Eyeing new endpoints, Versant-backed Chinook reels in $65M series A for kidney therapies

Increased momentum in the kidney disease space, sparked in part by an evolution in FDA's thinking about approvable endpoints, encouraged a VC syndicate to back newly launched Chinook with $65 million in series A funding.

Incubated within Versant Ventures' Inception Sciences drug discovery operation, Chinook Therapeutics Inc. (Vancouver, B.C.) is developing precision medicines for kidney disorders, and hopes to have more than one program in the clinic by 2021. Versant led the round, which included fellow seed investor Apple Tree Partners as well as Samsara BioCapital...