BioCentury
ARTICLE | Financial News

Versant, Bayer bet big on iPS cells to tackle price, efficacy of CAR therapies

July 1, 2019 1:01 PM UTC

Looking to tap allogeneic iPS cells to address the shortcomings of CAR cell therapies, Bayer and Versant Ventures launched Century Therapeutics on Monday with $250 million in funding.

It’s the second time the partners have teamed up to create a new company with a megaround. In 2016, Versant and Bayer AG (Xetra:BAYN) launched stem cell play BlueRock Therapeutics L.P. (Cambridge, Mass.) with a $225 million series A (see “Starting Up Stem Cells”)...