Juvena's AI-Powered Biologics Draw $33.5M to Fight Muscle Disease

REDWOOD CITY, CA – January 12, 2026

Juvena Therapeutics, a biotechnology firm at the vanguard of regenerative medicine, has secured $33.5 million in a Series B funding round, signaling strong investor confidence in its artificial intelligence-driven approach to restoring human tissue. The financing was led by Bison Ventures and saw significant participation from pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Company, alongside Jefferson Life Sciences and existing investors Mubadala Capital and Manta Ray. This capital injection is set to propel the company’s lead clinical program and expand its pipeline of biologics aimed at treating debilitating neuromuscular and age-related diseases.

The AI Engine Redefining Regeneration

At the heart of Juvena's strategy is a sophisticated discovery platform that marries advances in AI with deep insights from human stem cell biology. This "techbio" approach, a burgeoning field attracting significant venture capital, allows the company to sift through the complex secretome—the array of proteins secreted by cells—to identify novel biologics with therapeutic potential. By analyzing vast datasets from human biology, the platform can pinpoint specific proteins that promote tissue regeneration and then engineer them into potent therapeutics.

This technological synergy is precisely what attracted lead investor Bison Ventures, a firm focused on frontier technologies. “Juvena is helping define a new frontier in regenerative medicine by combining advances in AI, human biology, and biologics engineering,” said Ben Hemani, Founding Partner of Bison Ventures, who will also join Juvena’s Board of Directors. “We believe this approach has the potential to reshape how tissue-degenerative diseases are treated.”

The proceeds from the Series B will be used in part to enhance these AI-enabled discovery capabilities. By investing further in its computational platform, Juvena aims to accelerate the identification and development of new drug candidates, building a robust pipeline that could offer solutions for a range of currently intractable conditions.

A Cascade of Validation: Big Pharma and Strategic Capital

The funding round is more than just a financial milestone; it represents a powerful validation of Juvena’s science and strategy from some of the most discerning players in the life sciences ecosystem. The participation of Eli Lilly and Company, both in the financing and through a separate major collaboration, is particularly noteworthy.

Juvena recently entered into a research and collaboration agreement with Lilly potentially worth over $650 million. While specific targets remain confidential, such deals typically involve a combination of upfront payments, research funding, and substantial milestone payments tied to development, regulatory, and commercial success. For a clinical-stage company like Juvena, this partnership provides non-dilutive capital and access to the vast resources and expertise of a global pharmaceutical leader. For Lilly, it represents a strategic investment in an innovative platform that could bolster its own pipeline in high-need areas like muscle health and metabolic disease.

The investor syndicate further underscores this validation. Mubadala Capital, an existing backer with a strong portfolio in AI-driven life sciences companies, doubled down on its investment. Newcomer Jefferson Life Sciences, a firm dedicated to transformative medical innovations, also joined the round, with its Managing Partner, Dr. Laura Lande-Diner, taking a seat on the board.

“This financing marks an important inflection point for Juvena and validates the scientific and translational foundation we’ve built,” stated Dr. Jeremy O’Connell, PhD, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Juvena Therapeutics. He added that the Lilly agreement “underscore[s] our platform’s ability to translate insights from human stem cell biology into therapeutics with the potential to restore tissue function and address serious unmet needs.”

JUV-161: A New Hope for Muscle Degeneration

The immediate focus for the new capital will be advancing Juvena's lead asset, JUV-161. Described as a first-in-class muscle-regenerating biologic, JUV-161 is currently progressing through Phase 1 clinical studies designed to assess its safety and tolerability in humans. The company announced that dosing has been completed in most single and multiple ascending dose cohorts, with the full study expected to conclude by the end of this month.

JUV-161 emerged from Juvena’s AI platform and has demonstrated significant promise in preclinical models. The biologic was shown to enhance myogenesis (the formation of new muscle fibers), improve muscle metabolism, and increase strength. These findings suggest it could directly address the underlying muscle degeneration characteristic of various myopathic conditions, a stark contrast to many existing treatments that primarily manage symptoms.

The therapeutic landscape for neuromuscular diseases is characterized by significant unmet need. Conditions like muscular dystrophies and age-related sarcopenia cause progressive muscle wasting, leading to loss of mobility, independence, and quality of life. Current standards of care are often limited to physical therapy or medications that slow progression but do not restore lost function. If JUV-161's preclinical promise translates to human efficacy, it could represent a paradigm shift, offering a regenerative therapy that actively rebuilds and strengthens muscle tissue.

Scaling for Success with New Leadership

Coinciding with its financial and clinical momentum, Juvena is undergoing a strategic evolution in its leadership. The company has initiated a search for a new Chief Executive Officer to guide it through its next phase of growth, which will involve navigating more advanced clinical trials, expanding its pipeline, and planning for potential commercialization.

Co-founder Dr. Hanadie Yousef, who led the company from its conceptual stage to its current clinical-stage status, will transition to the Board of Directors and serve as an Executive Advisor. This move is common for maturing biotech firms, allowing a founder's vision to be retained at the board level while bringing in a CEO with experience in scaling late-stage companies.

“I am incredibly proud of Juvena’s evolution from a platform concept into a clinical-stage leader in regenerative medicine,” Dr. Yousef commented. “With the company poised for its next chapter of scale, I am excited to support the transition to new leadership, while remaining actively engaged in our mission as a Board Director and Executive Advisor.”

The company is also bolstering its governance and operational teams. The additions of Ben Hemani and Dr. Laura Lande-Diner to the board bring valuable investor and scientific development perspectives. Furthermore, Juvena recently expanded its clinical leadership team by welcoming Dr. Colin Hislop, a veteran clinical development executive, and Dr. Banmeet Anand, an experienced drug development leader. These strategic hires, coupled with the search for a new CEO, signal a clear intent to build an organization capable of bringing its innovative science from the lab to patients in need. With fresh capital and a strengthened team, Juvena is well-positioned to accelerate its mission to redefine treatment for degenerative diseases.