Feb. 7 Quick Takes: Garuda advancing stem cell program with $62M series B

Blood stem cell company Garuda Therapeutics Inc. has raised $62 million in a series B round led by Northpond Ventures, OrbiMed Advisors, Cormorant Asset Management and Aisling Capital. The company is developing a platform to generate off-the-shelf, self-renewing blood stem cells that do not require the use of patient or donor cells in cell therapies. Also participating were Sectoral Asset Management, Mass General Brigham Ventures, Alexandria Venture Investments and others.

U.K.-based Evonetix Ltd. brought the total raised in its series B to over $54 million with a $24 million extension led by existing investor Foresite Capital. The company, which is developing technology to deliver accurate, gene-length DNA in a bench top instrument, will use the funds to develop its semiconductor chips and gene assembly capabilities. Molten Ventures, Morningside, DCVC, Cambridge Consultants, Civilization Ventures and Providence participated in the round...