# Merida Biosciences

> Merida Biosciences is a Cambridge, Massachusetts biotechnology company developing a new class of engineered Fc biotherapeutics that selectively bind and eliminate the disease-causing antibodies behind autoimmune and allergic diseases, while sparing the protective antibodies the immune system needs. Launched publicly in April 2025 with a $121 million Series A, the company aims to treat conditions such as Graves' disease, IgE-mediated allergy and primary membranous nephropathy by clearing pathogenic antibodies and suppressing the B cells that make them - without the broad immunosuppression that limits many existing therapies.

- **Founded:** 2022
- **Headquarters:** Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
- **Founders:** Dario Gutierrez (Founder & Chief Scientific Officer), Pierre Bruhns (Co-founder; Director of Research, Pasteur Institute), Mark Shlomchik (Co-founder; Professor of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh)
- **Team size:** ~63 employees
- **Products:** Fc Biotherapeutics Platform, MER511 (TSHR Program), MER769 (IgE Program), MER683 (PLA2R Program)
- **Notable:** Raised a $121M Series A in April 2025, one of the larger immunology launches of the year., Advanced lead program MER511 into a Phase 1 clinical study (NEXUS) for Graves' disease / thyroid eye disease., Built a platform positioned to address more than two dozen antibody-driven diseases from a single mechanism.

## Products & services

- **Fc Biotherapeutics Platform** — A proprietary protein-engineering platform that produces antibody-like molecules based on the Fc fragment. The molecules selectively bind disease-causing antibodies, direct them to liver cells for degradation via FcgammaRIIB (avoiding the toxicity linked to FcgammaRIIA), and inhibit B cells in an antigen-specific manner to suppress production of new pathogenic antibodies. The platform is designed to be applicable across more than two dozen antibody-driven autoimmune and allergic diseases.
- **MER511 (TSHR Program)** — Lead clinical-stage precision biologic targeting thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor autoantibodies in Graves' disease and thyroid eye disease. In Phase 1 (NEXUS study).
- **MER769 (IgE Program)** — Engineered therapeutic antibody to neutralize and eliminate IgE antibodies for IgE-mediated allergic diseases such as severe asthma, atopic dermatitis, urticaria and food allergy. In IND-enabling studies.
- **MER683 (PLA2R Program)** — Precision biologic designed to clear pathogenic autoantibodies against the phospholipase A2 receptor in primary membranous nephropathy while preserving essential immunity and avoiding alkylating agents. In IND-enabling studies.

## Achievements

- Raised a $121M Series A in April 2025, one of the larger immunology launches of the year.
- Advanced lead program MER511 into a Phase 1 clinical study (NEXUS) for Graves' disease / thyroid eye disease.
- Built a platform positioned to address more than two dozen antibody-driven diseases from a single mechanism.
- Assembled a syndicate of Bain Capital Life Sciences, BVF Partners, Third Rock Ventures, GV and PXV Funds.
- Recruited a founding team and scientific advisory board spanning the Pasteur Institute, University of Pittsburgh, UNC, Scripps and LUMC.

## Latest updates

- **2025-04** — Merida Biosciences launched publicly with $121M in Series A financing co-led by Bain Capital Life Sciences, BVF Partners and Third Rock Ventures.
- **2025-04** — Company detailed a three-program pipeline: Graves' disease (lead), IgE-mediated allergy, and primary membranous nephropathy.
- **2025** — Lead TSHR program MER511 entered Phase 1 clinical development (NEXUS study).

## Links

- Website: https://meridabio.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/merida-biosciences

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/merida-biosciences
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-19