The Korea Herald

지나쌤

Samsung fund invests $15m in US biotech Senda

By Kan Hyeong-woo

Published : Aug. 17, 2022 - 14:50

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Logo of Senda Biosciences (Samsung Biologics) Logo of Senda Biosciences (Samsung Biologics)
Samsung Life Science Fund has invested $15 million in US biotech Senda Biosciences in efforts to foster core technology of next-generation biopharmaceuticals, Samsung Biologics said Wednesday.

Senda Biosciences is a therapeutics platform company specialized in programming to the cell by using the code from natural nanoparticles. The US biotech’s platform includes a messenger RNA engine and the first-ever atlas of nature-derived programmable systems at the molecular level and across all kingdoms of life.

With this platform, Senda is developing a new class of “SendRNA” medicines for infectious, genetic, metabolic and autoimmune diseases as well as oncology while advancing new frontiers for mRNA therapeutics and vaccines along with gene-editing and protein-based therapies.

Flagship Pioneering, a US life sciences venture capital company that founded COVID-19 vaccine maker Moderna, established Senda Biosciences in 2017.

Senda Biosciences also announced that the company has completed a $123 million series C financing to bring its total funding to $266 million. The latest investors included Flagship Pioneering, Samsung Life Science Fund, Qatar Investment Authority, Bluwave Capital and Stage 1 Ventures.

Samsung Biologics said the company will expand cooperation to other areas once the development of new pipelines for biopharmaceuticals that apply Senda Biosciences’ technology kicks off in the future.

Through the Samsung Life Science Fund, Samsung will continue to invest in innovative venture firms in and out of the country with goals of “nurturing global core bio technology” and “improving the quality of life,” according to Samsung Biologics.

Wednesday’s announcement marked Samsung Life Science Fund’s second investment since its launch in July 2021. It was established by Samsung Biologics and Samsung C&T as a joint investment venture worth 150 billion won ($114.5 million).

In March, the companies carried out its first investment in US biotech Jaguar Gene Therapy. The exact investment amount was not disclosed, but industry officials estimated it to be at around 20 billion won. 

A Senda Biosciences researcher works in the biotech’s laboratory. (Samsung Biologics) A Senda Biosciences researcher works in the biotech’s laboratory. (Samsung Biologics)