What is Akouos?
Akouos is dedicated to restoring, improving, and preserving high-acuity physiologic hearing through advanced gene therapies. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Boston, the company utilizes a proprietary precision genetic medicine platform. This platform incorporates a unique adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector library and a novel delivery approach, specifically targeting forms of sensorineural hearing loss. Akouos's scientific foundation is built by leaders in neurotology, genetics, inner ear drug delivery, and AAV gene therapy, aiming to address a critical unmet need in audiology.
How much funding has Akouos raised?
Akouos has raised a total of $368M across 3 funding rounds:
Series A
$50M
Series B
$105M
Stock Offering
$213M
Series A (2018): $50M, investors not publicly disclosed
Series B (2020): $105M led by Pagsgroup, Partners Innovation Fund, Surveyor Capital, New Enterprise Associates, RA Capital Management, EcoR1 Capital LLC, Polaris Founders Fund, Cormorant Asset Management , LLC, 5AM Ventures, Sofinnova Investments, Novartis Venture Fund, Cowen Healthcare Investments, PIVOTAL BIOVENTURE PARTNERS LLC, Fidelity Mangement & Research Company, and Wu Capital
Stock Issuance/Offering (2020): $213M, investors not publicly disclosed
Key Investors in Akouos
New Enterprise Associates
New Enterprise Associates (NEA) is a venture capital firm focused on helping entrepreneurs build businesses, with a strong track record in the life sciences sector.
RA Capital Management
RA Capital Management is a multi-stage investment manager focused on evidence-based investing in public and private healthcare and life science companies, aiming to partner with innovators to bring new therapies to patients.
5AM Ventures
5AM Ventures is a life science focused venture capital firm that backs early stage biotech and health care innovators, partnering closely with founders to shape companies and fund rigorous science.
What's next for Akouos?
With substantial enterprise-level funding and a recent strategic investment, Akouos is poised to accelerate its development of gene therapies for hearing loss. The company's focus on a precision genetic medicine platform suggests a strategy centered on targeted therapeutic interventions. Future endeavors will likely involve advancing its lead programs through clinical trials, further validating its AAV vector technology, and potentially expanding its pipeline to address a broader spectrum of hearing disorders. This strategic financing provides the necessary resources to navigate the complex path of drug development and bring potentially life-changing treatments to patients.
See full Akouos company page
