Atsena Therapeutics Secures $150 Million Series C Financing to Advance Ocular Gene Therapies

DURHAM, NC, April 2, 2025 – Atsena Therapeutics (“Atsena” or “the Company”), a clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on bringing the life-changing power of genetic medicine to reverse or prevent blindness, today announced the successful close of an oversubscribed $150 million Series C financing. This $150 million Series C financing was led by Bain Capital’s Life Sciences team, with participation from Wellington Management and all the Company’s existing investors, including Lightstone Ventures, Sofinnova Investments, Abingworth, Foundation Fighting Blindness, Hatteras Venture Partners, Osage University Partners, and the Manning Family Foundation.

Atsena will use the proceeds to advance its lead program, ATSN-201, for X-linked retinoschisis (XLRS), a genetic condition that typically leads to blindness, support its preclinical pipeline of first-in-class therapies, and expand the use of Atsena’s novel spreading adeno-associated virus (AAV).SPR capsid.

AAV.SPR is designed to spread laterally beyond the subretinal injection site, allowing for safe and efficient transduction of the central retina (where schisis cavities are concentrated in XLRS patients) when injected outside the macula. Preclinical studies in non-human primates have shown that AAV.SPR facilitates transgene expression far beyond subretinal injection bleb margins, a significant advantage over benchmark AAV vectors, which are limited to the injection site. Furthermore, AAV.SPR efficiently transduces foveal cones at clinically relevant doses without necessitating surgical detachment and does not induce inflammation.

Atsena Therapeutics Announces Oversubscribed $150 Million Series C Financing to Further Advance Ocular Gene Therapy Programs