Pasadena, Calif.-based Alexandria Venture Investments, a subsidiary of Alexandria Real Estate Equities (NYSE: ARE), has joined a $20 million seed round for Archon Biosciences, which has developed computationally designed “antibody cages” that could enable powerful new therapies, notably for cancers.
The round was led by Seattle, Wash.-based Madrona Ventures, with participation from Sahsen Ventures, WRF Capital and Pack Ventures.
Archon, based in Seattle, Wash., was spun out of the University of Washington by the duo of CEO James Lazarovits and Chief Technology Officer George Ueda. Its unique antibody cages apply AI to drug development, with the aim of overcoming shortcomings in antibody treatments.
“By merging AI, generative design, and cutting-edge protein engineering, George Ueda, James Lazarovits and the entire Archon team have created an entirely new class of biologic medicines,” Madrona Ventures partner Chris Picardo said in a LinkedIn post. “This incredible set of innovations has the potential to fundamentally change antibody-based therapeutics to bring novel and effective medicines to patients.”
Ueda expressed the confidence that Archon’s technology could “either make a cancer cell die a lot, die a little bit, be neutral, or target an immune cell that fights the cancer and turn that up, activate that.”
Founded in 1994 by Executive Chairman Joel S. Marcus , Alexandria Venture Investments invests in healthcare, disruptive life science, agrifood technology, climate innovation and information technology sectors.
Commercial Real Estate
MacKenzie Companies
Advertising / Media / Communications / Public Relations
Nevins & Associates
Financial Services / Investment Firms
Chesapeake Corporate Advisors
Commercial Real Estate
Monday Properties
Venture Capital
Blue Delta Capital Partners
Internet / Technology
Foxtrot Media
Marcus, who had a successful legal career before starting Alexandria, began by creating real estate assets for life sciences firms, transformed it from a specialty niche to a mainstream asset class. He completed a successful IPO in 1997, and led the company until 2018.
Cornucopian Capital, based in Montclair, N.J., focuses on life sciences, professing to fund Medicine 3.0 startups. It is led by founder and managing partner Aryeh Ganz. He is also a co-founder and managing partner of Barnstorm Foundry, a Bay Area-based venture studio for Medicine 3.0 startups.
Ganz’s other venture, SAGEN Trust Company, is a private family office that he has run since 2001 after his family’s sale of Slim Fast Foods. SAGEN has private equity and venture capital investments in the United States, China, India and Western Europe.
