Sofinnova’s Biovelocita II Fund Closes at $181M, Backing Three New Biotech Companies
Sofinnova Partners has announced the final close of its Biovelocita II accelerator fund, raising €165 million ($181 million), exceeding its target. The fund, backed by pharmaceutical giants including Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Pfizer Ventures, will support the launch of three new biotech startups.
These startups include:
- fiBioClec (Italy): Developing disease-modifying interventions for Alzheimer’s disease by targeting a novel microglial pathway.
- Forth Therapeutics (UK): A spin-out from the University of Edinburgh, advancing next-generation precision therapeutics for fibrosis.
- Signadori Bio (France): Developing a novel cell therapy platform based on research from the Gustave Roussy Institute.
Biovelocita II expands Sofinnova’s biotech acceleration strategy beyond Italy to include France, the UK, and Denmark, with plans for further European expansion. “The strong response from our pharmaceutical partners and exceeding our fundraising target demonstrate the demand for this approach,” said Graziano Seghezzi, Managing Partner at Sofinnova.
Since its launch, Biovelocita II has screened over 300 projects, leading to multiple investments. “Building on Biovelocita I’s success in Italy, we’ve developed a pan-European strategy,” Seghezzi stated.
Led by partners Gabriella Camboni, Matthieu Coutet, Alex Leech, and Zhizhong Joel Yao, Biovelocita II is now the largest pan-European biotech accelerator, aiming to create “the next generation of biotech startups.” Sofinnova’s Biovelocita strategy provides scientific founders with comprehensive support, including direct management, financial resources, and access to its network.
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