a16z Bio + Health

"The promise of AI is on every biopharma’s radar, but the reality today is that much of the industry is grappling with how to convert the hype into impact." Check out Benchling's State of Tech in Biotech report to learn more ????

1 in 6 Americans stay in a job they’d rather leave—just to keep their health insurance. Today’s workforce is mobile and remote, but employer-sponsored insurance hasn’t caught up. That’s where ICHRA (Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement) comes in. This policy lets employers give tax-free dollars to employees, who can then shop for health insurance and services that fit their needs—whether it’s therapy, braces for kids, or local coverage. While still growing, startups like Thatch, cofounded by Chris Ellis and Adam Stevenson, are creating tools to simplify ICHRA, empowering employees to make smarter healthcare decisions. Chris and Adam join a16z partners, Julie Yoo and Jay Rughani to discuss. Watch on Raising Health: https://lnkd.in/da2Vuq5z

Developing effective therapies for advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) remains a significant challenge, especially for patients who have progressed on standard treatments. IDRx’s investigational therapy, IDRX-42, aims to change this by targeting the spectrum of KIT mutations driving both tumor growth and resistance to existing drugs. As CEO Tim Clackson, explains, their recent “data underscore the potential for IDRX-42 to improve outcomes for GIST patients,” and support IDRx’s plans to advance to a Phase 3 trial. We’re excited to see IDRx push forward in transforming the treatment landscape for GIST! None of the above should be taken as investment advice or an advertisement for investment services; please see https://lnkd.in/gjmYWkHi for more information.

Advancing AI-driven drug discovery demands state-of-the-art computational power. Genesis Therapeutics’ partnership with NVIDIA aims to advance the capabilities of GEMS, Genesis’ AI platform for molecular design, by optimizing key neural network architectures essential for drug discovery. As CEO Evan Feinberg puts it, this collaboration will “help realize our vision of harnessing AI to generate breakthrough therapies for previously undruggable targets.” We’re excited to see how Genesis and NVIDIA push the boundaries of AI in drug discovery! None of the above should be taken as investment advice or an advertisement for investment services; please see https://lnkd.in/gjmYWkHi for more information.

What does it mean for the 21st century to be the “century of biology”? ?? In a recent conversation, Benchling’s CEO and Co-founder, Sajith Wickramasekara, joins a16z’s Jorge Conde and Jay Rughani to explore how biotech is set to tackle humanity’s biggest challenges—and why data organization is crucial. ???? Biotech companies are producing massive amounts of complex data, but much of it remains “dark” and underutilized. ???? Structured data is essential to enable AI-driven insights and speed up drug discovery and development. ???? Platforms like Benchling are helping scientists digitize workflows, bringing transformative therapies to market faster. Listen on Raising Health: https://lnkd.in/gUDarqfh

Providing compassionate, weight-inclusive care for obesity and metabolic health is a crucial step forward in addressing the growing health crisis in the U.S. knownwell’s expansion into Texas, where nearly one-third of the population faces obesity, brings their patient-first approach to a region that needs better care options. By combining in-person and virtual services, knownwell delivers effective, stigma-free care tailored to each patient’s unique health needs. Their commitment to inclusive, evidence-based medicine is driving better outcomes for patients of all sizes. Excitingly, Dr. Britta Reierson, MD, FAAFP, Diplomat Obesity Med joins as Medical Director of the Central U.S., helping lead this important expansion. Congratulations to knownwell! None of the above should be taken as investment advice or an advertisement for investment services; please see?https://lnkd.in/gjmYWkHi?for more information.

Developing next-generation gene therapies for neurological diseases has long been a critical challenge in the biotech space. We believe Dyno Therapeutics' cutting-edge platform will help overcome this barrier by designing AAV vectors optimized for gene delivery, immune evasion, and manufacturability. Powered by AI and Dyno’s LEAP technology, which enables billions of in vivo measurements each month, these custom AAV capsids aim to improve the safety and efficacy of gene therapies across multiple neurological targets. With their new partnership, Roche can harness these innovations to accelerate the development of transformative treatments for patients with life-altering neurological diseases. Congrats to Dyno Therapeutics on advancing gene therapy innovation! None of the above should be taken as investment advice or an advertisement for investment services; please see?https://lnkd.in/gjmYWkHi?for more information.

Developing targeted radiopharmaceuticals to treat cancer is a promising yet complex challenge in oncology. Alpha-9 Oncology is tackling this head-on by advancing a pipeline of highly selective radiopharmaceuticals designed to deliver radiation precisely to tumors while sparing healthy tissue. With their iterative approach to peptide engineering and molecule design, Alpha-9 is creating first-in-class and best-in-class therapies for multiple tumor types with high unmet needs. Welcome Alpha-9 Oncology to the a16z Bio+Health portfolio! None of the above should be taken as investment advice or an advertisement for investment services; please see?https://lnkd.in/gjmYWkHi?for more information.

Medicaid enrollment is complex, with varying state rules, confusing eligibility criteria, and lengthy processes. Many patients struggle to complete the process, leading to gaps in coverage. This not only harms vulnerable populations but also strains healthcare systems trying to deliver care. Recently, Nikita Singareddy joined a16z venture partner, William Shrank, to discuss how Fortuna Health is solving these problems. Listen on Raising Health: https://lnkd.in/gpVWd72g

In the midst of a busy #HLTH, where the health tech community is looking for solutions and impact, warm congratulations to a16z bio + health portfolio company Waymark for publishing peer-reviewed findings in NEJM Catalyst. Their findings demonstrate that technology-powered rising risk prediction, community-based intervention, and care team automation can significantly improve clinical outcomes for Medicaid members. None of the above should be taken as investment advice or an advertisement for investment services; please see?https://lnkd.in/gjmYWkHi?for more information.