Aclaris raises $40M, licenses Rigel's JAK inhibitors

Aclaris Therapeutics Inc. (Malvern, Pa.) raised $40 million in series C funding led by RA Capital; Cormorant Asset Management; Rock Springs Capital; Aperture Venture Partners; and Mossrock Capital. Existing investors Vivo Capital; Fidelity Biosciences; and Sofinnova Ventures also participated.

Last month, Aclaris filed to raise up to $86.3 million in an IPO on NASDAQ underwritten by Jefferies; Citigroup; and William Blair. The company plans to start three Phase III studies this half of A-101, a high-concentration hydrogen peroxide topical solution for seborrheic keratosis. ...