California Biotech Insights

Biotech Market Update

Epicrispr $68M raise, Character $93M Series B, Nkarta, BioAtla, and Tenaya layoffs

April 1, 2025

Recent Funding: Epicrispr Biotechnologies (SF) secures $68M to advance CRISPR-based therapy for rare muscle disease Epicrispr raised $68M in a Series B led by Ally Bridge Group to develop EPI-321, a CRISPR-based therapy for facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). Unlike traditional gene editing, Epicrispr’s method uses CRISPR to chemically modify the DUX4 gene without cutting DNA, […]

Biotech Leader Spotlight

Ugur Eskiocak, CEO of Voro Therapeutics

March 27, 2025

Dr. Ugur Eskiocak is a cancer biologist and biotech entrepreneur with extensive expertise in immuno-oncology, drug development, and translational sciences. He is the CEO & Co-Founder of Voro Therapeutics, where he leads the development of tumor-activated multi-specific antibodies (PrimeBody) to enhance cancer immunotherapy. Previously, he was an Entrepreneur in Residence at Alloy Therapeutics, supporting biotech startups and advancing drug discovery. His industry experience includes leadership roles at Janux Therapeutics, Takeda, Xilio Therapeutics, and Compass Therapeutics, where he directed translational and in vivo pharmacology programs, contributing to IND-enabling studies and Phase 1 clinical trials.

Biotech Market Update

Tempero Bio raises $70M, Cargo lays off 90%, Dren Bio $600M Sanofi deal

March 25, 2025

Recent Funding: Tempero Bio (SF) Raises $70M to Advance Addiction Treatment Candidate Tempero Bio secured $70M in Series B funding, led by 8VC, Aditum Bio, and Khosla Ventures, to support Phase 2 trials of TMP-301 for alcohol and cocaine use disorders, with results expected by late 2025 and mid-2026, respectively. TMP-301, a next-generation mGluR5 inhibitor, […]

Biotech Market Update

Latigo $150M Series B, Sutro layoffs, Ionis licensing deal

March 18, 2025

Recent Funding: Montara Therapeutics (SF) Expands Seed Round to $28M for CNS Drug Development Montara raised an additional $20M, bringing its total seed funding to $28M, to advance its preclinical CNS pipeline, including an epilepsy candidate and a neurodegenerative program. The biotech’s BrainOnly platform aims to improve drug safety by preventing side effects outside the […]

Biotech Market Update

Frazier’s new fund, Atara and ALX layoffs, Arrowhead positive data

March 11, 2025

Recent Funding: Frazier Life Sciences (SF) Raises New Venture Fund to Support Biotech Startups Frazier Life Sciences is raising FLS XII, a new venture fund, following its $987M FLS XI fund in 2022; New Mexico State Investment Council has committed up to $50M. The firm historically allocates 43% of its funds to company creation and […]

Biotech Leader Spotlight

Chan Whiting, CSO of Deciduous Therapeutics

March 6, 2025

Dr. Chan Whiting serves as the Chief Scientific Officer at Deciduous Therapeutics. With a deep background in immunology and drug development, Dr. Whiting brings over twenty years of leadership experience in the biotechnology industry. In her previous role as Chief Development Officer and Head of R&D at Actym Therapeutics, Dr. Whiting was instrumental in laying the groundwork for the company’s novel microbial cellular therapy, currently in clinical trials in patients with highly immunosuppressive cancers. Prior to Actym, she held the position of Senior Vice President and Head of R&D at Tempest Therapeutics (TPST), where she advanced multiple programs from discovery to Phase 1 clinical trials. Before Tempest, Dr. Whiting served as Director at Aduro Biotech. There, she led the Department of Immune Monitoring and Biomarker Development and was the project team leader (PTL) for the personalized medicine program (neo-antigen vaccine). Dr. Whiting earned her B.S. in Biochemistry and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Immunology from UCLA. She completed her postdoctoral studies in inflammation and autoimmunity at Tularik and Stanford Universi