Inside Precision Medicine January 23, 2026
Helen Albert

Mendra has come out of stealth mode with an $82 million Series A fundraising round, which it plans to use to bring rare disease therapeutics to as many people as possible with the help of artificial intelligence (AI).

The biotech launched in stealth mode in San Francisco in 2025 and is drawing on the expertise of its CEO Joshua Grass and its commercial lead Jeff Ajer who helped build and launch BioMarin’s rare-disease portfolio. Grass also ran Escient Pharmaceuticals from 2022 until its acquisition by Incyte in 2024, giving him recent experience taking a biotech from growth stage to exit.

Funds from the oversubscribed Series A, led by healthcare and life science investors OrbiMed, 8VC, and 5AM Ventures and contributed...

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Topics: AI (Artificial Intelligence), Biotechnology, Investments, Pharma / Biotech, Technology, Trends
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