Panorama Medicine Secures $3.7M Seed Funding Led by WI Harper Group to Advance AI-Driven RNA-Targeted Drug Discovery Platform

On April 16, 2019, Panorama Medicine (“Panorama”), a startup based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, announced the completion of a $3.7 million seed financing round. The round was led by WI Harper Group, a San Francisco-based venture capital firm, with participation from investors including DeLian Capital, ZhenFund, and the WI Harper-Luxin Venture Capital Fund.

Panorama is a startup focused on RNA modulation-related drug development, leveraging genomics and computational biology to accelerate the drug discovery process. The company will use this financing round to expand its specialized team, establish a robust drug screening and big data analytics platform based on core technologies licensed from academic partners, and advance its drug development efforts.

Panorama was established in 2018 and co-founded by leading scientists in the fields of RNA genomics and computational biology. Professor Yi Xing is a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, the founding director of the Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), and the Francis West Lewis Chair Professor. He has developed a series of core algorithms and computational tools for high-throughput RNA data analysis, which are widely used. Professor Douglas Black is a professor of molecular genetics at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the former president of the RNA Society. As a renowned RNA biologist, Professor Black has conducted pioneering work in the field of gene regulation related to human diseases at the RNA level. Dr. Mingfu Zhu was formerly an assistant professor at Duke University Medical Center and later held senior management positions at several leading biotechnology companies in the United States and China.

Abnormal RNA regulation can lead to a variety of human diseases. The development of RNA-targeted therapeutics involves the use of diverse therapeutic agents to modulate the levels and output of RNA products. This is a rapidly advancing frontier in drug discovery, as evidenced by recent breakthroughs in treating diseases caused by RNA defects, such as the FDA approval of the antisense oligonucleotide drug Spinraza and the RNA interference drug Onpattro. The emergence of RNA therapeutics has significantly expanded the range of druggable targets, offering new treatment avenues for previously incurable diseases.

“Many large multinational pharmaceutical companies are investing heavily in genomics and computational biology to accelerate the drug development process,” said Dr. Mingfu Zhu, Co-founder and CEO of Panorama. “The uniqueness of Panorama’s technology lies in its effective leverage of our team’s years of accumulated expertise in this field, applying it to drug screening. The company is committed to developing therapeutics for RNA-defect diseases.”

“WI Harper Group focuses on investing in cutting-edge technologies and is highly optimistic about the applications of big data and artificial intelligence in the healthcare sector,” added Jimmy Lu, Managing Director of WI Harper Group and Director of Panorama. “Panorama’s AI-driven drug discovery platform and its application scenarios are highly unique. We are delighted to lead this round of financing and support the company’s efforts in seeking treatments for rare and complex diseases.”

“Delian Capital’s healthcare team focuses primarily on global innovative drugs and platform technologies,” said Dr. Chen Xinying of Delian Capital. “RNA processing represents a new entry point for target and drug research. The Panorama Medicine team possesses forward-looking industry insights and the technical capability to deliver.”

Dr. Chen Gaopeng of ZhenFund also stated, “There is an urgent need for effective therapeutic solutions for RNA abnormality-related diseases. We value the team’s years of accumulated expertise in data analysis and experimental validation platforms, and we are delighted to support their efforts in drug development.”

With four full-time PhD employees on board, Panorama Medicine is actively expanding and growing. The company recently invited Dr. Beverly Davidson, a renowned expert in neurological disorders and gene therapy, to join its Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Davidson is the scientific co-founder of Spark Therapeutics (NASDAQ: ONCE) and Talee Bio, and serves as a scientific advisor to three NASDAQ-listed companies: Sarepta Therapeutics, Homology Medicines, and Intellia Therapeutics.

Panorama Medicine is a venture capital-backed startup founded by a multidisciplinary team of world-renowned computational and experimental RNA biologists. Leveraging the founding team’s expertise, Panorama has developed a drug discovery platform that integrates genomics, big data, and computational methods to create therapies for diseases caused by RNA defects.

WI Harper Group, founded in San Francisco, USA, in 1993, is an international fund management company specializing in early-stage and expansion-stage venture capital. Recognized as a pioneer and leader in cross-border investment, the firm focuses on the United States, Greater China, and the Asia-Pacific region. To date, WI Harper Group has managed eight US dollar funds, invested in over 400 companies, and overseen total assets under management amounting to billions of US dollars. Leveraging global resources, WI Harper Group provides long-term guidance and support to its portfolio companies, facilitating successful exits for many of them. The firm concentrates on investments in high-tech and healthcare sectors, with its healthcare team primarily focusing on early-stage drug development, medical devices, hospital services, and artificial intelligence.