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Westlake Village BioPartners

North America, California, United States, Westlake Village

Description

Westlake Village BioPartners is a prominent venture capital firm based in Westlake Village, California, dedicated to incubating and building early-stage life sciences companies. Founded in 2018 by veteran biotech leaders Sean Harper, M.D., and Beth Seidenberg, M.D., the firm leverages its deep scientific and operational expertise to support groundbreaking therapeutic and technology platforms. Their investment philosophy centers on a hands-on approach, often partnering with entrepreneurs from inception and guiding companies through critical development stages, including clinical proof-of-concept.

The firm has demonstrated significant fundraising success, securing substantial capital to fuel its investment strategy. In 2018, Westlake Village BioPartners closed its inaugural fund, Fund I, with $320 million in commitments. Building on this momentum, they successfully raised $500 million for their second fund, Fund II, in 2021, bringing their total capital under management to approximately $820 million. This robust financial backing enables them to make meaningful investments in promising ventures within the biotechnology and life sciences sectors.

Westlake Village BioPartners typically targets significant initial investments to provide substantial runway for their portfolio companies. Their first checks generally range from $20 million to $60 million, reflecting their commitment to providing ample capital for early-stage development and critical milestones. Furthermore, the firm has the capacity to invest up to $100 million over the life of a company, demonstrating a long-term commitment to their portfolio and the potential for follow-on funding as companies progress. This strategic deployment of capital underscores their ambition to foster the growth of transformative life sciences enterprises.

Investor Profile

Westlake Village BioPartners has backed more than 25 startups, with 4 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 8 rounds, about 32% of its total and boasts 3 exits across its portfolio.

Investment Focus Highlights

  • Concentrates on Series B, Series A, Series C rounds (top funding stages).
  • Majority of deals are located in United States, United Kingdom, Canada.
  • Strong thematic focus on Health Care, Biotechnology, Medical.
  • Led 1 rounds in the past year.
  • Typical check size: $20M – $60M.

Stage Focus

  • Series B (36%)
  • Series A (32%)
  • Series C (16%)
  • Convertible Note (4%)
  • Series Unknown (4%)
  • Seed (4%)
  • Series D (4%)

Country Focus

  • United States (92%)
  • United Kingdom (4%)
  • Canada (4%)

Industry Focus

  • Health Care
  • Biotechnology
  • Medical
  • Therapeutics
  • Life Science
  • Pharmaceutical
  • Biopharma
  • Cloud Computing
  • Oncology
  • Genetics
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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn who this investor regularly partners with—both firms and angels—and explore their latest activity.

Who does Westlake Village BioPartners frequently co-invest with?

OrbiMed
North America, New York, United States, New York
Co-Investments: 4
Surveyor Capital
North America, Illinois, United States, Chicago
Co-Investments: 5
CA
North America, Massachusetts, United States, Boston
Co-Investments: 4
Kleiner Perkins
North America, California, United States, Menlo Park
Co-Investments: 8
SoftBank Vision Fund
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Co-Investments: 4
Gilead Sciences
North America, California, United States, Foster City
Co-Investments: 3
Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 4
RA Capital Management
North America, Massachusetts, United States, Boston
Co-Investments: 3
CH
North America, New York, United States, New York
Co-Investments: 6
Redmile Group
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 5

What are some of recent deals done by Westlake Village BioPartners?

Neuron23

San Francisco, California, United States

Neuron23 is a developer of drugs intended to treat Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.

Health CareMedicalPharmaceutical
Series DJun 24, 2025
Amount Raised: $96,500,000
Latigo Biotherapeutics

Thousand Oaks, California, United States

Latigo Biotherapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company that develops novel, non-opioid therapies for chronic pain.

BiotechnologyHealth CareMedicalTherapeutics
Series BMar 17, 2025
Amount Raised: $150,000,000
Borealis Biosciences

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Borealis Biosciences is a company in the field of next-generation RNA medicines.

BiotechnologyLife ScienceMedical
Series ADec 19, 2024
Amount Raised: $30,000,000
ArsenalBio

South San Francisco, California, United States

ArsenalBio is a programmable cell therapy company that offers CAR T-cell therapies for solid tumors.

BiotechnologyCloud ComputingLife ScienceMedical
Series CSep 4, 2024
Amount Raised: $325,000,000
Latigo Biotherapeutics

Thousand Oaks, California, United States

Operator of a drug discovery company intended to develop novel, non-opioid therapies for chronic pain.

Health CareMedicalTherapeutics
Series AFeb 14, 2024
Amount Raised: $135,000,000
Star Therapeutics

South San Francisco, California, United States

Star Therapeutics mission is to develop therapies for as many diseases as possible for millions of patients.

Health CareMedicalTherapeutics
Series CSep 5, 2023
Amount Raised: $90,000,000
Kyverna Therapeutics

Berkeley, California, United States

Kyverna Therapeutics is pioneering a new class of therapies and cures for serious autoimmune diseases.

BiotechnologyLife ScienceTherapeutics
Series BAug 3, 2023
Amount Raised: $60,000,000
Kate Therapeutics

San Diego, California, United States

Kate Therapeutics is a patient-focused biotechnology company.

BiotechnologyHealth CareTherapeutics
Series AJun 8, 2023
Amount Raised: $51,000,000
Akamis Bio

Abingdon, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

Akamis Bio is a clinical-stage oncology company.

BiotechnologyHealth CareOncologyTherapeutics
Convertible NoteJan 5, 2023
Amount Raised: $30,000,000
Dantari

Thousand Oaks, California, United States

Developer of a pharmaceutical platform and drugs created for the treatment of the central nervous system.

Life Science
Series ADec 8, 2022
Amount Raised: $47,000,000