On February 16, 2021, Centessa Pharmaceuticals (Centessa) launched as a novel asset-centric pharmaceutical company designed and built to advance a portfolio of highly validated programs. Centessa’s asset-centric R&D model applied at scale has assembled best-in-class or first-in-class assets, each of which is led by specialized teams committed to accelerate development and reshape the traditional drug development process.
The company was founded by Medicxi and raised $250 million in an oversubscribed Series A financing led by General Atlantic and co-led by Vida Ventures and Janus Henderson Investors. Additional blue-chip investors participated in the financing, including Boxer Capital, Cormorant Asset Management, T. Rowe Price Associates, Venrock Healthcare Capital Partners, Wellington Management Company, BVF Partners L.P., EcoR1 Capital, Franklin Templeton, Logos Capital, Samsara BioCapital, LifeSci Venture Partners, and an undisclosed U.S.-based, healthcare-focused fund. Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati advised General Atlantic on patent matters related to the transaction.
In conjunction with its launch, Centessa has completed the merger of 10 private biotech companies (Centessa Subsidiaries) that will each continue to develop its assets with oversight from the Centessa management team. Each Centessa Subsidiary team is asset-focused, in that it prosecutes a single program or biological pathway, with leadership provided by subject-matter experts who are given a high degree of autonomy to advance each program. With a singular focus on advancing exceptional science, combined with proprietary capabilities, including structure-based drug discovery and design, the subsidiary teams enable Centessa to potentially develop and deliver impactful medicines to patients.
The Wilson Sonsini team that advised General Atlantic includes attorneys Michael Hostetler, Julia Minitti, and Matt Wheeler, and patent agents Jose Martinez, Luis Perla, and Srividya Chandramouli.
For more information, please see Centessa's press release.