Fertility biopharma company bags US$14m led by Google Ventures

The US biopharma company Granata Bio has secured US$14m in Series A funding to develop new fertility treatments.

Nearly one in five women in the US struggle with infertility and are unable to get pregnant after one year of trying according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Approximately one in four women in this group have difficulty getting pregnant or carrying a pregnancy to term.

Problems that affect ovulation and the hormones involved with ovulation, are the most common cause of female infertility and are often treated with infertility drugs as a first step.

Granata Bio launched in 2018 with the aim to “invigorate” the offerings in the US fertility medication marketplace.

The company has designed clinical development programmes aimed at optimising outcomes for study subjects while assessing the safety and efficacy of investigational products. It currently has a portfolio of four medications.

The funding round, led by Google Ventures (GV) with participation from CooperSurgical, Gedeon Richter, Alumni Ventures, Amboy Street Ventures and Vibe Bio, is hoped to help Granata evaluate new targets and accelerate its existing pipeline.

“We are taking a novel approach to both address current market dynamics and to develop unique products targeting unmet needs in women’s health,” said Evan Sussman, Granata CEO.

“This funding is an exciting next step toward our mission of creating access for fertility patients with new therapeutic solutions.”

Cathy Friedman, executive venture partner at GV, said: “Despite significant growth in patient volume over the last ten years, infertility has been woefully overlooked and under-supported.

“We’re excited about the focus and innovation Granata Bio is bringing to this space and – most importantly – new options for patient care.”

She added: “We look forward to partnering with Evan Sussman and the Granata Bio team as they advance women’s health.”