Largest Venture Capital Infusions in Biotech Sector, Recorded in July 2025
Record-Breaking Private Funding Round for MapLight Therapeutics
In a significant development for the biotech industry, MapLight Therapeutics secured the largest private biotech funding round in July 2025, raising an impressive $372.5 million in a Series D round. This substantial investment will support the advancement of the company's lead program, ML-007C-MA, through ongoing phase 2 trials for schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease psychosis, and explore other indications [1][2].
Other notable private funding rounds in July 2025 include:
- Artbio, a company focusing on metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, raised $132 million in a Series B round. The funds will support phase 2 trials and scaling manufacturing capacity for their radiopharmaceutical [1][2].
- Avalyn Pharma, specialising in pulmonary fibrosis programs, garnered $100 million in Series D financing. The net proceeds will be used to support key clinical milestones across their pipeline programs [1].
Comparisons with other months in 2025 reveal a general cooling in biopharma venture funding from Q1 ($6.7 billion) to Q2 ($4.5 billion), with fewer rounds but still large individual financings across the year. For example, in April 2025, Atsena Therapeutics raised $150 million in Series C, and in May 2025 Azafaros pulled in €132M ($147 million) in Series B, both significant but smaller than MapLight's round in July [3].
July 2025 saw more series B rounds than any other funding type, with four rounds in total. In addition to Artbio, Everest Medicines and Soleno Therapeutics each raised $200 million. Soleno Therapeutics will use the net proceeds to fund the commercialization of VYKATTM XR, approved for hyperphagia in individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome [1].
Interestingly, while oncology companies had the most funding rounds, the therapeutic subsector of neurological conditions brought in the most money, despite only attracting two rounds. Europe and Asia-Pacific each saw two rounds, but European companies raised more money, bringing in $173.5 million versus Asia-Pacific's $102 million. Public biotech fundraising in July 2025 totaled $1.898 billion, exceeding private fundraising for the second month in a row [1].
The funding landscape reflects continued investor confidence in late-stage clinical programs targeting complex diseases, despite an overall slowdown in the number of deals [1][2][3].
[1] Biotech Week. (2025). July Funding Report. Available at: https://www.biotechweek.com/funding-report/july-2025
[2] BioPharma Dive. (2025). MapLight Therapeutics raises $372.5M in Series D financing. Available at: https://www.biopharmadive.com/news/maplight-therapeutics-series-d-funding/638077/
[3] FierceBiotech. (2025). July 2025 biotech IPOs and fundings. Available at: https://www.fiercebiotech.com/funding/july-2025-biotech-ipos-and-fundings
- MapLight Therapeutics' $372.5 million Series D investment, the largest private biotech funding round in July 2025, will be used to advance their science in neurological disorders, focusing on the ML-007C-MA lead program for medical-conditions like schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease psychosis while also exploring other health-and-wellness indications.
- Moreover, the funding landscape reveals an investor interest in late-stage clinical programs targeting complex diseases, as evidenced by the robust private funding for neurological conditions, despite being attracted by only two rounds.
- In fact, while oncology companies had the most funding rounds, the therapeutic subsector of neurological conditions brought in the most money, investments that aim to improve health-and-wellness outcomes for people suffering from neurological disorders such as schizophrenia and Prader-Willi syndrome.
