BlueWhale Bio, a newly established company spun out of the University of Pennsylvania, has successfully raised $18 million in seed financing. This funding round was spearheaded by Danaher Ventures LLC, the corporate venture subsidiary of Danaher Corporation. A consortium of prominent life science investors, including Novalis LifeSciences and Marshall Wace, among others, also participated in the financing.
BlueWhale Bio is on a mission to address significant bottlenecks in cell and gene therapy manufacturing. The company’s founders include world-renowned immunotherapy pioneers, Carl June (the Richard W. Vague Professor in Immunotherapy at Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine) and James Riley (a Professor of Microbiology at Penn).
Together, they have invented technology that forms the foundation of BlueWhale Bio’s platform and a portfolio of groundbreaking products. These innovations have the potential to make cell therapy more accessible to patients, expedite treatment, and reduce costs. The company will be headquartered in Philadelphia, with Peter Keller serving as CEO.
In the current landscape, the demand for cell therapy products is surpassing the available supply. BlueWhale Bio aims to revolutionize the treatment paradigm by addressing the critical limitations currently faced in cell therapy.
Carl June expressed his excitement about the possibilities in the field of cell therapy, emphasizing its potential to become the next major pillar of medicine. He is thrilled to collaborate on the development and commercialization of a new cell therapy platform that can enhance patient care and save lives.
Notably, BlueWhale Bio is the first company to emerge from the Danaher Ventures Pioneer Program. This program is designed to create companies in collaboration with leading technology founders, with a focus on developing and commercializing highly disruptive products and services that advance scientific research and improve lives globally.
Through the Pioneer Program, founders and their startups gain access to Danaher Ventures’ investment expertise, company-building experience, and Danaher’s extensive research, product development, and commercial resources.
Murali Venkatesan, Head of Danaher Ventures, Americas, and Europe, as well as Vice President of Science & Technology Innovation at Danaher Corporation, highlighted the transformative potential of cell and gene therapies in healthcare. However, he emphasized that their impact can only be fully realized when made more accessible to a broader patient population.
Through the Pioneer Program, Danaher Ventures seeks to unite world-class talent and resources to tackle this critical challenge.
In summary, BlueWhale Bio’s successful seed financing, led by Danaher Ventures, positions the company to drive innovation in cell and gene therapy manufacturing. With the support of renowned pioneers in immunotherapy and a strong consortium of investors, BlueWhale Bio is poised to make a significant impact on the healthcare landscape, ultimately improving patient outcomes and expanding access to life-changing therapies.
