Gene-editing milestone: non-human organ donors

In an historic first successful procedure, surgeons in the US have transplanted a genetically modified pig heart into a patient

This was made possible through advances in the CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology; researchers could genetically tweak the pig organ so the human immune system wouldn't reject it. The group of researchers inactivated 62 porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) in pig embryos. These viruses are embedded in all pig's genomes and cannot be treated or neutralized.

“CRISPR technology provides a relatively simple and efficient alternative for site-specific gene editing”. In the 1960s, US doctors transplanted chimp kidneys into more than a dozen patients, all but one of whom died within weeks. In the 1980s, a premature baby received a baboon heart but passed away three weeks later. With the recent event, CRISPR tech is entering an age of applied, rather than theoretical. 

CRISPR tech startups have raised more than $2B globally over the last four years. Global VC funding has gone from $172M in 2016 to $882M in 2021, a 5.1x increase. In 2021, investment was driven mainly by megarounds, an 86% of total investment. The largest rounds: Arbor Biotechnologies ($215M Series B), Inscripta ($150M Series E) and Mammoth Biosciences ($150M Series D). Have a look at all rounds here. 

By December 2021, CRISPR tech startups have reached a combined enterprise value of $37.5B, a 15x increase in the last five years. Today, Intellia Therapeutics is the most valued company at $7.3B, followed by CRISPR Therapeutics ($5.31B) and Beam Therapeutics ($4.9B). 

In other news

🦠 BioNTech and InstaDeep to create ‘early warning system’ to spot dangerous new COVID-19 variants before they spread. In tests, the two companies said that their early warning system was able to pick up 12 of the 13 coronavirus variants that the WHO has so far designated as potentially dangerous, doing so on average two months before the WHO reached the same conclusion.  

🫀Artificial Intelligence tool could help GPs diagnose heart failure. Using a ‘smart’ stethoscope – the Eko DUO device – that records electrocardiograms (ECGs) as well as heart sounds, the researchers applied the novel AI algorithm that determines within 15 seconds whether the pumping action of their hearts is weakened, providing an immediate diagnosis of heart failure

🧠 Dementia cases expected to almost triple across the world by 2050. By 2050, more than 153 million people could have dementia, up from 57 million in 2019, experts are warning.

📣 The DTx Advance programme by E Health Ventures is for digital therapeutics (DTx) startups to receive funding, coaching and access to hospitals and universities. Applications are open until 18 February 2022. 

Latest healthtech and biotech deals

The largest from last week:

🇺🇸 Eikon Therapeutics, live-cell super-resolution microscopy to drug discovery, raised $518M in Series B. 

🇺🇸 Maze Therapeutics with the mission to find so-called genetic modifiers, or genes that can change the severity of a monogenetic disease like sickle cell, raised $190M. 

🇺🇸 The Medically Home, at-home acute care company, raised $110M.

Other notable deals from around the globe:

🇨🇳 VIRTUE Diagnostics, China-based IVD company focused on infectious disease, cancer, and chronic diseases, raised $100M in Series B.

🇺🇸 Little Otter, a digital mental health company providing mental health care for children under 13 and their parents, raised $22M in Series A.

🇺🇸 Gameto, iotechnology company focused on understanding and eliminating infertility and menopause, raised $20M in Series A.

Read up on all the latest health deals in Dealroom.co

Tip of the week

We've added a new tab on company profiles to show details of the patents that the company has received. You can filter for this data in the Advanced Filters > Patents tab. For instance, CRISPR Therapeutics has a patent in “Universal Donor Cells”, an in vitro method for generating a universal donor cell. 

Job opportunities

Avi Medical is hiring for 40 positions, including Head of Product, Managing Director, Head of Clinical Operations, and more.

AccuRx is hiring for 38 positions for IT Manager, Product Designer, Finance Analyst, and more. 

Osler Diagnostics is hiring for 4 positions in Oxford.

Discover 275K jobs openings at healthtech and biotech startups. (login for full results)

Dive in

🎟️ With Emerge Global Health Innovation conference coming up in March, grab your tickets now, and dive into our joint report on Health & Biotech in the meantime

🎓 Healthtech & Biotech university spinouts

🗺️ Healthtech investment heatmap

🦄 New Healthtech and Biotech unicorns announced in 2021 alone.

Knowledge partners

Laura Rodriguez

Healthtech Specialist
Dealroom.co

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