Four-year-old Waltham biotech Syntimmune Inc. said Wednesday it has closed a $50 million funding round that will enable it to press forward with its drug development programs, including clinical trials of its experimental drug to treat autoimmune diseases.
The round was led by Apple Tree Partners, a New York venture capital firm that contributed $48 million to the financing, and included additional investors.
Syntimmune, which uses technology stemming from research conducted at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, will use the money to advance its lead drug candidate, called SYNT001, a protein-based drug that will be tested on patients with pemphigus, a group of blistering diseases that affect the skin and mucous membranes, as well those with a type of anemia.
Robert Weisman can be reached at robert.weisman@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeRobW.