ILiAD Biotechnologies of Weston closes $42.8M Series D

ILiAD Biotechnologies, a clinical stage biotech company based in Weston, raised $42.8M in Series D funding. The round was led by  New York-based Knott Partners.

Under CEO and founder Dr. Keith Rubin, ILiAD Biotechnologies is a clinical stage biotechnology company. It focuses on the prevention and treatment of the highly contagious respiratory disease caused by Bordetella pertussis and commonly known as whooping cough.  The company’s BPZE1 is the most advanced next generation vaccine for pertussis, designed to overcome deficiencies of current vaccines, including limited durability and the inability to prevent nasopharyngeal Bordetella pertussis infections that lead to transmission, especially to vulnerable infants, the company said.

 BPZE1 has completed four human clinical studies. At the end of 2021, the FDA provided BPZE1 with Fast Track designation. ILiAD plans to use the funding to conduct a Phase 2b  Human Challenge study, in addition to funding continued operations, R&D and manufacturing development of BPZE1, and further clinical studies of the vaccine.

To date, ILiAD has raised over $100 million in capital to fund the development of BPZE1.

 “From day one, the importance of inducing mucosal immunity has been central to ILiAD’s mission to achieve global eradication of disease due to B. pertussis and it’s gratifying that key investors, public health agencies and leaders in the field of infectious disease are recognizing its pivotal role,” Rubin said in a statement.

BPZE1 was developed by researchers at the Institut Pasteur de Lille and French National Institute of Health and Medical Research. ILiAD holds exclusive global rights to BPZE1 and related B-Tech™ technologies that are covered by 62 issued patents. An additional 31 patents are pending globally.

In South Florida, healthcare-related ventures, including ones in heathtech, biotech and life sciences, attracted $1.1 billion in investor capital last year; healthcare was the second most active venture category behind fintech. Though funding levels slipped in the first half of this year, deal activity has been strongest among later-stage companies.

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Nancy Dahlberg