CardiaTec, a TechBio company employing computational methods to decode the biology behind cardiovascular disease, has raised $6.5M in seed funding led by San Francisco-based Montage Ventures.
CAMBRIDGE, England, Sept. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- CardiaTec, a TechBio company employing computational methods to decode the biology behind cardiovascular disease, has secured $6.5M in seed funding led by Montage Ventures with participation from Laidlaw Scholars Ventures, Apex Ventures, and Continuum Health Ventures. Joining the round as individual investors are industry leaders Dr. Maximilien Levesque, CEO & Co-Founder of Aqemia, and Naheed Kurji, former President of Recursion Pharmaceuticals Canada and CEO & Founder of Cyclica. In addition, the company welcomes Dr. Joseph Lehár, former SVP of R&D Strategy at pioneering TechBio company Owkin, to its Scientific Advisory Board.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally, yet therapeutic innovation has been stagnant in comparison to other therapeutic areas. The complexity and multifactorial nature of cardiovascular disease have posed significant challenges in understanding its underlying biology. This gap in understanding has resulted in poor translation of large and expensive clinical trials, ultimately pushing investment and subsequent innovation away from the field, leaving a significant unmet need for more effective treatments. However, attention in this space is growing as the need for innovative solutions becomes increasingly urgent.
CardiaTec leverages large multi-omics human data to better navigate complex cardiovascular disease biology to identify novel and more targeted therapeutics. To support its approach, the company is building the first and largest proprietary human heart tissue multi-omics dataset. The company has a large and expanding network of over 65 hospitals across the US and the UK, screening patients on a 24/7 basis to support the bespoke collection of human hearts for its data generation. The new funds will allow CardiaTec to expand its platform and progress proprietary drug targets to wet lab validation.
CardiaTec, a spin-out from the Han Lab at the University of Cambridge, was co-founded by Raphael Peralta (CEO and Laidlaw Scholar alumnus), Thelma Zablocki (COO), and Prof. Namshik Han (CTO), drawing on research conducted over the last decade. The company has brought together industry experts from leading organisations including Bristol Myers Squibb, Cleveland Clinic, and Recursion Pharmaceuticals.
"Modelling complex cardiovascular disease biology across multiple omic dimensions has immense potential in unlocking new therapeutic strategies that will challenge the current standard of care. Over the last several years, I have been proud of the relentless drive of the team in reaching important milestones and our collective ambition towards tackling a tough global problem. I look forward to working with our investors to accelerate our development," said Raphael Peralta, CEO & Co-Founder.
"Building on several years of research and the success of research collaborations between my lab and BioPharma companies, we are excited about the pioneering work we are doing at CardiaTec. By leveraging deep human heart phenotyping and state-of-the-art computational modelling, we aim to discover transformative therapeutics," said Prof. Namshik Han, CTO & Co-Founder.
Todd Kimmel, Partner at Montage Ventures, stated: "We're thrilled to lead CardiaTec's seed round because they're at the forefront of a new era in cardiovascular drug discovery. Their unique combination of the world's largest proprietary multi-omics dataset from human cardiac tissues and advanced AI technology positions them to uncover novel drug targets for the world's leading cause of death. With strong pharma industry connections, a growing market need, and a proprietary data moat, CardiaTec has the potential to revolutionise how we approach and treat cardiovascular diseases. This investment aligns perfectly with our thesis of backing transformative healthcare technologies that can make a significant impact on global health outcomes."
Niall Santamaria, Chief Investment Officer of LSV, said, "The team at CardiaTec has delivered their vision, with the computational platform built and initial targets identified, processes and ethics frameworks for the collection of heart tissues in place, and an impressive team and advisory group recruited. We are thrilled to continue backing them, and with cardiovascular diseases continuing to pose significant challenges to society, this new investment round positions CardiaTec to accelerate the identification of pioneering therapeutics."
About CardiaTec
CardiaTec is a TechBio company employing computational methods to decode the biology behind cardiovascular disease. The company leverages large and high-dimensional human multi-omics data to better navigate complex disease biology to identify novel and differentiated therapeutics.
About Montage Ventures
Founded in 2013, Montage Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm. We back ambitious founders that leverage state-of-the-art technology to improve the lives of consumers across healthcare, fintech, and commerce categories. We work for founders, partnering with them to unlock the next level of success.
About Laidlaw Scholars Ventures
Laidlaw Scholars Ventures (LSV) is a for-profit business investing in start-ups founded and run by Laidlaw Scholars. Backed by a $50m fund, LSV accelerates Good Businesses by financing growth, providing support services, delivering extensive training and development, and bringing a network of expert advisors and mentors. All profits from LSV will be returned to the Laidlaw Foundation to invest in its educational programmes designed to break the cycle of poverty, reduce inequality and develop a new generation of ethical leaders.
For More Information, Visit CardiaTec.
Media Contact
Thelma Zablocki, CardiaTec, 44 07451 20632, https://www.cardiatec.ai
SOURCE CardiaTec
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