Novo Holdings, a leading international life science investor, today announces that it has co-led alongside HealthCap and RA Capital Management a US$ 55M Series A financing in Hemab ApS (“Hemab”), a biotech company developing next generation therapeutics for serious underserved bleeding and thrombosis disorders
The Company was created in 2020 by Novo Seeds, the early stage investment and company creation team of Novo Holdings, which worked closely with the founders to develop a commercially attractive business plan to maximise the potential of Hemab’s promising technology platform.
Benny Sorensen, MD, PhD, who served on Hemab’s Board of Directors, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and will be based in the US. Dr Sorensen brings a wealth of patient-centred R&D experience in many therapeutic areas including thrombosis and hemostasis. Until recently, Dr Sorensen served as Head of Clinical Development at Codiak BioSciences and has moved to be on its Scientific Advisory Board. Hemab’s co-founders Johan Henrik Faber, who held leadership positions within hemophilia drug research and development at Novo Nordisk, has been appointed Chief Technology Officer; Søren Bjørn, has been appointed Scientific Advisor; and Thomas Batchelor joins the Board of Directors.
Proceeds from the financing will be used to progress the Company’s promising pipeline of monoclonal and bispecific antibody-based therapeutics into later stages of development. The pipeline will initially focus on underserved people living with rare bleeding disorders such as Glanzmann’s Thrombasthenia (GT), with plans to expand into more common disorders of hemostasis and thrombosis. The financing will also enable Hemab to further build the team and expand its operational footprint in Denmark and the US.
Jørgen Søberg Petersen, Partner at Novo Holdings, and Camilla Petrycer Hansen, Principal at Novo Seeds will continue as Chairman and Independent Director on the Board.
Jørgen Søberg Petersen, Chairman of Hemab and Partner at Novo Holdings, said: “Novo Seeds is focused on creating and building world class companies that are developing innovative treatments for patients with unmet medical needs. We created Hemab just over six months ago and we are very pleased to announce this significant financing backed by top tier investors from the Nordics and the US. Hemab’s novel approach to effectively treat rare bleeding disorders lacking effective therapeutic options is unique and provides potential for a breakthrough therapy across several underserved hematological diseases. I am looking forward to continuing the successful collaboration with Benny, Johan and the Hemab team.”
Benny Sorensen, MD, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Hemab, said: “This financing will enable us to accelerate the development of innovative therapeutics for long underserved patients with serious bleeding and thrombosis disorders. Despite the innovations seen in treatments for hemophilia A and B in the last five decades, treatments for other rare bleeding disorders such as, for example GT, are still limited to blood transfusions and acute treatments. We owe these patients new treatment options and Hemab is uniquely positioned to leapfrog drug development of these medicines and bring treatment paradigms into the 21st century.”
by Novo Holdings, Press Release
Source: novoholdings.dk
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