Haynes Boone Advises Biotech Startup Mekonos in Partnership With Investors

A Haynes and Boone, LLP team advised biotech startup Mekonos, which raised more than $25 million in an oversubscribed Series A round.

Headquartered in San Francisco, Mekonos is using scalable silicon technology for hyper-precise ex vivo delivery of molecules into cells. It has developed a chip technology platform that supports delivery of cell payloads at the single cell level. The platform allows for multi-payload physical delivery – multiplexing – into cells with repeatable and localized dose control for precise and scalable cell engineering. Pilot projects with top pharmaceutical and research labs have shown outstanding cell viability and uptake in delivery of CRISPR and other payloads into immune cells, stem cells, and other fragile cell types.

On Tuesday, the company said it will use the new capital to support further product development and commercialization. The Series A round was co-led by Reimagined Ventures, Fiscus Ventures, and PEAK6 Strategic Capital, a division of PEAK6 Investments.

“We are proud and humbled to work with top tier venture and strategic investors, and to exceed our initial goals for this fundraising round,” said Anil Narasimha, CEO and Co-founder of Mekonos. “We are excited to partner with leading investors who share our vision for developing a new era of cell engineering that can simplify individualized treatments across disease spaces.”

Mark Webb, Mekonos’ vice president of engineering, highlighted the company’s strategically positioned IP portfolio, saying it has been the foundational driver of Mekonos’ success.

“We have been extremely lucky to have retained one of the best IP groups in the world uniquely knowledgeable within the precision automation tooling and semiconductor spaces,” Webb said. “This new investment will allow for further innovation capture, commercial translation of the core technology, as well as further expansion within key market verticals. We are incredibly excited for all the support and are well on our path to making personalized medicine broadly accessible.”

Haynes Boone’s Precision Medicine and Digital Health Practice Group provides full-service counsel to the key players in precision medicine and digital health – from technology startups to established corporations, health insurers, pharmaceuticals, and investors supporting the industry. The team draws on the firm's highly regarded healthcare, life sciences, technology and IP experience to address trends in evolving markets, cutting-edge advances in technology, and legal and regulatory changes.

Haynes and Boone, LLP is an international corporate law firm with offices in Texas, New York, California, Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Washington, D.C., London, Mexico City, and Shanghai, providing a full spectrum of legal services in energy, technology, financial services, and private equity. With 600 lawyers, Haynes Boone is ranked among the largest U.S.-based firms by The National Law Journal, The American Lawyer and The Lawyer. It was recognized for excellence in the BTI Consulting Group’s 2021 “A-Team” report, which identifies the law firms that in-house counsel commend for providing superior client service.