In 2025, venture funding in the biotechnology sector continued its recovery trend that began the previous year. At the same time, investors focused on a smaller number of projects but committed larger amounts: in total, the 10 largest private funding rounds raised nearly $4 billion. The leaders last year were Isomorphic Labs (AI-driven drug development) and Kailera Therapeutics (anti-obesity drugs), each securing $600 million.
Isomorphic Labs entered external funding for the first time, leveraging AlphaFold technology and support from Nobel Prize-winning scientists. Kailera, in turn, is developing a portfolio of modern treatments for type 2 diabetes and obesity (GLP-1 drugs), licensed from Jiangsu Hengrui, and is preparing for Phase III clinical trials.
Third place went to the UK-based Verdiva Bio, which raised a record $410 million Series A round for the country. The company is developing a once-weekly oral treatment for obesity. The top five also included Tubulis ($401 million), which develops antibody-drug conjugates for cancer treatment, and MapLight Therapeutics ($372.5 million), focused on central nervous system disorders and successfully completing an IPO.
Analysts expect strong activity to continue in 2026, particularly in AI-driven biotech, gene therapy, and cardiology. Sustained investor interest in late-stage development could lead to new mega-rounds and additional public offerings.
Top 10 Largest Biotech Funding Rounds in 2025
| Rank | Company | Amount | Round | Month | Focus Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isomorphic Labs | $600M | — | March | AI for drug discovery |
| 1 | Kailera Therapeutics | $600M | B | October | Anti-obesity drugs (GLP-1) |
| 3 | Verdiva Bio | $410M | A | January | Oral obesity treatments |
| 4 | Tubulis | $401M | C | October | Antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) for oncology |
| 5 | MapLight Therapeutics | $372.5M | D | July | CNS disorders (schizophrenia, psychosis) |
| 6 | Eikon Therapeutics | $350.7M | D | February | Immunomodulators, PARP1 inhibitors |
| 7 | Lila Sciences | $350M | A | September | AI-driven discovery platforms |
| 8 | Kriya Therapeutics | $320M | D | August | Gene therapy |
| 9 | Kardigan | $300M | A | January | Cardiovascular diseases |
| 10 | Kardigan | $254M | B | October | Cardiovascular diseases |
Earlier, Fierce Biotech reported that the U.S. biopharmaceutical industry faced a record number of layoffs last year. For example, in May 2025 alone, companies in the sector announced 29 rounds of layoffs, the highest monthly figure in four years of tracking.
Source: GxP News, March 3, 2026.
