Salt Lake City-based MARAbio has Raised $19 Million in a Series A Round of Funding

Salt Lake City-based MARAbio has Raised $19 Million in a Series A Round of Funding
Photo by Jordan Whitt / Unsplash

Salt Lake City, Utah-based MARAbio has just raised a $19.0 round of Series A funding through New York City-based MAK Capital.

According to the funding news release, MARAbio is "... a precision immunology company whose mission is to detect, treat and prevent Maternal Autoantibody Related Autism (MARA)."

The company says that MARA is a biological subtype of autism caused by the presence of a pattern of distinct autoantibodies in a mother, a "... more severe or profound form of autism (that) ... is estimated to comprise approximately 20% of all individuals with autism."

Artwork from the MARAbio website showing the pathway for the development of MARA (Maternal Antibody Related Autism). Image downloaded 16 October 2024.

MARAbio says it "... has developed a proprietary blood test for women to accurately determine if they are carriers of the antibodies that cause MARA," and hopes to be able to begin commercializing the test sometime in 2025.

According to Michael S. Paul, Ph.D., MARAbio's President and Chief Executive Officer,

"... (this) investment will also support our efforts to develop a precision immunology platform for both the diagnosis of autism as well as the initial development of potential therapeutic interventions aimed at neutralizing the antibodies that cause MARA, ultimately preventing the MARA subtype and reducing the overall prevalence of autism."

If I understand correctly the info presented on the MARAbio website, the company is working on developing two separate blood tests:

  • One test will be designed specifically for women to "... identify their likelihood of having a child with autism. The assay will measure up to eight (8) specific autoantibodies ...", while
  • The second blood test will be designed specifically for children "... to detect the MARA subtype of autism in a child, even before symptoms exist."

According to its Reg. D, 506(b) filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, MARAbio has noted that it is continuing its fundraising efforts with a target of raising an additional $10 million


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