Reshaping blood

Third Rock Ventures is the sole investor in the largest biotech series A financing thus far this year: a $40.7 million round for genetic blood disorder play Global Blood Therapeutics Inc.

The biotech will use the money to develop its SHAPE platform and get an oral treatment for sickle cell disease into the clinic, CEO and Third Rock Partner Mark Goldsmith told BioCentury. SHAPE combines computational biology, protein-ligand modeling, medicinal chemistry and empiric screening capabilities focused on allosteric modulation...