AIRNA Raises USD 155 Million in Oversubscribed Series B Financing to Advance RNA Editing Therapies

AIRNA (President and CEO: Kris Elverum; Headquarters: Cambridge, USA), a biotech startup focused on RNA editing therapeutics, has announced the successful close of its Series B financing round, raising USD 155 million, significantly exceeding its initial target. The proceeds will support Phase 1/2 clinical trials and accelerate the development of AIRNA’s novel RNA editing therapies. Fast Track Initiative, Inc. (FTI) participated in the round as an existing investor.

The round—completed less than a year after AIRNA’s Series A2—marks a significant milestone in the company’s growth. It was led by RTW Investments, Nextech Invest, and others, and included participation from existing investors such as FTI, ARCH Venture Partners, Forbion Ventures, and ND Capital. New investors included Venrock Healthcare Capital Partners and Forbion Growth, alongside a number of prominent global crossover investors.

AIRNA is pioneering RNA editing therapies designed for re-administration, streamlined manufacturing, and the ability to address diseases untreatable by other approaches. The company’s proprietary RESTORE+™ RNA editing platform underpins a growing pipeline of treatments, including a lead program targeting Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (AATD), a serious genetic disorder.

Proceeds from the Series B will be used to advance Phase 1/2 clinical trials of AIR-001, the company’s lead candidate for AATD, and to continue development of additional RNA editing therapies targeting cardiometabolic and other complex diseases.

As FTI marks its five-year anniversary in the U.S., we are proud to continue supporting AIRNA and its mission as an early and ongoing investor. We remain committed to providing hands-on support throughout future funding rounds, driven by our core purpose of improving both life and living. FTI continues to foster the advancement of the bio and healthtech startup ecosystem across Japan, the U.S., and globally.

View the original press release from AIRNA: https://airna.com/news/airna-raises-oversubscribed-155-million-series-b-financing-to-fund-phase-1-2-clinical-trial-for-alpha-1-antitrypsin-deficiency-and-future-pipeline/

About AIRNA AIRNA is pioneering the discovery and development of RNA editing therapeutics to deliver on the promise of genetically defined medicines for patients with rare and common diseases. RNA editing is poised to lead the next generation of RNA therapeutics by targeting diseases not accessible through other approaches with a medicine that can be conveniently re-dosed and manufactured. AIRNA’s founders, Thorsten Stafforst (University of Tübingen) and Jin Billy Li (Stanford University), were the first to elucidate a therapeutic approach for precise editing of RNA. AIRNA has advanced this groundbreaking research to establish the RESTORE+™ RNA editing platform to restore patients’ health. AIRNA has headquarters in Cambridge, MA, with research operations in Tübingen, Germany. Further information can be found at www.airna.com   About Fast Track Initiative: Established in 2004, Fast Track Initiative, Inc. (FTI) is a life science venture capital firm focusing its investments on early-stage startups with a strong focus on biotech and therapeutics. FTI has a strict mission to make a ground-breaking impact on the quality of our life and human wellness through investments across a broad range of areas in the life science community including therapeutics, diagnostics, digital health, healthcare services, and more. The company provides valuable, hands-on support to its 30+ portfolio companies through business and R&D strategy, partnering, investor syndication, and more, including access to its network of professionals in Japan. Visit https://us.fasttrackinitiative.com for more details, or follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fast-track-initiative/   Media Contact: For press inquiries or investor inquiries, please email:  message.us@fasttrackinitiative.com