Ropes & Gray Advises Perceptive Xontogeny Venture Funds in Partnership to Advance Novel Cardiac RNA Therapeutics

In The News
June 25, 2025

Ropes & Gray represented Perceptive Xontogeny Venture Funds in a strategic partnership with Lexeo Therapeutics and venBio Partners to develop novel RNA-based therapeutics for genetic cardiac diseases through a new entity backed by up to $40 million in private equity financing from Perceptive and venBio. The partnership was announced on June 24.

The collaboration will combine Lexeo’s experience in cardiac genetic medicines with a novel non-viral RNA delivery platform to address cardiovascular conditions that current adeno-associated virus (AAV) platforms cannot treat.

Under the agreement, Lexeo will receive a double-digit percentage equity stake in the new entity and will be entitled to future milestone payments, royalties, and opt-in rights to certain programs.

The Ropes & Gray team was led by life sciences licensing partner Hannah England, emerging companies & venture capital counsel Ray Grant, life sciences licensing associate Ian Nilsen, and emerging companies & venture capital associate Joe Muller.

The team also included tax partner Pam Glazier and emerging companies & venture capital associates David Marino, Michelle Kelrikh, James Gould and Nora Ghanem.