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$500m And Counting: Vir Puts Big Money To Work In Infectious Diseases

 
• By Mandy Jackson

Vir Biotechnology launched in January with $150m and a focus on infectious diseases. Now, the George Scangos-led venture has raised more than $500m and signed multiple collaboration agreements, including deals with Alnylam and Visterra worth as much as $1bn each.

Hepatitis B

Infectious disease-focused Vir Biotechnology Inc. launched at the beginning of 2017 with $150m and ex-Biogen CEO George Scangos at its helm, and just 10 months later the start-up says it has accumulated more than $500m to develop drugs and acquire assets – but it's not done raising capital just yet, Chief Financial Officer Howard Horn told Scrip.

San Francisco-based Vir has made several investments in technology to boost its research and development capabilities in infectious diseases as well as to add drug discovery projects, therapeutic programs and vaccine candidates to its pipeline. Those deals include newly announced agreements with Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Visterra Inc

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