Infectious disease biotech Bluejay raises $182M for hepatitis trials

Cal­i­for­nia biotech Blue­jay Ther­a­peu­tics has se­cured a megaround to con­tin­ue de­vel­op­ing its treat­ment can­di­dates for chron­ic he­pati­tis D and B.

The $182 mil­lion Se­ries C, dis­closed Thurs­day morn­ing, will bankroll test­ing of sev­en pro­grams, in­clud­ing for­mer No­var­tis and Ex­i­cure as­sets.

The biotech’s lead he­pati­tis as­set, BJT-778, de­rives from No­var­tis and goes against the he­pati­tis B sur­face anti­gen, or HB­sAg, with the goal of eas­ing im­mune cell ex­haus­tion so that the body can con­trol the in­fec­tion. The mon­o­clon­al an­ti­body is in a Phase 1/2 test in Aus­tralia, New Zealand and oth­er coun­tries.

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