Life sciences VC Omega Funds closes $647m funding spherical
Life sciences enterprise capital (VC) firm Omega Funds has closed its eighth fund, with capital commitments totalling $647m.
As with its earlier funds, the US-based enterprise stated its oversubscribed funding, which had initially focused a $600m shut, will proceed executing on its technique to assist administration groups within the US and Europe that focus on extreme, unmet medical wants by means of firm creation, early enterprise rounds, and later-stage financing.
Omega Funds managing director Francesco Draetta stated: “We consider our broad funding technique is well-positioned for navigating this era of macro and coverage uncertainty.
“We stay up for contributing our capital, experience, and community connectivity in partnering with entrepreneurs, founders, co-investors, and the broader group to remodel the requirements of look after extreme illnesses.”
Based on Omega, it has raised $2.5bn since its first fund in 2004 to assist the event of medical gadgets and therapeutics throughout indications together with oncology, immunology, and uncommon illnesses.
In complete, 52 merchandise have been delivered to market by Omega’s former portfolio firms, with the VC’s earlier investments leading to 50 exits through M&A, and 47 public listings.
M&A exits embrace SoniVie, Scorpion Therapeutics, and Amunix Prescription drugs, which had been acquired by Boston Scientific, Eli Lilly, and Sanofi, respectively. Corporations that Omega has invested in have gone on to launch preliminary public choices (IPO). These embrace Kestra Medical Applied sciences, Beta Bionics, and Imago Biosciences, all of that are listed on the Nasdaq alternate.
Omega Funds’ founder and managing director Otello Stampacchia commented: “By exceeding its goal dimension, fund VIII is a recognition of our funding technique and monitor file of constant exits throughout market cycles.”
Life science firms are usually reliant on funding from VC or non-public fairness (PE) companies. Whereas analysis by Bain & Firm discovered that deal worth in 2023 struggled to match the tempo of earlier years, more moderen analysis by the marketing consultant discovered that healthcare PE soared to an estimated $115bn in 2024, making it the second-highest deal worth complete on file.
Different important entities backing life science firms embrace Symbiotic Capital. The credit score firm from biotech entrepreneur Arie Belldegrun, founding father of Kite Pharma and co-founder of Bellco Capital, launched in August 2024 with $600m for all times science-specific loans.