NCBiotech News

Physicians treating patients suffering from severe, life-threatening lung damage don’t have many options. When patients develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), putting them on a ventilator might not be sufficient. So doctors sometimes turn to a complicated and risky process called extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) – but only if they happen to practice in one of the just 10% of U.S. hospitals that have an ECMO machine. A better option might be on the way, thanks to a Cary company that has secured more than $5 million in funding. VQ Biomedical, spun out of Duke University, has developed a novel, minimally invasive catheter designed to deliver oxygen directly to the bloodstream.

Durham-based Atsena Therapeutics has raised $150 million to advance gene therapies for preventing or reversing types of inherited blindness. Proceeds from the Series C financing will be used to advance the company’s lead program, ATSN-201, for the treatment of X-linked retinoschisis (XLRS), a genetic retinal disorder typically diagnosed in childhood that leads to blindness later in life. The proceeds will also support Atsena’s preclinical pipeline of first-in-class therapies and expand the use of its novel gene therapy platform. “Closing our Series C marks a pivotal moment for Atsena as we advance our transformative ocular gene therapies and fuel our next phase of growth, innovation and clinical progress,” said Patrick Ritschel, chief executive officer of Atsena.

GreenLight Biosciences, Inc., a Boston-based agtech company with lab, office and greenhouse space in RTP, has closed a Series C funding round, including a $25 million investment from a new investor, Just Climate, which invests in climate solutions, and support from other new and existing shareholders, according to a company news release. The new capital supports GreenLight Bio’s commercial momentum following the successful launch of Calantha, which is registered in the United States and Ukraine. It is the first registered RNA-based crop protection spray. Calantha offers potato growers an alternative to conventional chemical pesticides, according to the company. "This strategic investment from Just Climate and others represents a powerful endorsement of our RNA platform’s potential to revolutionize agriculture while addressing environmental challenges, including pollinator health," said Dr. Andrey Zarur, CEO of GreenLight Bio.

Durham-based Precision BioSciences Inc. has received investigational new drug (IND) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for PBGENE-HBV, an in vivo gene editing program designed to cure chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. It is the first investigational in vivo gene editing therapy for treating chronic hepatitis B to be cleared for clinical trials in the U.S. Over a million people in the U.S. have chronic hepatitis B, and while antiviral treatments can suppress the virus and reduce liver damage, they don’t fully eliminate the infection. PBGENE-HBV addresses this challenge by targeting the main source of HBV replication and deactivating integrated HBV DNA in liver cells. “IND clearance to expand the ELIMINATE-B trial for chronic hepatitis B is a first for the gene editing space,” said Michael Amoroso, president and CEO of Precision BioSciences.

The field of gene editing recently got a major boost from Massachusetts-based Beam Therapeutics, and the company’s Durham operation is poised to help build on that success. On March 10, Beam announced data and proof-of-concept results from an early-stage clinical trial of its potential treatment for a rare genetic disorder affecting the lungs and liver. Nine patients were involved in the trial of BEAM-302, intended to treat alpha-1 antitrypsin (AATD) deficiency. AATD can lead to severe lung and liver complications, including emphysema and cirrhosis. The trial showed that BEAM-302 corrected a disease-causing mutation at the DNA level. AATD patients with lung disease were given a single intravenous infusion of the therapy and reported no significant adverse effects.

vTv Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company based in High Point, has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to resume clinical testing of a potential therapy for type 1 diabetes.

The FDA lifted a clinical hold on the company’s development of cadisegliatin, a first-in-class oral adjunctive therapy for the disease.

410 Medical, Inc., a medical device company focused on innovative technologies for emergency and critical care, has completed a $14 million Series B financing. Existing investor Hatteras Venture Partners led the funding round with participation from Orlando Health Ventures, Ballad Ventures, OSF Healthcare, WakeMed, Rex Health Ventures, CU Healthcare Innovations Fund, and Sarnova. “We are thrilled to add Rex Health Ventures, CU Healthcare Innovations, and Sarnova to our 410 Medical investor syndicate,” said Kyle Chenet, Chief Executive Officer at 410 Medical. “This funding accelerates our ability to expand access to LifeFlow, ensuring that critically ill patients receive timely and effective resuscitation. To date, clinicians have used LifeFlow to treat over 50,000 patients across the country in a wide variety of care settings. Patient outcomes and user feedback have been outstanding. The growing clinical adoption and positive provider feedback reinforce the need for effective resuscitation tools.”

North Carolina's life sciences ecosystem is thriving, thanks in no small part to the leadership and innovation of women shaping its future. From groundbreaking research in biotechnology to executive roles, women leaders across the state are driving advancements that make a global impact. 

Their contributions span startups, research institutions, and large corporations, fueling economic growth and scientific progress. These women are not just participating—they are leading the charge.

The North Carolina Biotechnology Center has been named to Fast Company’s prestigious list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2025. The annual list shines a spotlight on businesses that are shaping industry and culture through their innovations to set new standards and achieve remarkable milestones in all sectors of the economy, according to the magazine. Alongside the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies, Fast Company recognizes 609 organizations across 58 sectors and regions. NCBiotech was among the 10 companies in the Economic Development company category.

Avalo, a Durham startup using artificial intelligence to help develop climate-resistant crops, has secured $11 million in a Series A investment round. Founded in 2020, Avalo has developed an AI-powered platform to create more resilient and sustainable seeds and plants. One example is new sugarcane varieties that consume less water and fertilizer. Avalo says it’s working on a non-tropical sugarcane aimed at reducing deforestation in regions that historically have produced sugar. Agtech venture capital firm Germin8 Ventures and life sciences firm Alexandria Venture Investments led the round. Among the other participants is the venture arm of Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, which plans to use Avalo’s low-water, low-nitrogen sugarcane to help reduce emissions from sugar production.

Sara Imhof, Ph.D., vice president of the focused initiatives team at the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, has been honored by a regional business publication for her inspiring work to lead North Carolina residents into jobs and careers in the state’s life sciences sector. Imhof is among 27 winners in Triangle Business Journal’s 2025 Women in Business Awards program. This program recognizes Triangle-area women who have proven to be dynamic and outstanding leaders with established track records of significant accomplishments in business and/or community service. Imhof and other award winners were recognized during an awards luncheon on March 12 at Embassy Suites in Cary.

Doron Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company based in Chapel Hill, has received a Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for MOTYS, the company’s lead osteoarthritis biologic drug. The FDA also granted MOTYS Fast Track designation. "Securing RMAT designation is a significant milestone for MOTYS that underscores the promise of our clinical evidence and the potential for this technology to improve the life of millions of patients whose lives are limited by the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis," said Alessandra Pavesio, CEO of Doron Therapeutics.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s KickStart Commercialization Grant program hosted a luncheon last month to celebrate seven innovative startups awarded a combined $326,000 from the program in 2024. The Innovate Carolina KickStart Grant Awards Program provides up to $50,000 per company to help early-stage companies based on UNC intellectual property meet commercial milestones. Grantees also receive access to internal and external business experts to assist with commercial translation. “The KickStart Grant Awards help de-risk these technologies by establishing a collaboration agreement between the startup company and UNC, enabling the work to progress to a stage where it can secure further funding, whether dilutive or non-dilutive,” said Mireya McKee, director of KickStart Venture Services.

A Research Triangle Park startup is making progress in its quest to revolutionize sample preparation – a monotonous, time-consuming process that’s essential in the laboratory. Redbud Labs, with 21 employees in the Frontier complex in RTP, has developed a sample prep platform that’s now available commercially. Unlike robotic systems often used to manage sample prep in the lab, Redbud relies on microfluidics technology to make smaller, more nimble devices. “Sample prep is a mature industry,” said Ricky Spero, the company’s CEO. “We’ve developed the first new automation platform for sample prep in the last 20 years.

Flourish Research, a multi-site clinical trials company based in Apex, has acquired a California clinical research facility. The purchase of Diablo Clinical Research in Walnut Creek, Calif., expands Flourish’s therapeutic areas and geographic reach. With clinical trial sites in 10 states, Flourish enters the Bay Area market with the deal. Flourish Research logo “For 30 years, Diablo has built its reputation as a premier regional site, delivering high participant diversity, top enrollment-to-target statistics and participant retention,” Flourish CEO Reinhold Schulz said in a news release.