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Healthcare Weekly News and Deals –June 8th, 2026

  1. New Brunswick, NJ-based Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) agreed to acquire Firefly Bio, Inc. for $1 billion in cash to add its Firelink™ degrader antibody conjugate (DAC) platform targeting KRAS-driven and other hard-to-treat solid tumors, expanding J&J’s next-generation oncology pipeline Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) announced on June 8, 2026 a definitive agreement to acquire Firefly Bio, Inc., a biotechnology company developing its proprietary Firelink™ degrader antibody conjugate (DAC) platform, for $1 billion in cash. The Firelink™ platform delivers a highly selective protein degrader to tumor cells while avoiding healthy cells, targeting KRAS-driven solid tumors — among the most prevalent and historically hard-to-treat oncology targets. The acquisition adds preclinical candidates and a novel modality complementing J&J’s existing antibody engineering expertise across monoclonal antibodies, bispecifics, and ADCs. Closing is expected later in 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and customary conditions. (Link)
  2. Wilmington, Delaware-based Incyte Corporation (NASD: INCY) agreed to acquire Vega Therapeutics — a wholly owned subsidiary of Star Therapeutics — for $1.25 billion upfront plus up to $750 million in sales milestones (up to $2.0 billion total), adding VGA039, a Phase 3-ready first-in-class monoclonal antibody for von Willebrand disease Incyte Corporation (NASD: INCY) announced on June 8, 2026 a definitive agreement to acquire Vega Therapeutics, Inc. from Star Therapeutics, LLC for $1.25 billion upfront plus up to $750 million in sales milestone payments, totaling up to $2.0 billion. Vega’s lead candidate, VGA039, is a first-in-class investigational monoclonal antibody modulating Protein S to improve hemostasis in von Willebrand disease (VWD) — the most common inherited bleeding disorder, affecting approximately 135,000 diagnosed U.S. patients. VGA039 is in Phase 3 pivotal development as a potentially first-ever subcutaneous prophylactic therapy for VWD patients who currently require frequent IV infusions; it holds FDA Breakthrough Therapy and Orphan Drug designations. Closing is expected in Q3 2026, subject to antitrust clearance. (Link)
  3. Nashville-based Ascension health system finalized its $3.9 billion acquisition of ASC operator AMSURG — adding 250 ambulatory surgery centers across 34 states — after the FTC required divestitures of seven surgery centers, creating one of the largest nonprofit health system-owned ambulatory surgery portfolios in the country Ascension, one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the United States, closed its $3.9 billion acquisition of AMSURG following an FTC consent order requiring divestiture of seven ASCs in five metropolitan markets to SCA Health — a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group’s (NYSE: UNH) Optum — and one additional ASC. The acquisition adds 250 ASCs across 34 states to Ascension’s existing portfolio of 58 wholly owned surgical centers, dramatically expanding its outpatient surgery footprint. Industry observers view the deal as a catalyst for broader ASC sector consolidation. (Link)
  4. Joplin, Missouri-based Freeman Health System completed the $110 million acquisition of Northwest Health from Community Health Systems (NYSE: CYH), adding four Arkansas hospital facilities and marking Freeman’s first expansion into the state Freeman Health System finalized the $110 million purchase of Northwest Health from Community Health Systems (NYSE: CYH). The transaction included substantially all assets of four hospitals — Northwest Medical Center Bentonville, Northwest Medical Center Springdale, Willow Creek Women’s Hospital in Johnson, and Siloam Springs Regional Hospital — plus associated outpatient centers and practices, bringing approximately 2,200 employees into the Freeman organization. The deal marks Freeman Health’s inaugural geographic expansion into Arkansas, adding significant hospital density in the rapidly growing Northwest Arkansas market. (Link)
  5. Aveanna Healthcare Holdings (NASD: AVAH) has completed the acquisition of Family First Homecare for $175.5 million, adding 27 pediatric home care locations across seven states to its national platform. Atlanta-based Aveanna Healthcare Holdings (NASD: AVAH), a diversified home care platform serving medically complex patient populations, has closed its $175.5 million all-cash acquisition of Family First Homecare, a scaled multi-state provider of pediatric private duty nursing services. Funded entirely from cash on hand, the transaction adds 27 locations across Florida, Illinois, Iowa, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Texas to Aveanna’s portfolio. The deal lifts Aveanna’s full-year 2026 revenue guidance by $70 million to a range of $2.63–$2.65 billion, and increases its Adjusted EBITDA guidance by $10 million to a range of $338–$342 million, reflecting immediate financial accretion from the deal. (Link)
  6. Parsippany, NJ-based Med-Metrix (PE: Harvest Partners and A&M Capital Partners) entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Vitalware from Health Catalyst (NASD: HCAT) for $147 million in cash, strengthening its mid-revenue cycle technology platform PE-backed Med-Metrix, supported by Harvest Partners (~$20 billion AUM) and A&M Capital Partners, signed a definitive agreement to acquire Vitalware from Health Catalyst (NASD: HCAT) for $147 million in cash. Vitalware is a Best-in-KLAS mid-revenue cycle software business generating approximately $37 million in FY2025 revenue; its cloud-based chargemaster management, revenue integrity, and coding optimization tools strategically expand Med-Metrix’s platform. For Health Catalyst, the divestiture proceeds retire its ~$160 million senior secured term loan, sharpening the company’s strategic focus. Vitalware was founded in 2011 and acquired by Health Catalyst in 2020. (Link)
  7. New Haven, CT-based Rallybio Corporation (NASD: RLYB) and San Diego-based Avenzo Therapeutics announced a definitive merger agreement — combined company to operate as Avenzo Therapeutics advancing next-generation oncology small molecules and ADCs Rallybio Corporation (NASD: RLYB) and Avenzo Therapeutics announced on June 1, 2026 a definitive merger under which Rallybio acquires Avenzo, with the combined company operating as Avenzo Therapeutics. A concurrent oversubscribed $215 million private placement from healthcare institutional investors and mutual funds funds operations into late 2028 and supports advancement through multiple clinical milestones across next-generation oncology small molecules and ADCs. Pre-transaction Rallybio stockholders will own approximately 2.8% of the combined company; Rallybio intends to distribute substantially all pre-closing net cash to existing stockholders. Closing expected Q4 2026, subject to stockholder approval. (Link)
  8. Murfreesboro, Tennessee-based National HealthCare Corporation (NYSE American: NHC) completed the $50.5 million acquisition of five skilled nursing facilities, converting decades-long management agreements into full ownership across 566 operating beds National HealthCare Corporation (NYSE American: NHC) announced on June 4, 2026 the closing of the $50.5 million purchase of five skilled nursing facilities — four in Tennessee and one in South Carolina, totaling 566 operating beds — from National Health Corporation (an ESOP entity). NHC subsidiaries have managed these facilities since 1988; the acquisition gives NHC full ownership of both operations and real estate. CEO Steve Flatt noted the transition is invisible to patients and partners and will be immediately accretive to cash flow and earnings. (Link)
  9. Westlake Village, California-based LTC Properties (NYSE: LTC) announced a $54 million SHOP acquisition of a 104-unit assisted living and memory care community in Phoenix, Arizona — welcoming MorningStar Senior Living as its eleventh SHOP operator and ninth new partner since the platform’s May 2025 launch LTC Properties, Inc. (NYSE: LTC) announced on June 2, 2026 a $54 million SHOP acquisition of a 104-unit assisted living and memory care community in Phoenix, Arizona, at a 6.75% cap rate with an expected unlevered IRR in the low-to-mid teens. The community will continue to be managed by MorningStar Senior Living — new to LTC and its eleventh SHOP operating partner. Since its SHOP launch, LTC has completed $524 million in SHOP acquisitions, including $171 million in 2026, with SHOP now representing approximately 28% of annualized NOI and 32% of gross investments. LTC targets an additional $285 million in SHOP acquisitions closing by end of Q3 2026. (Link)
  10. New York-based Strata Critical Medical (NASD: SRTA) completed the all-cash acquisition of Louisville Perfusion Services, Inc., a regional perfusion and blood management provider serving cardiac surgery programs in Kentucky, for up to $20 million — adding a Midwest and Southern stronghold to its 275+ hospital national perfusion platform Strata Critical Medical (NASD: SRTA) announced on June 2, 2026 the completed acquisition of Louisville Perfusion Services, Inc. (LPS), a regional provider of perfusion and blood management services to cardiac surgery programs in Kentucky. The transaction consists of approximately $16 million upfront plus up to $4 million in performance-based consideration. LPS is expected to generate approximately $10 million in revenue and $3 million in Adjusted EBITDA for 2026. The deal expands Strata’s cardiac perfusion platform into the Midwest and Southern U.S., adds ECMO support and organ transplant capabilities, and is consistent with Strata’s strategy of bolt-on acquisitions at mid-single digit Adjusted EBITDA multiples. (Link)
  11. Frisco, Texas-based Soleo Health (PE: Court Square Capital Partners and WindRose Health Investors) acquired Realo Specialty Care Pharmacy and BluHaven Management from Realo Drugs, adding a specialty pharmacy and ambulatory infusion center in North Carolina and bringing its national portfolio to 28 specialty pharmacies and 30+ infusion suites Soleo Health, a portfolio company of Court Square Capital Partners and WindRose Health Investors, acquired both Realo Specialty Care Pharmacy and BluHaven Management from Realo Drugs. The dual acquisition adds a specialty pharmacy in Morrisville, N.C., and an ambulatory infusion center in Raleigh, N.C., deepening Soleo’s presence in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland. The deal brings Soleo’s national portfolio to 28 specialty pharmacies and over 30 ambulatory infusion suites. (Link)
  12. Salt Lake City-based Bristol Hospice acquired Hope Hospice and Palliative Care, expanding its presence into the greater Memphis, Tennessee market Bristol Hospice, one of the largest hospice providers in the United States, announced on June 1, 2026 the acquisition of Hope Hospice and Palliative Care, bringing compassionate end-of-life services into the greater Memphis community. The acquisition honors Hope Hospice’s legacy of patient-centered care while integrating it into Bristol’s national network and clinical infrastructure. Bristol operates dozens of locations nationwide. (Link)
  13. Southlake, Texas-based Alliance Clinical Network (PE: Amulet Capital Partners and BPOC) completed a strategic merger with Atlas Clinical Research, creating an expanded national clinical trial site network across seven states with nearly 50 years of combined clinical research experience Alliance Clinical Network and Atlas Clinical Research announced on June 2, 2026 the closing of their strategic merger, combining nearly 50 years of collective clinical research experience across sites in Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The combined organization serves sponsors across CNS disorders, internal medicine, women’s health, metabolic diseases, dermatology, gastroenterology, pain management, and vaccines. Alliance is backed by Amulet Capital Partners and BPOC; Anthony Milonas serves as CEO. The merger was originally announced May 13, 2026. (Link)
  14. Marietta, Georgia-based Wellstar Health System finalized an agreement to acquire Mountain Lakes Medical Center, a 25-bed critical access hospital and Level IV Trauma Center in Clayton, Georgia, expanding its hospital portfolio from 11 to 12 facilities Wellstar Health System announced a definitive agreement to acquire Mountain Lakes Medical Center (MLMC), a 25-bed critical access hospital and Level IV Trauma Center in Clayton, Ga., serving Rabun County and surrounding northeast Georgia and western North Carolina. The acquisition is expected to close August 1 pending regulatory approvals. Wellstar’s strategic rationale centers on connecting MLMC patients to expanded specialty resources, digital health capabilities, and advanced clinical programs across its growing Georgia footprint. (Link)
  15. New York-based National Healthcare Properties (NASD: NHP), a senior housing REIT, announced approximately $279 million in signed purchase agreements and letters of intent for SHOP acquisitions expected to add 1,214 units to its existing 3,615-unit portfolio National Healthcare Properties (NASD: NHP) announced on June 1, 2026 signed purchase and sale agreements or non-binding letters of intent for approximately $279 million of SHOP acquisitions, with estimated weighted average year-one and year-three cap rates of 8.0% and 9.7%, respectively. The pipeline is expected to add 1,214 units to NHP’s existing 3,615 needs-based senior housing units. NHP also announced its Class A common stock will be added to the Russell 2000 and 3000 Indexes effective after market close on June 26, 2026, following its April 2026 NASD listing. (Link)
  16. Irvine, California-based Discovery Behavioral Health announced an agreement with lender HPS Investment Partners to transfer majority ownership in exchange for a substantial reduction of its $280 million debt obligations, following a December 2025 lender seizure of the company; regulatory approval pending Discovery Behavioral Health — one of the largest behavioral health platforms in the country, formerly backed by Webster Equity Partners — announced on June 2, 2026 an agreement with HPS Investment Partners to transfer majority ownership in exchange for a substantial reduction of its $280 million debt burden. HPS and Capital One originally seized Discovery’s assets in December 2025 after repeated covenant defaults on debt agreements originally entered in June 2021. Discovery briefly contested the takeover in New York state court before abandoning the effort. The announcement formalizes the ownership transfer structure pending regulatory approvals; a CEO change was also announced simultaneously. (Link)
  17. Radnor, Pennsylvania-based Hidden River Strategic Capital invested debt and convertible preferred equity into Redding, California-based Northstar Senior Living to support its merger with North Palm Beach, Florida-based Alta Senior Living, creating a scaled national senior living management platform Hidden River Strategic Capital announced on June 2, 2026 an investment in Northstar Senior Living in connection with its merger with Alta Senior Living. The combined company will operate as Northstar Senior Living, managing assisted living, memory care, and independent living communities under long-term contracts with community owners across the U.S. Hidden River’s investment consisted of debt and convertible preferred equity. Northstar’s executive team will run day-to-day operations; Alta CEO Doug Brawn will serve as Board Chair. Blueprint CRE facilitated the capital partner search and merger. (Link)
  18. San Francisco-based Clarify Health completed the acquisition of Loyal Health Holdings to create healthcare’s first closed-loop network intelligence and patient activation platform, combining referral analytics with AI-powered patient engagement tools across nearly 500 hospitals Clarify Health completed the acquisition of Loyal Health Holdings, Inc., a healthcare-specific patient activation platform, creating what the combined company describes as the industry’s first closed-loop network intelligence engine spanning referral intelligence, patient activation, and outcomes measurement. Loyal’s Care Activation Platform manages over 80,000 provider and location profiles and serves nearly 500 hospitals nationwide. The merged entity pairs Clarify’s Meridian® machine learning platform with Loyal’s AI-powered scheduling, chat, and predictive propensity engines. Clarify CEO Todd Gottula leads the combined company. (Link)
  19. San Juan Capistrano-based The Ensign Group (NASD: ENSG) acquired the real estate and operations of Woodland Health and Rehabilitation, a 62-bed skilled nursing facility in Mount Pleasant, Iowa The Ensign Group (NASD: ENSG) acquired the real estate and operations of Woodland Health and Rehabilitation, a 62-bed skilled nursing facility in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, effective June 1, 2026, through a Standard Bearer Healthcare REIT, Inc. subsidiary. The facility will be operated by an Ensign-affiliated tenant. The acquisition brings Ensign’s total portfolio to 396 healthcare operations across 17 states. (Link)
  20. The Ensign Group (NASD: ENSG) acquired the real estate of Memory Care of Contra Costa, a 46-unit memory care facility in Pleasant Hill, California, effective June 1, 2026, through its Standard Bearer Healthcare REIT subsidiary — to be leased to a third-party operator under a long-term triple net lease Through a subsidiary of Standard Bearer Healthcare REIT, The Ensign Group (NASD: ENSG) acquired the real estate of Memory Care of Contra Costa, a 46-unit memory care facility in Pleasant Hill, California, effective June 1, 2026. The facility will be operated by an experienced third-party operator under a long-term triple net lease. CEO Barry Port called the acquisition a ‘home run’ for the Standard Bearer portfolio. Ensign’s real estate subsidiaries now own 181 real estate assets across its national portfolio. (Link)
  21. Poway, California-based Diazyme Laboratories, Inc. (a General Atomics subsidiary) acquired Carolina Liquid Chemistries Corporation, a Greensboro, North Carolina-based FDA-registered manufacturer and value-added reseller of chemistry systems and reagents Diazyme Laboratories, Inc. announced on June 1, 2026 the acquisition of Carolina Liquid Chemistries Corporation (CLC), an FDA-registered manufacturer and value-added reseller of chemistry systems and reagents founded in 1994 in Greensboro, North Carolina. CLC’s cost-effective reagent products will complement Diazyme’s proprietary enzyme and immunoassay technologies, creating synergies for clinical and reference laboratories of all sizes. CLC’s business will be fully integrated into Diazyme’s operations. Diazyme is a cGMP and ISO 13485 certified medical device manufacturer. (Link)
  22. Bridgepoint has acquired Obagi Medical from Waldencast (NASD: WALD) in a transaction valued at up to $460 million, securing a dermatology and aesthetics skincare business European PE firm Bridgepoint has agreed to acquire Obagi Medical from publicly traded beauty holding company Waldencast (NASD: WALD) in a deal worth up to $460 million. Waldencast originally acquired Obagi Medical in 2022 before expanding it into injectable aesthetics through a bolt-on acquisition. The divestiture allows Waldencast to deleverage its balance sheet and redirect investment exclusively toward Milk Makeup. Bridgepoint’s acquisition provides Obagi Medical with focused, dedicated ownership to advance its position in the rapidly growing physician-dispensed dermatology and aesthetics market, which had expanded to include the FDA-approved Obagi Saypha® MagIQ™ dermal filler range prior to the transaction. (Link)
  23. Geneva, Switzerland-based SGS (SIX: SGSN), the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company, acquired CMIC, INC., a Chicago, Illinois-based specialized bioanalytical testing services provider — its second U.S. bioanalytical acquisition in two months SGS announced on June 3, 2026 the acquisition of CMIC, INC., a Chicago, Illinois-based provider of bioanalytical testing services established in 2010. CMIC’s 27,000-square-foot GLP-compliant facility delivers bioanalysis across pre-clinical and clinical phases for pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturers developing biologics and complex therapies. CMIC, INC. is a group company of CMIC HOLDINGS Co., Ltd., which will continue collaborating with SGS through its pharmaceutical arm. The deal advances SGS’s Strategy 27 objective to double North American sales between 2023 and 2027. SGS operates over 2,500 laboratories across 115 countries.  (Link)
  24. Guildford, UK-based Venture Life Group (AIM: VLG) agreed to acquire two U.S. women’s health consumer brands — FemiClear and CUROXEN — from Austin, Texas-based OrganiCare Nature’s Sciences for up to $28 million, expanding its intimate health portfolio into Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, and Target Venture Life Group plc (AIM: VLG) announced on June 4, 2026 an agreement to acquire the FemiClear and CUROXEN consumer healthcare brands from OrganiCare Nature’s Sciences for up to $28 million — $23 million upfront and up to $5 million in deferred consideration tied to 2026 trading performance, funded from existing cash. FemiClear addresses gynaecological conditions including bacterial vaginosis, genital herpes, thrush, and UTIs (~98% of combined revenues); CUROXEN provides infection prevention for wounds and mouth sores. Combined net revenues were $12.1 million in the 12 months to March 31, 2026, up 29.1% year-on-year. Distribution spans Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, and Target. Venture Life shares rose approximately 9–10% on announcement. (Link)
  25. Suresnes, France-based Servier agreed to acquire the muscular dystrophy business of Boulder, Colorado-based Edgewise Therapeutics (NASD: EWTX) for up to $2.65 billion — $1.55 billion upfront plus up to $1.1 billion in milestones — to advance sevasemten, a first-in-class oral fast skeletal myosin inhibitor for Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy French pharmaceutical firm Servier announced on June 1, 2026 a definitive agreement to acquire Edgewise Therapeutics’ (NASD: EWTX) muscular dystrophy business for up to $2.65 billion — $1.55 billion upfront plus up to $1.1 billion in regulatory and commercial milestones. The deal secures sevasemten, a first-in-class oral fast skeletal myosin inhibitor in pivotal testing for Becker muscular dystrophy and mid-stage studies for Duchenne. Edgewise retains its cardiovascular pipeline (EDG-7500 for HCM, EDG-15400 for HFpEF) and becomes a cardiovascular-focused company post-close. All Edgewise employees supporting the muscular dystrophy business will receive comparable offers from Servier. Closing is expected in Q3 2026. (Link)

Venture Deals and Other

  1. Charlottesville, Virginia-based Contraline, Inc. closed a $92.5 million Series B co-led by BVF Partners and RA Capital Management — with GV (Google Ventures), Lumira Ventures, and Invus participating — to advance NES/T Gel, a first-in-class daily hormonal male contraceptive, into late-stage development Contraline, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel male contraceptives, announced on June 2, 2026 the closing of a $92.5 million Series B co-led by BVF Partners L.P. and RA Capital Management, with participation from GV (Google Ventures), Lumira Ventures, Invus, and other new and existing investors. Proceeds support late-stage development of NES/T Gel — an investigational, daily, topical, hormonal, reversible male contraceptive with first-in-class potential — and advancement of ADAM, a non-hormonal hydrogel implant in clinical trials. BVF’s Iris van Alderwerelt van Rosenburgh joined the Board. No male contraceptive pill or equivalent has been approved in the U.S.; NES/T Gel addresses a massive unmet need in men’s reproductive health. (Link)
  2. Founders Fund has led a $435 million Series C in NewLimit alongside Thrive Capital, Greenoaks, Quiet Capital, Kleiner Perkins, Abstract, Valor Equity Partners, Eli Lilly Ventures, Human Capital, and others to fund the first human clinical trial of an aging reprogramming medicine. Founders Fund led NewLimit’s $435 million Series C, joined by new investors Thrive Capital, Greenoaks, and Quiet Capital, and returning backers including Kleiner Perkins, Abstract, Nat Friedman and Daniel Gross, Valor Equity Partners, Eli Lilly Ventures, and Human Capital. Founded in 2021 by Coinbase (NASD: COIN) CEO Brian Armstrong alongside Blake Byers and CEO Jacob Kimmel, NewLimit is developing epigenetic reprogramming medicines to reverse cellular aging. The raise will fund the company’s lead liver reprogramming therapy into human clinical trials — a timeline dramatically accelerated by a recent prototype breakthrough that demonstrated age reversal in old human liver cells. The company’s long-term vision is to treat aging itself as a clinically addressable condition. (Link)
  3. Felicis, Bain Capital Ventures, Optum Ventures, Sunflower Capital, Conviction, BoxGroup, Dorm Room Fund, and Constellation have co-invested in a $50 million Series A for Adaptive Innovations, an AI-native home health provider based in New York and Dallas. Felicis led a $50 million Series A in Adaptive Innovations, the first AI-native homecare provider, with significant participation from Bain Capital Ventures, Optum Ventures, Sunflower Capital, Conviction, BoxGroup, Dorm Room Fund, and Constellation, along with prominent angels from healthcare and frontier AI. The round brings Adaptive’s total funding to $60 million, including a previously undisclosed $10 million Seed. Since its 2025 launch, Adaptive has achieved an industry-leading sub-5% rehospitalization rate versus an 11% industry average, reduced clinician documentation time by 80%, and delivered over 100,000 visits across partnerships with more than 500 healthcare organizations including every major Texas hospital system. Proceeds will fund platform scaling and clinical workforce expansion into new states. (Link)
  4. General Catalyst and Chemistry led a $35 million Series A in Yuzu Health — with Anthropic’s Anthology Fund, Bain Future Back Ventures, Lachy Groom, and Neo — to modernize health insurance TPA infrastructure with AI-automated claims processing Yuzu Health secured $35 million in Series A funding led by General Catalyst and Chemistry, with participation from Anthropic’s Anthology Fund, Bain Future Back Ventures, Timeless Ventures, Lachy Groom, and Neo. Founded in 2022, Yuzu Health is a vertically integrated third-party administrator (TPA) powering claims processing, payments, and member administration for health plans, with a unified data architecture offered as a white-labeled solution. The company automates historically manual workflows including claims adjudication, stop-loss submissions, reconciliation, and downstream reporting, enabling more customizable plan designs including direct contracts and dynamic copays. (Link)
  5. San Francisco-based Lassie raised $35 million in Series A led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) — with Night Capital and fintech founders from Superhuman, Plaid, and Wise — to build AI autonomous systems for small healthcare businesses Lassie raised $35 million in Series A led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), with Night Capital and prominent fintech founders from Superhuman, Plaid, and Wise participating. a16z’s Alex Rampell joined the board. Lassie’s platform currently operates in more than 700 dental and doctor practices across 49 states, automating front-office, scheduling, billing, and operational workflows so small healthcare practices can run themselves with reduced administrative overhead. (Link)
  6. New York-based Novellia raised $18 million in Series A led by Spark Capital — with Khosla Ventures, Acrew Capital, Bling Capital, and TMV — to scale its patient-controlled real-world data platform providing anonymized health records for drug R&D Novellia, the only real-world data company built entirely on patient-contributed information, announced an $18 million Series A led by Spark Capital with participation from Khosla Ventures, Acrew Capital, Bling Capital, and TMV, bringing total funding to $28 million. Alongside the raise, Novellia launched its patient-facing mobile app allowing individuals to securely access and contribute their complete health history. Novellia provides structured real-world datasets to top-10 pharma companies for drug development — addressing what the company calls a $50 billion gap in research-grade patient data. Announced June 2, 2026. (Link)
  7. San Diego-based Rejuvenate Bio (a George Church / Harvard Wyss Institute spinout) announced $6 million in financing and a strategic R&D collaboration with Merck Animal Health to advance gene therapies targeting age-related chronic diseases in animals and humans Rejuvenate Bio, a gene therapy company co-founded by Harvard professor George Church as a spinout from the Harvard Wyss Institute, announced on June 8, 2026 a $6 million financing round and a strategic R&D collaboration with Merck Animal Health. Rejuvenate Bio develops gene therapies targeting the root causes of age-related diseases — including heart failure, kidney failure, Type 2 diabetes, and obesity — in both humans and dogs, using its dual-species strategy to build clinical evidence through companion animal studies while advancing toward human therapeutics. Rejuvenate Bio has previously raised over $10 million in its Series A. (Link)
  8. Houston, Texas-based Goldenrod Therapeutics, Inc. completed the initial closing of a $6.5 million Series Seed round led by Ataxia Ventures and Fannin Partners to advance 11h — a brain-penetrant PDE4 inhibitor — into Phase I clinical trials for Friedreich’s Ataxia and other neurodegenerative diseases Goldenrod Therapeutics, Inc., a Fannin Innovation-founded precision therapeutics company, announced the initial closing of a $6.5 million Series Seed round led by Ataxia Ventures and an affiliate of Fannin Partners. Proceeds fund manufacturing, formulation optimization, IND-enabling studies, and a Phase I trial in Friedreich’s Ataxia (FA) — a rare and progressive neurodegenerative disease — with pharmacodynamic biomarkers of PDE4 pathway modulation. Goldenrod’s lead candidate, 11h, is a next-generation, orally bioavailable, brain-penetrant PDE4 inhibitor designed at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) to overcome emesis limitations of earlier inhibitors. Development has been supported by NIH and Department of Defense grants. (Link)
  9. Aurora Forge, Jackson Healthcare, Peg’s Foundation, and family offices co-invested a $3 million Seed round in Columbus, Ohio-based Radley Health — alongside existing investor CareSource — to fund expansion of its peer-driven mental health platform into Georgia Aurora Forge, Jackson Healthcare, Peg’s Foundation, and prominent family offices participated in a $3 million Seed round for Radley Health, joining existing investor CareSource, a nonprofit health plan headquartered in Dayton, Ohio. Radley Health has built one of the largest peer support networks in Ohio, with over 450 certified peer support specialists in more than 70 counties across a state where 75 of 88 counties face Mental Health Professional Shortage Area designations. Proceeds support peer workforce growth, healthcare provider partnerships, technology enhancements, and a Georgia market launch where the company has already recruited 50 peer support specialists through partnership with the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network. (Link)
  10. Enable Ventures, Florida Opportunity Fund, Castellan Group, DeepWork Capital, Sawmill Angels, and Black Opal have jointly invested $5.75 million in Kalogon, a Melbourne, Florida-based smart seating solutions company. Enable Ventures — the first venture fund dedicated to closing the disability wealth gap — led a $5.75 million funding round in Melbourne, Fla.-based Kalogon, a smart seating technology company specializing in seated health solutions for wheelchair users, commercial aviation, and other extended-sitting use cases. Participating investors include Florida Opportunity Fund, Castellan Group, and returning backers DeepWork Capital, Sawmill Angels, and Black Opal. The investment follows a strong year for Kalogon, during which the company more than tripled its medical revenue year-over-year and moved into a dedicated manufacturing facility. Kalogon’s technology is currently being tested to reduce fatigue for U.S. Air Force B-52 and E-4B aircrew on extended missions. Proceeds will fund engineering, R&D, and international expansion. (Link)