CNS-focused gene therapy startup raises $80M in funds

Dec. 3, 2021

London-based biotech startup AviadoBio announced the successful completion of an $80 million Series A financing round, following an initial $16.5 million seed financing, to further its work in transformative medicines for people living with Central Nervous System (CNS) disorders.

The financing was led by New Enterprise Associates and co-led by Monograph Capital, as well as seed investors that included European venture capitalist firm Advent Life Sciences and Johnson & Johnson's strategic investment arm, JJDC.

With former Novartis Gene Therapies exec Lisa Deschamps at the helm, the funding will be used to advance AviadoBio’s lead program in frontotemporal dementia into the clinic, progress its preclinical assets, including for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), while also continuing to build the company's team.

AviadoBio’s platform combines next-generation gene therapy design with neuroscience expertise and a novel neuroanatomy-led approach to drug delivery, with the goal of introducing a new portfolio of treatments to patients suffering from a range of debilitating diseases.