Nov. 6 Financial Quick Takes: NEA backs Shape's series A; plus Royalty-Eisai-Epizyme, Sinomed, Genecast and Cadence

Shape raises $35.5M A round
RNA editing company Shape Therapeutics Inc. raised $35.5 million in a series A round led by New Enterprise Associates, with participation from CureDuchenne Ventures. The company uses guide RNAs to recruit native adenosine deaminase to edit point mutations and employs suppressor tRNAs to modify premature codon stops.

Royalty Pharma gains tazemetostat royalties from Eisai, Epizyme
Royalty Pharma purchased royalties on ex-Japan sales of tazemetostat from Eisai Co. Ltd. (Tokyo:4523) for $110 million up front, plus up to $200 million in milestones. Under a 2015 agreement, Eisai paid Epizyme Inc. (NASDAQ:EPZM) royalties on Japanese sales of the EZH2 inhibitor, and the biotech paid Eisai royalties on sales outside of Japan. In exchange for royalties on Japanese sales, Royalty also made a $100 million equity investment in Epizyme, with options for an additional $100 million. Additionally, the Royalty Pharma affiliate Pharmakon Advisors loaned Epizyme $70 million, with the potential to increase the loan to $370 million...