Exclusive: Merida Biosciences gets $121M to treat autoimmune and allergy diseases at their roots

Title

"Merida Biosciences Secures $121M to Revolutionize Autoimmune and Allergy Treatments"

Keywords

Merida Biosciences
Autoimmune diseases
Allergy treatments
Precision immunology
Graves’ disease therapy
Fc biotherapeutics
$121M Series A
Biotechnology innovation

Key Facts

- Funding and Vision:
Merida Biosciences, a Cambridge-based biotech startup, raised $121 million in Series A funding, co-led by Bain Capital Life Sciences, BVF Partners, and Third Rock Ventures, alongside investments from GV and PXV Funds1 6 9.

- Therapeutic Approach:
The company focuses on developing precision immunology therapies using proprietary antibody-like Fc biotherapeutics that selectively target and degrade disease-causing autoantibodies1 5.

- Lead Program:
Merida’s lead program targets Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder affecting the thyroid, leveraging its platform to neutralize thyroid-stimulating autoantibodies without broad immunosuppression1 5.

- Other Pipeline Projects:
Additional programs include developing treatments for IgE-mediated allergic diseases and primary membranous nephropathy, both at preclinical stages1 5.

- Innovation in Autoimmune Treatments:
Merida aims to address the limitations of existing therapies by treating the root causes of autoimmune diseases with precision while minimizing systemic toxicities and immunosuppressive side effects1 2.

- Competitive Landscape:
The company joins a crowded immunology field, with rivals such as Hillstar Bio and Bambusa Therapeutics also raising significant funding recently to develop innovative therapies for immune conditions1 5.