.S., Canada and Japan.
“We have closely tracked the field of regenerative medicine for the past five years and believe the time is right to invest in stem cell therapies given recent breakthroughs in cell differentiation, manufacturing and engineering,” said Dr. Jerel Davis, managing director at Versant Ventures.
The funds are projected to give BlueRock Therapeutics at least four years of runway and will allow the company to advance a number of programs into the clinic, with an initial focus on cardiovascular diseases and neurodegenerative disorders.