What is Akouos?
Akouos is dedicated to restoring, improving, and preserving high-acuity physiologic hearing through advanced gene therapies. The company leverages a proprietary precision genetic medicine platform, which includes a unique adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector library and a novel delivery method. This platform is specifically designed to target forms of sensorineural hearing loss, a condition affecting millions globally. Founded in 2016, Akouos has brought together leading experts in neurotology, genetics, inner ear drug delivery, and AAV gene therapy to advance its mission.
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 Cormorant Asset Management , LLC, Polaris Founders Fund, RA Capital Management, Pagsgroup, Surveyor Capital, PIVOTAL BIOVENTURE PARTNERS LLC, EcoR1 Capital LLC, Wu Capital, Sofinnova Investments, New Enterprise Associates, 5AM Ventures, Fidelity Mangement & Research Company, Cowen Healthcare Investments, Partners Innovation Fund, and Novartis Venture Fund
Stock Issuance/Offering (2020): $213M, investors not publicly disclosed
Key Investors in Akouos
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, including those developing drugs, medical devices, diagnostics, and research tools. The company also has a growing interest in climate and sustainability technologies. RA Capital aims to partner with innovators to bring ideas from the lab to the clinic, ultimately improving patient lives. Their internal think tank, TechAtlas, analyzes scientific and clinical data to support their investment strategies.
Wu Capital
Wu Capital is a global investment firm that partners with top asset management firms and entrepreneurs to build a diversified growth portfolio. Their investment themes include TMT, Healthcare, Fintech, High-tech, and more. Wu Capital provides post-investment support, leveraging its understanding of local markets and entrepreneurial experience.
Sofinnova Investments
Sofinnova Partners is a leading European venture capital firm in life sciences, specializing in healthcare and sustainability. Based in Paris, London and Milan, the firm brings together a team of professionals from all over the world with strong scientific, medical and business expertise. Sofinnova Partners is a hands-on company builder across the entire value chain of life sciences investments, from seed to later-stage.
What's next for Akouos?
The recent major strategic investment positions Akouos for significant advancement in its clinical development pipeline. With substantial enterprise-level backing, the company is poised to accelerate the progression of its gene therapies through regulatory pathways and towards commercialization. This capital infusion is expected to fuel further research and development, expand its therapeutic offerings, and solidify its market leadership in the precision genetic medicine sector for hearing disorders. Akouos's focus on innovative delivery methods and a robust AAV vector library suggests a strategic expansion into new indications within the hearing loss space.
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