Scout Bio Secures $20 Million Series B Financing to Advance AAV-Based Gene Therapies for Chronic Diseases in Companion Animals

VCBeat (WeChat Official Account: vcbeat) learned from foreign media that on April 10, U.S. local time, biotechnology company Scout Bio completed a $20 million Series B financing round. The funds from this round will be used to develop novel veterinary drugs aimed at addressing chronic conditions in animals.

It is reported that this round of financing was led by Digitalis Ventures and RiverVest. In addition, Scout Bio has expanded its board of directors, with Nancy Hong from RiverVest and Cindy Cole from Digitalis Ventures Partners joining the Scout Bio board.

Headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Scout Bio is a biotechnology company focused on developing one-time curative therapies for chronic diseases in pets. The company’s AAV-based therapeutics utilize adeno-associated virus vectors to stimulate the production of protein antigens in animals for disease treatment.

Currently, human medical research is primarily focused on rare diseases, while veterinary medical research emphasizes chronic conditions. Scout Bio’s current drug development efforts are dedicated to addressing chronic kidney disease (CKD) in cats. CKD is prevalent among older felines and tends to worsen with age. Furthermore, CKD can trigger a range of additional health complications, such as anemia.

Scout Bio’s current therapeutic approach involves administering adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors via injection into animals to stimulate the production of therapeutic proteins. These therapeutic proteins are expressed in feline red blood cells; upon AAV entry, the vector promotes the expression of erythropoietin (EPO) in cats. EPO can be used to treat chronic diseases in animals. This one-time injection enables long-term protein expression, thereby improving animal health outcomes and enhancing the convenience of pet care.

“Scout Bio aims to leverage gene therapy to advance the veterinary industry and improve cure rates for chronic diseases in animals,” said Dr. Mark Heffernan, CEO of Scout Bio. “We hope to enhance therapeutic efficacy and meet market demands by promoting long-term expression of therapeutic proteins in animals through a single-injection treatment.”

“Scout Bio has established a professional research team, bringing together experts in the field of veterinary medicine to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of AAV. We believe that Scout Bio will successfully develop therapeutic drugs to meet market demands,” said Dr. Nancy Hong, Board Member at RiverVest Venture Partners.

Digitalis Ventures is a venture capital firm with offices in New York City, Boston, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, dedicated to addressing health challenges for both humans and animals. Digitalis Ventures collaborates with entrepreneurs, research teams, and scientists at all stages of startup development, with its investment focus centered on the healthcare industry. In addition to its healthcare activities, the firm manages Companion Fund, the first venture capital fund dedicated to innovations in pet care.

RiverVest is a venture capital firm focused on helping early-stage life sciences companies grow to create shareholder value. Leveraging hands-on experience, deep expertise, and financial resources, RiverVest Venture Partners helps entrepreneurs manage their companies and scale their businesses.

(Compiled by Liu Yujing)