Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Atara Biotherapeutics Gets $38.5M

Thousand Oaks-based biopharmaceuticals startup Atara Biotherapeutics announced this morning that it has raised $38.5M in a Series B funding round, for its efforts to develop treatments for patients with end-stage renal disease. The funding came from Amgen Ventures, Celgene Corporation, EcoR1 Capital, plus Alexandria Venture Investments, DAG Ventures, Domain Associates, and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. Atara is led by Isaac Ciechanover. Atara's lead product is in Phase 2 trials, and is a being targeted as a potential treatment for protein energy wasting (PEW), a form of inflammation, malnutrition and muscle wasting in patients with end-stage renal disease. The firm also said it has just submitted an IND on a treatment for ovarian cancer. More information »